1stbase Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I never rode a motorcycle before but want to learn how to ride them here so I can go back home and ride one of my friends nice ones without worrying about damaging the clutch etc. Do I need a motorbike license to ride here or just a normal drivers lic? Any scams I should watch for? How much should I be paying for a day? Will they teach me how to ride? Any recommendations? I am at pattaya beach and soi 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetchariot Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I never rode a motorcycle before but want to learn how to ride them here so I can go back home and ride one of my friends nice ones without worrying about damaging the clutch etc. Do I need a motorbike license to ride here or just a normal drivers lic? Any scams I should watch for? How much should I be paying for a day? Will they teach me how to ride? Any recommendations? I am at pattaya beach and soi 13. I would suggest that this is probably not the best location in the world to learn how to ride. Up to you - make sure you get a good medical insurance first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmanly Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 1stbase, you need to have a motorcycle license to ride a MC in Thailand. If you don't have a Thai one you need to have a International Drivers Permit that is used in conjunction with your foreign MC license. *Note* If you use an International Permit and you have an accident there is a strong possibility that your travel insurance will not cover you as most policies state that you must have a local license for the country that you are in. Pattaya is one of the last places in Thailand I would want to learn to ride a motocy. Western road rules simply do not apply, you will get other motocys coming from all directions and you need eyes everywhere. If you have an accident nearly always you as a farang will be blamed for it. I wouldn't bother if I was you, I would learn to ride back in my home country first. For the record, I am a long term MC rider in Pattaya and Thailand and I originally got my license in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchester Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 (edited) I never rode a motorcycle before but want to learn how to ride them here so I can go back home LEARN? In Pattaya? You,ll be going back home alright! In a box ! Edited November 18, 2007 by Manchester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
begsaresponse Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 It would be worth your while reading the topic "Motorcy"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukDod Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I never rode a motorcycle before but want to learn how to ride them here ...<snip>... Excellent advise previously given to '1stbase'...who may never reach 2ndbase as a newbie cyclist! Consider: IF you do rent a bike....best would be one of the small motos that are so common. Also...you'd likely need to leave your passport as insurance that you'll return the bike. If you damaged the clutch or even just scratched the bike you'll end up paying _far_ more than actual repair costs before you'll ever get your passport returned! IF your from a country where they drive on the right-side of the road, you'll surely drastically increase your chances of having an accident just trying to adapt to driving here on the left-side of the road, plus quickly finding that no rules of the road seem to apply to Thai's. And, as previously mentioned, regardless of the cause of the accident, you as a farang will likely be fully liable! If you decide to rent in the face of realistic advice...readers may sadly see you TV as just another one of the many daily accidents. Baht buses are cheap....as are moto dops (drivers)....compared to your alternative! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHdiver Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Go back home and learn it there. At least if that is a place where they can give you proper lessons. Get a Motorbike Licence and then go and ride Motorbikes. Stay away from the Scooters too around here, two weeks ago I saw a Newbie driving into a pole in the Underground parking at Royal Garden, he didn't know how to drive, how he got so far, I will never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stbase Posted November 18, 2007 Author Share Posted November 18, 2007 (edited) Thanks for the advise. I am used to driving without traffic rules back in Toronto, so this would be merely switching over to a bike. I have no problems riding my bicycle in crowded traffic and cutting off cars. I want to rent a bike just to learn, not to drive around city streets. I will probably just find a vacant rode to practise shifting etc and thats that. My buddies bike is worth about 10k so he won't let me touch it without knowing how to use it. Thats mainly why I want to learn here cheap on a cheap bike. Another thing, how does civil law work here? I read the jet ski thread and am concerned. If I crash the bike or jet ski or something for that matter, do I risk going to jail if I cannot come up with the cash for repairs or is there a civil system here that protects me? Edited November 18, 2007 by 1stbase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukDod Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 ...<snipped>.. If I crash the bike or jet ski or something for that matter, do I risk going to jail if I cannot come up with the cash for repairs or is there a civil system here that protects me? Sorry, but you're not in Toronto... I guess you could say there is a 'civil system' here...and it often goes like this: You are a 'farang', therefore it is believed that you must them be 'rich'. Hence, you will most often be expected to pay repairs and medical compensation (if needed) to any Thai when involved in an accident. Same applies if the accident doesn't involve people or vehicles, but property damage. You will likely have to negotiate settlement directly with the injured parties, rather than wanting to involve the police! Of course they will ask for more $ than the actual costs. Oh, and never show your temper...that will only increase costs! If the police need to get involved...they will 'civilly' ask you to settle with the injured and possibly manage a few Baht for themselves. If you cannot come to an agreement, jail is a possibility (in the case of a negligent death), but you passport will likely be seized and not returned until satisfactory settlement has been reached. On one hand, you may not have any problems as a newbie cyclist on a rental bike, it's just the 'however' that must be considered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I want to