License To Drive A Motorbike?

[InFocus]

First a little about my present situation.

I've been to Thailand on several occasions as a tourist only, and have seen firsthand how convenient it must be to have a motorbike.

I plan to make the move to live and work in Thailand witihin the next couple of years.

But I've never driven and motorbike and don't have a license.

I want to buy a (new) motorbike when I enter Thailand and be able to drive it around.

What steps should I take toward learning how to drive one in Thailand and getting a license?

Thanks

IF

[submaniac]

Seriously, and I will be firm in saying this, learn to ride BEFORE coming to Thailand. I do not know how to emphasize that enough. Thailand is NOT the place to LEARN how to ride a motorcycle. If you do not have the basic skill on how to lean, how to steer, how to brake, how to maintain your balance, you will be killed. I am NOT joking.

Learning to ride (properly) is hard enough in your native country, where people most likely obey traffic laws, signal when they turn, turn from the appropriate lane, and actual attempt to make some effort to avoid a collision. Thailand roads are the wild wild west. You have to think and anticipate what people will do here, which is hard enough, but if you also have to work on your basic riding skill on top of that, you will be seriously injured. For example, for someone who is just learning to ride YOU WILL DROP YOUR MOTORCYCLE, me included, and I have dropped a bike many many times. If you drop your bike in Thai/Bangkok traffic those big green busses will run right over you.

If I were you, enroll in a motorcycle riding class IN YOUR NATIVE country, and practice there. Either get a small cheap bike, or even rent one if necessary. Get your skill down. Then GET YOUR LICENSE over there (not in Thailand--I will explain). Thailand has a separate license for motorcyle and a separate license for car. If you have a license in your native country, then you can apply (in your native country) for an international driver's permit. When you come to Thailand, if you have an international permit, you do not have to take the exam. All you have to do is take the colorblindness test (easy) and you get your license. No international permit, then you have to bring a motorcycle, and ride in front of the Thai officials, in addition to the written test. It is a pain.

From riding/owning a bike here, I think it is honestly the most efficient means of transportation. Given the choice I would much rather ride than drive a car, since the car will be stuck in traffic, and the bike you can go anywhere (and actually find a spot to park). Once you get a native motorcycle license, then we can talk about riding in Thailand.

[InFocus]

But I'm not in my native country right now.

I'm working in another Asian country and I imagine it would be an equal pain in the ass to do everything here. (even more so because it's ice cold)

So assuming that I can't follow your first advice and indeed I have to learn and get the license in Thailand.

How can I go about doing this?

And do most Farangs drive around with licenses or not?

And what's the fine if you get caught?

[Richard-BKK]

Just get your driving license here (Thailand), personal I belief that learning to drive here is better then aboard. As you will expect everything from everybody, if you did ride in Western countries you get lazy and expect people to follow the traffic law....(what is a sure death sentence).

And please it cost 50 Baht or maybe 150 Baht now (or was that the car license) anyway all together bonus is 200 Baht. I will not advice you to drive around without driving license....

[goldfish]

Seriously, and I will be firm in saying this, learn to ride BEFORE coming to Thailand. I do not know how to emphasize that enough. Thailand is NOT the place to LEARN how to ride a motorcycle. If you do not have the basic skill on how to lean, how to steer, how to brake, how to maintain your balance, you will be killed. I am NOT joking.

Learning to ride (properly) is hard enough in your native country, where people most likely obey traffic laws, signal when they turn, turn from the appropriate lane, and actual attempt to make some effort to avoid a collision. Thailand roads are the wild wild west. You have to think and anticipate what people will do here, which is hard enough, but if you also have to work on your basic riding skill on top of that, you will be seriously injured. For example, for someone who is just learning to ride YOU WILL DROP YOUR MOTORCYCLE, me included, and I have dropped a bike many many times. If you drop your bike in Thai/Bangkok traffic those big green busses will run right over you.

