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You can rent motorcycles in Laos and Thailand in various places, starting from main cities to small villages. Most of them are light motorcycles. In some places you can find bikes with automatic gears, in others half-automatic, and in some places you can find heavy motorbikes whose rental is more expensive
Renting a motorcycle in Thailand - Simple and convenient
Renting a motorcycle in Thailand and Laos
In every place I rented a motorbike, I wasn’t ask for an international driver’s license, but this license is a must. You should check your country’s regulation about insurance coverages in case of an accident.
The most common light motorcycle has half-automatic gear 100cc to 125cc. Its speed gets from 80 km/h to 110 km/h (depending on the model). These bikes are rather cheap (150 to 250 baht a day, as of Januray-March 2007), and they’re easy to operate.
The half-automatic means there’s no clutch but only a kickstand which you have to press with your foot to switch gears (four of them). When you ride in the mountains, and in sharp curves, those gears help to control the bike and prevent over usage of the break.
Driving on the left side
In Thailand they drive on the left side, so you should get used to it as soon as possible. It’s not as complicated as it sound, but even if you’re an experienced rider you should increase your alertness. In Laos and Cambodia they drive on the right side like the rest of the world.
Insurance
Most of the contracts I’ve seen are based on: You pay for what you break. In some cases you can add a little money for insurance that covers damages, but it’s not always possible. You should notice that even when there’s a third party insurance, it only means it would cover the injury of a third person, not any damages. It’s wise to find out with the owner how much you’d pay for any damage that might occur. You should also check the condition of the motorcycle before renting (leaks, breaks and other mechanical parts). I didn’t have too much knowledge in motorbikes so I mainly checked that everything is OK, I took it for a quick spin, I checked that the breaks work properly, that lights work, that the motorcycle doesn’t make any weird noises, and that the engine doesn’t shut down in inclines.
Pay attention
1. You’d better choose a 125cc engine over a 110cc one.
2. It’s wise to stay away from Chinese motorcycles from a no-name company. They are less powerful and more noisy. Recommended companies I have experience with: Yamah, Suzuki, Honda.
3. Odometer - The shorter the length that the motorbike passed, the more probably it is that it’s in a better condition. Usually newer bikes cost a little more than old bikes.
4. You should make sure the tires are not worn out to avoid unnecessary flat tires.
5. Check that nothing is broken, and if you find something, show the owner so you will not be charged when you return the bike.
6. It’s highly recommended to read the terms of the contract you sign. Ask if anything isn’t clear. Most contracts are uniform but not always.
Fuel
Basically there are two kinds of fuel. The first and cheaper one is Octane 91. The more expensive one is Octane 95. Before you take your motorbike, check with the owner which one yours needs. Sometimes the number shows on the fuel compartment.
In the large cities of Thailand, there are established gas stations. The fueling problem starts when you get to remote areas. The first type of improvised gas station is something that is called a gas station, and has huge barrels with transparent pumps that look like advanced barmen equipment. Octane 91 and Octane 95 can be identified by their colors. One of them is red and the other is orange (I don’t remember which is which). Sometimes you will see the correct number on each pump.
In highly remote places you can purchase fuel inside Coca Cola and Pepsi bottles. These bottles are sold in places that look like a small supermarket. You will also be able to distinguish the two by the color of their liquid. In many of these places, locals do not understand English at all, but they call Octane 95 “Turbo”. If you’re bored you can look for the translation in Thai.
Water and oil
In every place I rented a light motorcycle (up to 125cc) I was told there’s no need to care for oil or water, but for fuel only.
Parking space
In Laos it’s customary to pay for motorcycle parking (less than one dollar) in clubs or market. Locals pay this amount as well. In return your motorcycle will be guarded against thefts.
In Chiang Mai, Thailand motorcycles can get tickets. Sometimes there’s a parking problem for them so you should pay attention where you park.
Helmet
A very important article for riding safely is the helmet. Usually it’s supplied with no extra charge, but the one you get is of low quality. It’s made of soft plastic so you should not count on it in case of an accident. If a quality helmet is important to you, do a research on that subject. If I’m not mistaken, while renting heavier motorbikes you get a better helmet. However, these bikes are not always available.
Where can you rent a motorcyle in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia?
Central Thailand
Bangkok - The city is highly busy with traffic. I couldn’t find a place to rent a motorcycle in.
Kanchanaburi - Light motorcycles 100cc - 250cc.
Pattaya - Light and heavy motorcycles.
Eastern Thailand
Khorat - Half-automatic motorcycles (no automatic).
North Thailand
Chiang Rai - Light motorcycles.
Chiang Mai - Light and heavy motorcycles.
Pai - Light and heavy motorcycles.
South Thailand
Khao Sok - Light motorcycles.
Khao Lak - Light motorcycles.
Krabi - Light motorcycles.
Laos
Vientiane -Half-automatic motorcycles (no automatic).
Vang Vieng - Light motorcycles.
Luang Prabang - The police forbids to rent a motorcycle.
Cambodia
Siem Reap - The police forbids to rent a motorcycle (the closest thing is electrical bicycle).
If a place doesn’t appear in this list, it doesn’t mean you can’t rent a motorcycle there.
Drive carefully.
This article was originally written in Hebrew. It was translated to English at a later time.
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