Should I rent a motorscooter?

[Jeebbo]

I have a Kawasaki 750 motorcycle at home. I sure do wish I could have brought it with me. I'm getting awfully tired of all the walking around here after only two days, and having to walk severely limits the range of my explorations of Pattaya. I'm thinking of renting a motorscooter. Would you gentlemen recommend for or against that? If I do it, what should I look out for? How should I do it and how should I not do it? Maybe I should just forget about it and keep on walking; I'm only here for three more days. Anyway, I won't do it until I get some advice from somebody about how to go about it. Thanks in advance for any advice y'all can give me.

Ron

[rocky1838]

I have a Kawasaki 750 motorcycle at home. I sure do wish I could have brought it with me. I'm getting awfully tired of all the walking around here after only two days, and having to walk severely limits the range of my explorations of Pattaya. I'm thinking of renting a motorscooter. Would you gentlemen recommend for or against that? If I do it, what should I look out for? How should I do it and how should I not do it? Maybe I should just forget about it and keep on walking; I'm only here for three more days. Anyway, I won't do it until I get some advice from somebody about how to go about it. Thanks in advance for any advice y'all can give me.

Ron

It's up to you as they say in Thailand.

Remember...three+ people die every day on Pattaya roads when riding motorbikes.

If you have an accident it WILL be your fault. Regardless if a drunken Thai hit you or not.

If that doesn't bother you and you do rent one then do not leave the renter your passport. Much better to get a Thai girl to rent one for you using her I.D.

An old scam was for the renter to come and take the bike after you rented it. Then you had to pay the bikes value back to the renter or no passport back.
Also if it breaks down, the farang is expected to pay for the parts and labour to fix it.

Saying that...it can be fun whizzing along catching the sun.

Enjoy and take care.

[Montydog]

NO is my immediate advice, apart from the steal back scam Rocky has mentioned there is also the crazy traffic in Pattaya, the BIB waiting for you to transgress a made up or real traffic law so you can contribute to the fund. Have you seen those helmets that they give you? May as well put a washing up bowl on your head! Also does your travel Insurance cover you for this. Or med-evac or repatriation of your body. Why risk wasting even an hour of your holiday in a hospital.

I have ridden since I was 16 have spent 4 years on dispatch in London own 3 bikes at the moment (1100cc the biggest) but would never rent in Pattaya.

I have rented in Samui and Koh Chang but much quieter less crazy roads, took my own lid (Roof) and NEVER took it out when drinking.

Public transport is dirt cheap take advantage of it. I don’t want to read a TR from Emergency ward 10.

[Steve German]

Never ever drive yourself; you are a driving ATM-Card; and if their business
is low like in rainy season, the owner will find something what you ve made
broken.
I can`t understand such questions; in whole asia the public transport is so
cheap; for me no discussion

[Unplaced]

No advice on if you should or not, but if you do, be sure to inspect every inch of the bike.

Then make sure you mention every little scratch to him so he doesn't try to nail you you when you return the bike.

[Jeebbo]

Well, gentlemen, the consensus of opinion clearly seems to be: DON'T do it. So I won't. Thank you all very much for the advice and I will gratefully follow it.

Ron

[Leo Monti]

The first thing I do when I arrive in Pattaya (and if I do by bus, even before I go to hotel) is to rent a motobike.
Actually, as the traffic is crazy I just rent small automatic bikes (in the past it could be fun to rent a 600 cc but nowadays it make no sense) but I could not imagine to stay there for more than one day without a rented bike.

Ok, you have to be careful (really) when driving, rent the bike by someone you can trust a little bit (some hotels have bikes to rent so that could be an option) and forget about the bike if you are out for a night of drinking.
But in the day you are free to go every where and when you want and will be much cheaper then do the same with taxi motorbikes (and many guys driving them has no idea how to drive a bike!)

I like to move around freely, I know the risks and since now I've spent more than one year in Pattaya (in all my trips) without problems, so that's the way I go for.

Since you don't know the place that much and have only 3 days left maybe it's too risky and you can surely survive without it.
But if you have the chance to rent a bike for a fair price and from somebody you can trust (they should accept cash deposit and passport copy. Never, ever and forever give your passport as garantie) then why not try?

[PFactor]

I have always rented a small motorbike when I spend time in Koh Samui, and never had a problem. However, Koh Samui is NOT Pattaya. Since I have never been there, I can't say much, but it seems to me that it is much busier there...
I would agree though, if you're careful, and don't drink and drive, and drive defensively, you should not have any problems.

[rocky1838]

I have always rented a small motorbike when I spend time in Koh Samui, and never had a problem. However, Koh Samui is NOT Pattaya. Since I have never been there, I can't say much, but it seems to me that it is much busier there...
I would agree though, if you're careful, and don't drink and drive, and drive defensively, you should not have any problems.

Pattaya is nuts when it comes to the roads. Most of the Thais there originate from Isaan and none have a licence.

This was confirmed a couple of years ago when my friends girl crashed her bike. At the Police station neither her or the other Thai had a licence.

My friends Lawyer (from Bangkok) though this was very odd until my friend bet the Lawyer 10,000 baht that no Thai in the Police station had a licence. She went round and asked everybody and guess what...none of them had a licence.

When I lived there I had a fireblade and a 125cc Suzuki and used to drive every day and got away with it.
There were a few hairy moments though and no matter how defensive you drive, you can still be an innocent victim.

The first week in February I witnessed a high speed crash on beach road. This Thai boy was tearing down the road and over took this car on the inside..just as the car was turning left. What a smash..His bike spun in the air and landed on the beach it took such an impact. Now if someone was driving past or walking they would have been killed by the flying bike.

Also check the small print on many holiday insurance policies, many will refuse a medical claim if the bike was over 125cc you had an accident on.