If I were you, enroll in a motorcycle riding class IN YOUR NATIVE country, and practice there. Either get a small cheap bike, or even rent one if necessary. Get your skill down. Then GET YOUR LICENSE over there (not in Thailand--I will explain). Thailand has a separate license for motorcyle and a separate license for car. If you have a license in your native country, then you can apply (in your native country) for an international driver's permit. When you come to Thailand, if you have an international permit, you do not have to take the exam. All you have to do is take the colorblindness test (easy) and you get your license. No international permit, then you have to bring a motorcycle, and ride in front of the Thai officials, in addition to the written test. It is a pain.

From riding/owning a bike here, I think it is honestly the most efficient means of transportation. Given the choice I would much rather ride than drive a car, since the car will be stuck in traffic, and the bike you can go anywhere (and actually find a spot to park). Once you get a native motorcycle license, then we can talk about riding in Thailand.

I agree with everything written here, this should be mandatory reading for anyone thinking of riding a bike in thailand. It's just a pity you're not in your home country. Only you can make a decision now, ignoring the paperwork hassles and the cold, is it safer to learn to ride where you are? If so, then learn there. At least being cold means you will wear protective clothing for if/when you fall off. Where I live the hospitals are full of injured tourists.

Once you can ride a bike a licence is easy to get and therefore not a problem

p.s. we ride bikes where I come from, not drive them

Edited February 15, 2008 by goldfish

[submaniac]

But I'm not in my native country right now....

So assuming that I can't follow your first advice and indeed I have to learn and get the license in Thailand.

It is a pity you aren't at "home", because I really would be concerned about anyone "learning" to ride in Thailand. With riding, you develop alot "instinctual" skills the more you ride, so you don't have to "think" about things. Kind of like if you are used to driving a manual transmission car, where you don't need to think about what gear you need to be in. The problem is that pretty much EVERY TIME I take the bike out (in Bangkok), I have to make some type of emergency evasive manuever due to careless drivers/riders. There's just not alot of time to 'think' in an emergency, and if you don't have the basic skills...there's gonna be 'problems'.

If you absolutely cannot practice or get your license BEFORE coming here, yes you could get your license here. The mechanics of going down to the Bureau of Land Transportation, taking the test, and riding in front of them in order to get your license aren't that particularly difficult or expensive. With me it is more a concern over your safety rather than the legalities of riding.

If you MUST learn in Thailand (which once again I advise against--but it is your neck), I would advise against a 'big' bike (like the 400cc ones) and start on a little 110cc or 150cc (max). The big bikes are heavier, harder to manuever in traffic, and unless you really know how to control the weight, easier to drop. I would also suggest an AUTOMATIC bike to practice with in the beginning. (I started a thread called "wussiest bike in Thailand--get one of those to BEGIN with, and then move up after you have it down.) Not having to worry about changing gears, is one less thing to worry about so you can practice how to lean, how to turn, how to brake, etc.

When I taught my friend to ride in the states, we went to a big empty parking lot. The problem (at least as if you are in BKK) is finding such an open, empty space, but if you can find an empty parking lot, just practice riding in there until you get your balance down, and feel confident on the bike. Ride the automatic bike for a while on the streets, and once you get the 'hang' of Thai traffic, then and only then, move on to a real motorcycle. Seriously, don't think you can come to Thailand with no riding experience and hop on a big cc bike.

I would also want to add one thing. You may be tempted to think you can ride a motorcycle since, after all, the Thai's do it all the time. But I will tell you one thing, most Thai's have been riding a long time and actually have phenomenal riding skill ('riding skill' defined as the ability to control your bike). Alot of Thai's start riding their family scooters somewhere around after the time they learn to walk. It's not 'riding skills' Thais lack, but 'judgment skills' is the problem. So just because you see some Thai doing something, doesn't mean you should do it too.

[InFocus]

Thanks maniac. I'll take your advice.

What I might do is maybe hire a farang (possibly from this forum) to teach me to ride and pay him for his time.

I like your idea about an empty space, like a country road, as that's how I learned to drive a car.

And yes, of course, an automatic is the bike for me, for now.

Is this the majority? When I get on a motorbike taxi, is it usually an automatic?

[submaniac]

Thanks maniac. I'll take your advice.

What I might do is maybe hire a farang (possibly from this forum) to teach me to ride and pay him for his time.

