Voyagner

I’ve come to realize that using a motorcycle to see the countries we visit is for me at least possibly the best way of getting around. Increased mobility and independence, locals are more welcoming of motorcycles than cars and buses as they can identify with bikes.

It’s all too easy to rent a motorcycle and ride… wherever.

It’s also often very stupid. Renting a bike in places like Bali, Thailand and most of SE Asia is as simple as handing over your passport as security and making sure there is fuel in the tank. No license required sometimes no helmet and no need for any previous riding experience.

While most bikes available for rent are around the 125cc category, in Thailand particularly there are more and larger 250cc+ bikes as well. Unless you rent from a reputable and normally western run business you won’t be restricted in what you can rent.

On Koh Chang a few months ago I noticed young guys on 250cc sports bikes flying around without helmets on bikes that are falling to pieces and most of the time with loud modified or removed exhausts. I’m sure they felt like the king of the hill but to everyone else with some sensibilities they were complete idiots. In Pattaya where guys like to feel like they are living the high life with fast women and even faster bikes, fatal accidents involving foreigners are all too common.

(Bad audio but good example of Koh Chang’s roads.)

Koh Chang’s roads themselves are dangerous, put speeding Thai minibuses and inexperienced western drivers on them and you have a recipe for disaster. Accidents both minor and serious happen every day involving foreigners.

If you have an accident as a foreigner you are at fault, regardless of whether you are actually at fault. And accidents are common; over 30 people die in road accidents every day in Thailand

If you are unlicensed for a motorcycle in your home country and the country you are visiting you are not insured, most rental businesses do not offer the 3^rd party liability insurance you need. Even if you are licensed in either country you should ask your insurer if you are covered. Unless you have specifically asked to be there is a very good chance you are not. If you are covered it is probably limited to bikes under 250cc.

The chances of having an accident are very real, if you don’t meet someone bandaged up on crutches you’ll talk to someone who has. Many of the helmets provided don’t pass safety checks nor will you have any of the other gear, most get around in shorts and a t-shirt so you have to be aware of how vulnerable you are. That said you can also have a lot of fun riding them and seeing things you might not have seen without it. So if you are still up for it here are a few more tips to keep yourself out of trouble.

• A 125cc bike will do in most cases, unless you are going off road our touring it will be fine, many people take the small bikes off road with little trouble anyway. There is no real need for a sports bike, you will not look cooler or impress anyone.
• Scams like the Jet Ski one in Patong and becoming more common with motorcycles as well, rent a bike that is in new or near new condition and if you have a digital camera photograph it thoroughly.
• If you drop a bike, scratching or denting it or if a mechanical fault occurs during your rental take the bike to a workshop yourself and get it repaired, it will be much cheaper and less troublesome than dealing with the renter when you return it.
• Never admit fault or agree to pay for damage if you have insurance. Sometimes paying may be cheaper than a claim; in that case it might still be worth claiming that you are insured as a bargaining tool. Bikes in SE Asia are cheap, as are repairs, don’t be fooled into expensive on the spot cash deals. Get help from tourist police if you need it.
• Don’t ride in Bangkok!

Ride Safe.