Rent a motorcycle in Bali – Tips for driving in Bali

Want rent a motorbike in Bali but do you have some questions?

When I decided I was going to spend a month in Bali, my first thought was that I had to find a scooter rental in Bali so I could go out and explore some places like Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. But obviously I had no idea how to do it. I also had no idea if it was legal for me to drive. The information I found about motorbike rental in Bali was very vague, contradictory and often incorrect, so I have decided to set the record straight.

Upon returning from my trip, I decided to share my experience of touring Bali on a motorcycle for the first time, since it is one of the best things to do in Bali. This is your guide to renting a motorcycle in Bali.

In this post to rent a motorcycle in Bali to travel around the island, You will find information on where to rent a scooter in Bali, documentation, insurance, scooter rental prices in Bali and an answer to the big question: Is it really dangerous to rent a scooter in Bali?

Get around Bali on a motorcycle

If you have already decided rent a motorbike in Bali, Here you will find the information you need to plan your trip.

Is it dangerous to drive a scooter in Bali?

My recommendation is that the first time you rent a scooter in Bali, do it in a traffic-free space, like Ubud, if you don't have much experience.

Riding a motorcycle in Bali is as dangerous as anywhere else in the world, although the laws are not very strict, always wear a helmet.

My second tip, and probably the most important, is to buy travel insurance for Bali and to carry your phone with you at all times, because accidents happen. While renting a motorcycle in Bali is not risky, you always have to be prepared. To take out the insurance I advise you Intermundial, one of the best insurances worldwide, and also by clicking our link you have a 20% discount. 

International driving license in Bali

It's very simple: Yes, you can Rent a motorcycle in Bali without an international driving license. However, I do not recommend it.

Yes, until recently there was an alternative where you could go to the Denpasar police station and get a local license. That is no longer possible, according to all indications.

I must say, however, that even though the law requires foreigners to have an international driving permit to drive a scooter in Indonesia, many visitors do not do so. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of foreigners driving scooters and motorbikes in Bali do not have an international driving permit.

Instead, those who break the rules choose to pay “fines” (read bribes) to the local police.

From my point of view, you should never pay bribes to local police officers. That unleashes a wave of corruption. You just have to follow the law and do the right thing. It is not difficult to obtain an international license in most countries.

Translation made with the free version of the translator www.DeepL.com/Translator

How can I get the international driving permit and license to drive a scooter in Bali?

It totally depends on your country.

In Spain, for example, you must obtain an international driving permit (IDP) and carry it with you, along with your Spanish driving license. This document is issued by the Traffic Agency, you can make an appointment at any office and do so, it costs 10.3 euros. The process is very simple.

For other countries, you should check the process you must follow with your country's Department of Transportation.

Driving in Bali

Driving in Bali can be chaos. Balinese do not usually use turn signals or rearview mirrors. The law of the strongest is what prevails on the road.

Tellingly, there are fewer accidents in Bali than one might imagine. If you want to discover everything and plan your vacation in Bali, I recommend this Bali travel guide. In this other post I talk about Living in Bali. 

Which way do you drive in Bali?

In Bali they drive on the left side of the road, like in most Asian countries, so you have to be especially careful when overtaking cars if you are not used to driving on the left side.

Safety tips for driving a motorcycle in Bali

If it's your first time in Bali, you'll quickly realize that the local drivers go a little crazy. It is important to maintain security. Most of it is common sense, but just in case you need a reminder, here are some tips.

• Always wear your helmet: don't be that person who tries to look cool only to end up in the hospital or worse. Plus, it's the law, you don't need to give the police any extra reason to stop you.
• Cover your skin: At the very least, cover your legs. If you fall, you can be sure that your knees will hit the ground first and a little coverage can be the difference between a small cut or digging sand out of a gaping wound for weeks.
• Start slowly: if you are still a little new to scooters, increase the speed little by little and if you feel uncomfortable… slow down.
• Wear good shoes – For the same reasons, if you lose control and have to put your foot down quickly, you don't want to wear flip-flops.
• Get a scooter that suits your ability: you don't need big power, so if you're new, stick with a 50cc or 125, don't go for power.