I like your idea about an empty space, like a country road, as that's how I learned to drive a car.

And yes, of course, an automatic is the bike for me, for now.

Is this the majority? When I get on a motorbike taxi, is it usually an automatic?

Where are you going to be posted in Thailand? BKK? Tell you what, when you arrive here and know where you are at, just post for someone to help teach you to ride, and I'm sure (me included) would be more than willing to give you some complimentary help.

And yes, learn to ride when no one was around. My friend in the parking lot, he dropped the bike twice during our session. But that's the point, if you are going to drop a bike, do it where you won't get hurt.

To answer your question, most of the motorcycle taxis out there are manual transmissions.

[dave_boo]

There's members in this forum from everywhere.....I'm sure that no matter where you are someone will be more than glad to give you a hand. And probably for nothing more than meeting ya and some post training beers. If you're in the Nakhon Sawan area I'd help you. Can supply an auto, a semi-manual or a CBR 150 for learning.

[Spacer]

If you can ride a bicycle then you can ride the "motorcycles" here. Most are at 115 - 135cc and some even have auto transmissions. You do have to be careful and treat EVERYTHING like it or they are going to jump out or pull out in front of you or generally do something stupid to endanger you. Ride very defensively and carefully and you will have no problem. Oh yeah, roads can be slick. Especially right after rain starts when all the oil and grime that has been collecting over time mixes with a little water. Sometimes slick for no apparent reason too. Be careful and...

Get on your bad motorscooter and ride...

Edited February 17, 2008 by Spacer

[loubrockbank]

I agree with most things said above, but me and my girlfiend(whose username this is) went to Chiangmai last year for 3 weeks and I hired 3 sccoters in that time, but I had 6 years experience driving cars in the UK, so perception is the main factor in my eyes.

As said expect poeple to pull out and do the complete oppposite to what is "normal". I think the best advice I can give is to follow people on bikes (bear in mind I threw myself in the deepend and just hired one and had to ride 10k to my sisters house) I had only ridden 50cc bikes before but have a backround of MTB's (riding fast downhill) but as long as your comfortable with the controls, then just stay with traffic and always keep an eye on what is going on around you. The red taxi's have a habit of stopping in front of you and tuk tuks too.

Once you get the hang of it, 2-3 days then you will be fine, just NEVER get complacent. As with all modes of vehicles, complacency will injury you or worse!

[InFocus]

Thanks for all the positive responses.

I'm sure I'll have no trouble getting someone to teach me how to ride.

My future move to Thailand, though inevitable in my mind, is not so imminent at the moment.

So it's going to be a while before all this happens.

And as for the semantics, I knew that "ride" is much more common to say than "drive", though I'm also pretty sure that both can be used interchangeably.

I said "drive" to distinguish between the one who is in control of the motorbike from the one who is the pillion passenger, who also rides the motorbike.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Thanks for all the positive responses.

I'm sure I'll have no trouble getting someone to teach me how to ride.

My future move to Thailand, though inevitable in my mind, is not so imminent at the moment.

So it's going to be a while before all this happens.

And as for the semantics, I knew that "ride" is much more common to say than "drive", though I'm also pretty sure that both can be used interchangeably.

I said "drive" to distinguish between the one who is in control of the motorbike from the one who is the pillion passenger, who also rides the motorbike.

I'm a second-year motorcyclist. Learned here in Canada before I head for LOS for lengthy period so that I could be as ready as possible to ride there. I took a three-day professional course and it was best move I could have made. Two of the things you learn is emergency braking and avoidance manoeuvres. There's nothing like an instructor who's right there to give you the proper directions and make the corrections as you make your mistakes in a controlled environment. I couldn't stress strongly enough, as the original responder did, that you take a pro course. Learn it right first time. Then practise. I rode around an industrial area on weekends and practised panic braking and manoeuvres repeatedly. Best thing I did. And then ride, ride, ride, in all conditions. And as they say on advrider.com you wear: All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT). I've tipped my bike over twice in the company parking lot. At 0 km/h. Once, I went over with the bike and had my armoured jacket on. Didn't feel a thing when my body slapped the asphalt. I wear it in 35C heat. If you've ridden a bicycle, then you will be a lot further ahead. Good luck.