rent a bike just to learn, not to drive around city streets. I will probably just find a vacant rode to practise shifting etc and thats that. Most of the rentals in Pattaya are fully automatic and some people have jokingly called them "magic carpets". They are too easy to ride and if you've managed a bicycle in heavy city traffic you shouldn't have any trouble in Pattaya on one of these "magic carpets". If you look around, most of the bargirls (and lots of young kids) ride motorcycles here...how difficult could it be? I would not recommend you renting a Honda Wave with gears. The gear change is the exact opposite of that on real bikes (you push down to change up instead of pulling up) and could get you into trouble in the future if you want to learn to ride a real bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozsamurai Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Just to re-hash this, does anyone have a current rate for rentals in Pattaya, any places to reccommend? or avoid!! Looking for a 3-4 day rental at the end of the month instead of dragging my bike with me from BKK on holidays. Cheers Oz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makavelli Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 When in Pattaya I normally hire one of those automatic Honda Nouvos. I find them really easy to ride. I dont have a motorcycle license in the Uk or Thailand. I would recommend a place at the top of soi Pattayaland. It is run by a woman and her son, really trustoworthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotsira Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 two weeks ago I saw a Newbie driving into a pole in the Underground parking at Royal Garden, he didn't know how to drive, how he got so far, I will never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raybingham Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Just to re-hash this, does anyone have a current rate for rentals in Pattaya, any places to reccommend? or avoid!! Looking for a 3-4 day rental at the end of the month instead of dragging my bike with me from BKK on holidays. I have just paid 800 Baht for 6 days from Mr Wan on the corner of Beach Road and Soi 7. This one was second hand Nuevo, perfectly adequate and very fair price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotsira Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 (edited) My buddies bike is worth about 10k so he won't let me touch it without knowing how to use it. Thats mainly why I want to learn here cheap on a cheap bike. Sounds like your buddy has a real bike with a manual upshift gearbox. If thats what you want to rent here in Pattaya you can find them on the beach Rd, Honda Fireblades, Yamaha R1's etc. Anything else that is available in Pattaya is either automatic or semi-auto scooters that have no resemblence to your buddies bike as they dont have a clutch. Bearing this in mind and from what you've explained of your expieriance, which is bycycle riding, i would certainly NOT pursue your idea unless you have a deathwish! If you want to learn to ride then do so back home where you will get professional instruction. Edited June 23, 2008 by sotsira Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattaya46 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I have just paid 800 Baht for 6 days from Mr Wan on the corner of Beach Road and Soi 7. This one was second hand Nuevo, perfectly adequate and very fair price. Price can be fair : there is NO insurance included ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratpack Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Can be difficult to walk in Pattaya never mind drive.I have been driving for 4 years here and i remember the first few days.ploppy pants springs to ind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I have no problems riding my bicycle in crowded traffic and cutting off cars. You will assume that traffic will not run you over because you have 'rights', you can review how those rights are considered by Thai traffic when you are thrown in the back of a pickup truck and taken bleeding to hospital after getting in the way of a larger vehicle on the road. Rural Thailand is a nice place to 'learn'. Pattaya is not. Tell me, will you be learning wearing tough leathers, boots and a full face helmet or tee shirt and shorts with a pair of trainers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamatokh Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 I would not recommend you renting a Honda Wave with gears. The gear change is the exact opposite of that on real bikes (you push down to change up instead of pulling up) and could get you into trouble in the future if you want to learn to ride a real bike. You can find a Honda CBR 150CC to rent (or Kawasaki 150CC). The gear is international 6 gear (opposite to Wave that mentioned in the quote) and the power is not too big to get you into any trouble. It's a very good learning bike. As for traffic in Pattya, you can choose to ride in the early morning where most of people are still asleep (including drunk drivers). Pattya only gets more traffic after lunch time, if you can get up in say 500am, you can probably have a good few hours to learn you techniques. Don't ride after 4:00pm on the road as you will get your hand sored with your bike clutch in and clutch out quite often when the traffic start to build up. "Be Careful" is always the best insurance you can have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icequeen Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 I'm sure I have seen in an earlier post that you can take motorbike lessons at a driving school in Pattaya, maybe worth doing a search. Might be a bit safer than trying to teach yourself it is harder than it looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raybingham Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Price can be fair : there is NO insurance included ! I would not expect insurance to be included - a previous post recognises that "Farang pays" - I am content to work on this premise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultName Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I'm very experienced on bikes of many sizes and in many environments. I can say without doubt that Pattaya is the worst place to learn that I've seen. Learn at home. Try it in Pattaya and you'll end up as a statistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rentmpattaya Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 There are many places to rent a bike around Pattaya. For non-experienced, probably scooter will be the best choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Five year old topic. //CLOSED// 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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