Rent a Motorcycle in Vietnam
Many people plan to buy a motorcycle when they arrive in Vietnam. Instead of doing this, and spending more money, why not rent a motorbike whenever you need one? Or if you want to motorcycle throughout the country, why not rent one for the entire duration of your stay? It often ends up being a fraction of the cost of owning one and reselling one later. This article gives you the necessary steps to get the best rental while in the country.
Steps
Renting for Short Periods
- Make sure you are getting a semi-automatic or automatic motorbike. If you've never ridden a manual bike before, it's best to get a semi-automatic or automatic. This will ensure that you don't continuously stall the bike, and avoid problems when going uphill.
- Check the tires to make sure they have air. Oftentimes if you ride without checking the air you will get a flat tire, which can be a real pain and quite costly if the person you rented from does not want to pay you back! Also check the brakes, lights, horn, and seat lock.
- Get the contact information (phone number) of the person you renting from in case something happens. Let's say you lose your key, or get a flat tire... or both... it's always better to know how to contact the bike owner.
- Negotiate the price if you plan to have the motorbike for a few days. There is usually a lot of room for negotiation with extended rentals. Think about it: how much guaranteed money is the bike owner willing to make versus the potential of having another client the next day? The owners often have more than one bike, so keep that in mind too.
- Make sure to ask for a helmet and lock! You are legally obliged to wear a helmet at all times and the police will stop you if you aren't wearing one.
- Be careful on the roads! The last thing you would want is to have to go back home early with a medical emergency.
Renting for Your Whole Trip
- Find a reputable renting agency. So now that the reason why to rent is out of the way, it's time to go out and find a reliable organization to rent from.
- Take a moment to make sure your bike is in perfect condition. Once you found out who you will rent from, make sure to check the bike thoroughly. Tires, brakes, lights, horn, lock, mirrors, battery, tank measurement, etc.
- Make sure to have a clause in the agreement that make them liable for any cost you have to incur to repair the motorbike during your trip.
- Don't give them your passport, as a copy should do. They aren't responsible for it; you are.
- Ask for a quick lesson from someone in the agency. They should give you the main pointers so you don't get in an accident.
- Get your helmet and lock. Make sure you have a sturdy enough hold behind your seat to hold your travel equipment.
- Enjoy your trip!
Tips
- Try not to leave your passport for more than a week at the agency. Sometimes they will ask for your passport, but ask to give a copy instead as you don't want to take that chance.
- If the roads are wet or sandy, slow down before taking turns. Water and sand are your bikes worst enemy.
- Don't hesitate to honk often to communicate with people on the road. This is normal in the country.
Warnings
- Try to get back home before nightfall. Driving at night is a completely different ballgame and is much more dangerous, especially if you are not used to the driving norms of the country.
- The larger the vehicle, the more rights it has on the road. If you see a bus or car coming your way, or turning when they shouldn't, slow down. They will not stop for you. You are the smallest vehicle on the road, so your rights come last. Never forget this as its a rule all across the country.
