I would like to rent/buy a motorcycle in Hanoi and then ride around Southeast Asia. I have about 6 weeks. Has anybody done this? Any advice? Tips?
I have, and we realized it was best to just buy our own, depending on your finances you can pick up a brand new 125 cc scooter for about 1000 AUD. Now although we both ride bigger bikes I did found it harder to find one to buy and the ones available where bad, and were unreliable and thats just not what you want.
As for renting we found it was to risky to hire,think about it would you want to rent your bike out for 6weeks to a stranger,you would want a huge deposit for security.
Also the fact that if anything would have happened to it whilst we had, it cost us more when handed back.
General travel insurance wont cover you as excess for as your not renting it from a legitimate source ( eg. Budget,Avis,you get the drift.)
At least with your own bike if you drop it or come off, you have no one to hassle you for a new bike or to get your deposit back or even your passport,we didn't want the hassle. Your going for 6 weeks spend the money and get something decent.
At the end off our trip we just took the bikes to the uni in Saigon and raffle the bikes off for the local orphanage and raised over $500 USD
Also you will be paying around 16,000 VND per liter.
This is just my advise,take it or leave it,but I do suggest to get something reliable you will constantly have your hand in your pocket.
Good luck and safe riding!
Thanks Aikiwiroo
That's some great advice. I think buying a bike is definitely the way to go. I've ridden one of those 125 scooters around northern Vietnam, and it was pretty good.
Did you have any problems at borders? Can you just bring a bike from Vietnam into other countries, like Thailand, without having any sort of registration papers for that country?
Thanks,
Ryan
To be honest we only did Vietnam and Cambodia,but we had no problems at all for as we had a multiple entry visa,back to Vietnam. What month are you planning to do this ?
I'm asking you this due to flooding in central Vietnam,we were there for a return visit in late October and the whole place was under water, and the roads can be really bad with pot holes everywhere.
Vietnam is very seasonal so make sure you do this when the weather is at its best!
Not being too obvious, make sure you have reserve fuel - I got picked up by a lovely Vietnamese family when I ran out of fuel too far from a station. Nice way to meet people, but I can think of safer options
Akiwiroo, you sound lovely (not a chat up line, but a genuine interpretation)! That was an ace idea to raffle the bikes.
Ha ha...
Jax, I'll be sure to carry a bit of extra fuel. I came close to running out a few times up north, but all the little shops sell water bottles full of fuel, so I made it back buying from them.
Akiwiroo, I haven't yet decided on the month. I'll be leaving here, China, in mid March. My plan is to visit a friend in Hanoi before I go to Thailand, where I plan on living for the next few years. Ideally, I would like to visit my friend in Hanoi, and then, instead of flying to Thailand, buy a bike and take the slow, scenic route.
...but nothing is set in stone, as usual. I write for a living, so I can sort of travel and work at the same time...as long as I have access to the Internet. If I take this trip, I'll be posting it at http://liveinasiablog ...hopefully without pictures of me running out of gas!
My biggest concern about making this happen is the bike itself. I'm afraid that if I buy one, I won't be able to register it in Thailand. If I rent one, then I'll have to return it, which sort of defeats the purpose.
...maybe I can buy one and then just sell it at the border.
Well, you have the world at your feet and I would just say do what your heart tells you. When we travel we constantly have all these neat ideas but do they always go to plan ?
In all the years I have travelled and that's over 20, I have changed my ideas many times, at the end you just need to do what is best and go with it.
The best part is you can always return and do your dream later after finding out what you need to know, I have been to Vietnam in the 3 years, 8 times and still counting and each time I find out so much more.
I did find a that may be helpful. Good luck.
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