Gasoline price in Bali

Gasoline is very cheap in Bali, priced at around IDR 33,642 per gallon (2.38 $). However, gas stations in Bali are very different from those in Spain and other countries, where you can find pumps, rest stops and bathrooms.

The usual way to sell gasoline in Bali is through small stalls with wooden shelves full of glass bottles of gasoline, where they will fill the tank of your Bali scooter.

Can I travel to Bali without a motorcycle?

Although having your own motorcycle to go wherever you want is very comfortable, you can get around Bali without motorcycle No problem. Luckily, there are many tours in Bali that take you to the main places to visit in Bali.

In fact, Ascen visited more places during his 1-week Bali itinerary without renting a motorbike than I did during my 10-day Bali motorbike trip.

I have never driven a scooter; Can I drive in Bali?

Yes, although it may seem overwhelming. It is true that Renting a motorcycle in Bali has many advantages, how to decide your own schedules and itinerary. However, there are many drawbacks, such as swallowing dust when driving on unpaved roads or the endless hours of driving where I ended up with horrible back pain.

In any case, never try to learn to drive a motorcycle in Bali.

Rent a motorcycle in Bali

Rent a motorcycle in Bali It is very simple. There are many places where you can find them and the prices are quite cheap, around IDR 70-80,000 (approximately 6 $). They rent them in many Bali hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. You can find scooter rentals in Bali everywhere.

It is impossible to imagine an active life in Bali without a motorcycle or private transportation. This is my experience, and the opinion of those I have met on the island.

In other Asian countries, such as thailand or the Philippines, and even Vietnam, there is “some form of” public transportation; mainly, of course, in big cities. But it turns out that Bali is a large island: the population is that of a large megapolis of 4.2 million people (2020 census data), in addition, there is a complete absence of public transport or it is in the gestation phase.

With all this, the cost of renting a scooter, a motorcycle or a car is very low. For example, the cost of renting a cheap motorcycle would be equivalent to the cheapest bottles of beer in a supermarket.

Some people are better off with a taxi or a personal car with a driver, but it's not practical in my opinion.

I reserved my motorcycle in advance here and although it was a little more expensive (7.86 $ per day) it was in perfect condition.

Where to rent a motorcycle in Bali

We are going to talk about all the ways to rent a motorcycle in Bali. As always, it depends on what is most important to you: time, price and quality.

Cheap motorcycles in Bali

So, let's investigate on our own. This is the Cheapest way to rent a motorbike in Bali. It's not worth doing it on arrival: first get to the hotel or villa and then, well rested and full of energy, go out to investigate the cacophonous streets of the island.

The algorithm is simple: Go out into the street, see a bunch of motorcycles and a “Motorcycle Rental” sign, go straight in and say: “I want to rent a motorcycle.” Find out the price, see what bikes are available and haggle. You can haggle very well, but the prices are already low. Of course, if you are in a place popular with tourists and you look like an inexperienced, “green” tourist, you may be quoted three times the price. Compare prices with the average for the entire island, and see our special with an analysis of Vario 125 rental prices.

This method is more suitable for tourists who vacation for a whole month or several. Unfortunately, you can't always find a good bike for an adequate amount of money, even if you spend a couple of days searching. For example, during my last visit, I searched for a motorcycle for two days, when it was my third long trip. On my first visit I lived in Bali for a year and a half, and I had verified the rental contacts! In the end I rented a Honda Vario 150 for one million rupees (70$), with a mileage of 43,000 kilometres. I had to take it because I got tired and I only discovered that it was not new when the tenant took me to his workshop. I had to reject it and get to the hotel on my own, or just take that motorcycle.

It is also important to be sure of the owner's hygiene. In a street shop you cannot check the cleanliness of the bicycle.

Cheating tourists is unpopular on the island, but it is good to keep in mind. It is often possible to come across an insane bill due to the scratches that have been made.

Apart from that, in different regions there are different conditions for searching for a bicycle. In Kuta or Seminyak you can get by on foot, but in Bukit, Canggu and Ubud rentals are scarcer, and if you don't live on a major street, you'll have to make a detour.

