So I went to 3 motorbike rental companies here in Pattaya asking if I rented the bike for a week if I can take it to Bangkok and they all said no. I couldn't really get a understandable answer why, if it was the police or if it's just policy. Anyone know the reason why? Anyone know any companies here that will rent a motorcycle I can take to bangkok and back?

I doubt that those rental bikes are all fully legally registered, insured, whatever. So the guys fear if anybody takes them out of Pattaya. And you would bear the full risk in case of theft, accident or whatever. Better rent a car :-)

So I went to 3 motorbike rental companies here in Pattaya asking if I rented the bike for a week if I can take it to Bangkok and they all said no. I couldn't really get a understandable answer why, if it was the police or if it's just policy. Anyone know the reason why? Anyone know any companies here that will rent a motorcycle I can take to bangkok and back?

you will find 99 per cent of rental bikes are not registered and the bib in pattaya are on a back hander to turn a blind eye, it will be a different story if you are out of the area,.and they know it,.

that explains things i guess, i just want to get some highway training. I guess I could find a highway in Pattaya but traveling to bangkok would be more convenient since I need to go there for a few days anyways. Anyone know a company here thats registered and allows bangkok traveling?

that explains things i guess, i just want to get some highway training. I guess I could find a highway in Pattaya but traveling to bangkok would be more convenient since I need to go there for a few days anyways. Anyone know a company here thats registered and allows bangkok traveling?

try the muslim family on the corner of beach road and soi pattayland, . they have a load of bikes but its high season and they may not have a bike available, but he has many and must have one registered, worth a try,.

that explains things i guess, i just want to get some highway training. I guess I could find a highway in Pattaya but traveling to bangkok would be more convenient since I need to go there for a few days anyways. Anyone know a company here thats registered and allows bangkok traveling?

try the muslim family on the corner of beach road and soi pattayland, . they have a load of bikes but its high season and they may not have a bike available, but he has many and must have one registered, worth a try,.

Is that the same family running the internet cafe there? I'll check it out, thanks.

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

Thats the thing, if it was policy / against there contract then sure no problem, bangkok here i come, but if the bangkok police are going to hassle me about it and possibly tow the vehicle off the road for being unregistered i am not sure it's worth the risk.

Because they don't want you to die and wreck their bike in the process!

Because they don't want you to die and wreck their bike in the process!

I suspect they care more about the bike & potential repercussions than whether the hirer dies.

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

Thats the thing, if it was policy / against there contract then sure no problem, bangkok here i come, but if the bangkok police are going to hassle me about it and possibly tow the vehicle off the road for being unregistered i am not sure it's worth the risk.

Why don't you buy a bike, use it for your trip then sell it on?

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

Thats the thing, if it was policy / against there contract then sure no problem, bangkok here i come, but if the bangkok police are going to hassle me about it and possibly tow the vehicle off the road for being unregistered i am not sure it's worth the risk.

Absolutely DO NOT TRY IT!!! biking in Bangkok is less for amateurs than Pattaya is. The Police are especially on the ball at this time of year. The traffic laws are far too complicated, e.g. you can only use teh left-most lane. If you are farang you will be stopped, not might, not maybe, not if you do something wrong. YOU WILL BE STOPPED and they will hold the bike.

If you leave your passport as security.........it speaks for itself eh!!

take the bus and enjoy

You mentioned getting highway experience. If you are that inexperienced, you would crazy to ride in BKK unless you have a death wish.

It is purely from the risk side of things....they dont want you smashing their property up miles away from home...I dont know of too many that have unregistered bikes...they are checked frequently for licence and insurance....Mr Toy and his family who operate from the Roo Bar are acquaintences of mine and they wont allow their bikes outside of the Pattaya area....I have seen them refuse people who are staying in Jomtien because they fear that the renter is going to Pizzle it up in Pattaya and then try to ride back to Jomtien. If the renter is drunk and has an accident the insurance wont cover it...therefore they have to replace the bike at their own cost.

But even here in Oz it will cost more to hire a car to drive outside of the metropolitan area because of the higher risk and also the extra mileage it puts on the vehicle.

Highway experience sounds to me like you want to travel at speed...thats the only difference between street and highway riding....Thailand is not the best place to be doing that. And hey, if you are speeding and smash up....your health policy wont cover it either.....

Since motorcycles are not allowed on the expressway have you thought about how you would actually get to Bangkok? Just driving up and down Sukhumvit in the Pattaya/Jomiten area would give you the same effect.

TH

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

his problem with that is if he is pulled out of the area and fined the rental agency wont pay the fines,. they will locally if only for a plate violation,

Since motorcycles are not allowed on the expressway have you thought about how you would actually get to Bangkok? Take a different route. Of course it will take longer, but I'm sure the OP's not worried about this. Just driving up and down Sukhumvit in the Pattaya/Jomiten area would give you the same effect. You clearly don't share the same sense of adventure.