Well, and if you are far from the mentioned regions, finding a rental on foot may be impossible. Such regions are: Amed, Sanur and Berava, among others.

Fast and expensive motorcycles in Bali

If you don't want to spend valuable time on rental issues/want to spend less than a month in Bali, and don't mind spending a larger sum of money, it's easier to turn to the big transportation rental companies.

As a rule, you will pay double the price, but they will speak to you in English, sometimes in Russian, and you will also have insurance and less chance of being deceived.

Cheap and fast motorcycles in Bali

Just a couple of years ago it was not a possibility, and to get a low price, you had to walk or call and check many stores.

Now there is “Getbike”, which brings together all the rentals in Bali, large and small, who own a large set of scooters and motorbikes in good condition. Taking this into account, the rental price will only be 5-10% higher than what you would find on your own.

The most complete list of contacts and rental companies in Bali, divided by region, can be seen in the “Rental Contacts” section of the website.

Motorcycle rental prices in Bali

There are more than a thousand rentals and a huge selection of motorcycles in Bali. Most rentals feature the same range of scooters. Motorcycle and Custom rentals can be counted on one hand.

The most popular are the tiny scooters with a volume of 100-250 cubic cm, automatic.

Mostly, The cost depends on parameters such as the duration of the rental, the condition of the motorcycle and the region in which it is rented.

As a general rule, for inconspicuous motorcycle models, such as the Honda Vario 125, the price varies between 55 and 80 thousand rupees per day, about 5-7 dollars. If you take the same motorcycle for a month, the price amounts to 550-900 thousand rupees (50-80 USD). With 550,000 rupees you can get the most dilapidated motorcycle, while with 900,000 rupees you can get a new one, or one in almost perfect condition, in any area of the island.

If you plan to rent it for several months, talk to the owner, even if the prices are already low. Haggling could give you a discount on 5-10%. They won't go down any more. Unless, of course, they first want to charge you double the price.

In general, costs in Bali are so low that you would want to pay more. Sometimes it is not understood how profits are obtained at that price. It turns out that many of the large local rentals profit not only from bike rentals, but also from their sales. They purchase a motorcycle on credit, the bank allows it with a 25% annual payment, then they rent it for 5 years, pay the loan, sometimes they profit, and sell the motorcycle for half or a third of the original price.

I do not advise looking for the cheapest motorcycle. After all, 100,000 rupees is 8 dollars. You can get a much better bike after paying the mentioned amount. He has a good motorcycle, with no more than 40,000 km.

There are also many beat-up motorcycles in Bali. They are often distributed in Kuta, where tourists are willing to take the first vehicle offered to them.

Look at the price table for bicycle rental. These are the prices at a prolific local rental in Seminyak. Applicable from June 22, 2018.

Not everyone likes motorcycles, so if you are thinking of traveling by car in Bali, you have three options: rent a car with driver (there are some limitations), or hire a tour (the easiest option, although you will depend on your guide).

Tips for renting a motorcycle in Bali

Finally, I want to give you some practical tips for renting a motorcycle in Bali:

• Check out the rental motorcycle, calmly, take your time. Look at the brakes and power and, if you don't see it clearly, order another one.
• Buy the the best travel insurance and have the support phone number handy.
• Always wear the helmet even during short trips.
• Check the weather in bali before your trip.
• Avoid getting fined by carrying your international driver's license with you.
• Learn to to drive like a true Balinese. Even if you have a license, if a police officer sees that you are driving like a tourist, he will stop you and invent something to fine you.
• If you have never driven rent a motorcycle in your city a few weeks before your trip to familiarize yourself with it.
• Buy scooter rental insurance to save money in case of damage.
• Don't try to carry all your luggage On the motorcycle. Set up a base camp at any hotel or villa in Bali and leave most of your belongings there, carrying only a small backpack with the essentials for your Bali motorcycle tour.
• He wears both a paper map and an offline mobile application with the Bali map downloaded.
• In case of breakdown or puncture keep calm, Call the company where you rented the motorcycle, and go to one of the hundreds of workshops on the island.

Greetings, traveler!