TH

I'm not suggesting you do this but, if you don't tell them, providing you don't have a problem, how will they know you've been to Bangkok on it?

his problem with that is if he is pulled out of the area and fined the rental agency wont pay the fines,. they will locally if only for a plate violation,

Of course, that's why I didn't suggest it. Though to some people I guess this would add to the adventure, personally, I would do as I said in my other comment - buy a motor cycle for the trip.

I've ridden from Phitsanoluk to Hua Hin before. Apart from a wee fine from the highway police for trying to use an expressway (didn't know they were off limits to Bikes then) the journey went without a hitch.

It's funny, the people I rent a bike off in Chiang Mai don't really give a shit where you take the bike as long as you don't smash it up.

If the bikes got plates it'll be ok for going to BKK in. However the question is whether you are capable of biking all the way to BKK when you've never ridden in BKK before.

When you can answer that honestly then you'll be able to know whether or not to attempt this feat....

that explains things i guess, i just want to get some highway training. Could you elaborate on this? I guess I could find a highway in Pattaya but traveling to bangkok would be more convenient since I need to go there for a few days anyways. Anyone know a company here thats registered and allows bangkok traveling?

I have driven my own bike to Bkk from Pattaya .As stated you are not allowed to use the expressway .From Chonburi you take the road that runs under the expressway .I found it a scary ride ,and thats with years of motorcycling experience ,because of the number of large trucks on that road ,and they pull U turns out of the blue ..

Have also ridden the other way to Trat and Koh Chang ,and that was easy ,though a much longer ride .

I've already biked up and down sukumvit but I am looking for some adventure. I guess I'll save it for another year or just rent a bike in bangkok so I can see if I can survive the streets there.

Bunch of wimps if you ask me

Rode a bike 10 years in Bangkok 50,000 Km

100+ round trips to Chonburi

50+ round trips to Pattaya

Bkk-Udon-Bkk

Bkk-Buriram-Bkk

Bkk-Chiangmai-Bkk

Had a few spills - of course - still got two arms and legs

Be careful walking in the rain you may catch a cold and die a horrible death

If you want some rode experience I would suggest going south first along the coast to rayong and back on highway 36 to Pattaya, alot quiter road and better view!

I've already biked up and down sukumvit but I am looking for some adventure...

If you had kept going on Sukhumvit, it will take you to Bangkok.

I agree with earlier post, take Hiway 36 down to Rayong, that will give you the open road experience you seem to be looking for.

I've already biked up and down sukumvit but I am looking for some adventure...

If you had kept going on Sukhumvit, it will take you to Bangkok.

I agree with earlier post, take Hiway 36 down to Rayong, that will give you the open road experience you seem to be looking for.

Maybe I will try heading to Rayong or at least halfway there tonight when traffic calms down. I can connect to highway 36 from sukumvit road right? Is the highway easy to stay on or is there lots of potential to get off route by mistake.

Found this map, so I will basically take Sukumvit to 36

http://www.thailandbooking.org/region/patt...pattaya_map.jpg

Oh and would this trip be within the 50km limit?

Oh and would this trip be within the 50km limit?

Tried going tonight, found highway 36 alright but it wasn't lighted and I was affraid of animal bumps so turned back around after 4 or so km. It seems like a good safe hwy though, maybe I will cruise it when the sun comes out before I need to return the bike.

Bunch of wimps if you ask me

Rode a bike 10 years in Bangkok 50,000 Km

100+ round trips to Chonburi

50+ round trips to Pattaya

Bkk-Udon-Bkk

Bkk-Buriram-Bkk

Bkk-Chiangmai-Bkk

Had a few spills - of course - still got two arms and legs

Be careful walking in the rain you may catch a cold and die a horrible death

An unusual and rare survivors story! On behalf of the thousands of dead bikers and there berieved familys - only a fool would ride a bike to bangkok out of choice - dont be a fool

Bunch of wimps if you ask me

Rode a bike 10 years in Bangkok 50,000 Km

100+ round trips to Chonburi

50+ round trips to Pattaya

Bkk-Udon-Bkk

Bkk-Buriram-Bkk

Bkk-Chiangmai-Bkk

Had a few spills - of course - still got two arms and legs

Be careful walking in the rain you may catch a cold and die a horrible death

An unusual and rare survivors story! On behalf of the thousands of dead bikers and there berieved familys - only a fool would ride a bike to bangkok out of choice - dont be a fool

Unfortunately the vast majority - 95%+ of riders in Thailand have had no training whatsoever. Call them pedestrians on killer machines if you like. I agree fools but they don't (or didn't) know any better.

I am no fool. I knew the risks. In many ways the risks (as I saw them) were less than being driven on public transport by a Thai driver with little or no training. I have been in numerous public transport accidents (as a pasenger) and come much closer to death than in my years riding bikes.

My bike riding days are over - apart from a potter now and again to the shops. A medical condition means that my eyesight is not what it was.

Life is a risk with of course only one certainty - death