Edited February 18, 2008 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[flamingtodd]

i agree with maniac. i have been riding since childhood, both dirt and street bikes, and i consider myself a very experienced rider. i have had 15 various bikes since and never really had an accident until i came to thailand.

now, i am the proud owner of road rash scars on both forearms, my calves and my right rear flank above the waist line. driving faster than traffic here is a death sentence as most people drive slowly, or slower than traffic. occasionally you will get the young guy on a 110 with the loud racing exhaust who seems to magically fly through traffic. don't be fooled. these guys are crazy. in phuket, i have been passed by someone (tourist probably) on a big green bike like i was standing still. using the entire road as if to be racing.

i have found that bike riding in thailand is amazing, both because of the beauty and the camaraderie you get from other riders. but, thai's are not staring into their rearview mirrors, and the time it takes to reach them when baring down on them is short, and i have seen some who turn without looking, or enter the street without stopping or slowing. combined with the overwhelming number of bikes, the greasy and slick streets, and the sheer lack of concern for other riders, you will kill yourself, or the other rider. and in thailand, driving without a helmet is 300 baht, but driving with you, the wife, and 3 kids all on the same bike, sometimes gets overlooked. you don't want to be crusing on your big chopper and rear-end a family on a Honda Dream.

Thailand is perfect for riding, and I have been on rides with Harley's and the like. Survival on a motorcycle here is based on habitual motion. knowing what to do before it happens, and having done it 1000 times, it becomes habit. only riding HERE will teach you to ride HERE, but like maniac said, learn to ride somewhere safe, not bangkok.

there are plenty of riders that would show you a thing or two.

As far as a license, they are easy to get. But do it legally, do it safe, and do it smart.

My scars speak for themselves.

[Kerryd]

I started riding (small) motos when I was 9 back in the Big Ice Cube (quite old by Thai standards). An old Honda 90 (looked very similar to what everyone drives around here these days, except the modern bikes tend to be 125cc). Driving on old country back-roads, with next to no traffic, in all weather conditions. In Thailand, kids pretty much start learning how to ride almost as soon as they are able to stand on their own 2 legs (you've seen bikes go by with 3-4 year olds standing "in the well" holding on to the handle bars while the parent operates the bike). By the time they are 9-10, they probably put quite a few miles under their belt (mostly on side roads and sois). My landlady's daughter is about 12, and she hops on (mom's) moto with one of her friends and takes off down the soi like she's been riding for years.

(Should note that almost everyone I know (Thai) has scars from moto accidents though.)

After having been in Thailand for awhile, I used moto-taxis to go every where. Good way to learn how they drive in traffic (and a little insight in to the way the locals drivers tend to think). Unfortunately, being a passenger doesn't give you quite the same insight as actually driving (same as being a passenger in a car, it's not the same as being the driver. So much more to think about when you are actually in control).

A couple months later I bought a 200cc Honda Phantom. For the first couple of weeks, I would take short trips (5-10 kms) early in the morning to avoid traffic and get used to operating on the "other" side of the road.

After that, I made a few forays into heavier traffic (not quite Bangkok level, but #2 Road in Pattaya during the early evening can be.........interesting). That was a couple years ago and I feel fairly confident now, but that is in part because I try to drive (ride) defensively, and always expect the unexpected.

Traffic here can come up on you from virtually every angle, and traffic laws are more like guidelines, to be followed only if convenient. That means that if someone finds it more convenient to drive the wrong way down a one-way street, or to drive on the sidewalk/opposite side of the road, ignore stop signs/traffic lights, not use signals, driving drunk, passing other vehicles on either side, they will do it.

The only time I've dropped my bike was the day I bought it, about 10 minutes after taking it from the dealership.

I was making a left turn at an intersection and had a momentary relapse, expecting that the lane I was in was "my" lane, and I was riding right in the middle of it. As I started turning, I suddenly found a small car cutting in at the left-rear of the bike (as I was making a slow, wide left turn). I tried to move a bit to the right and found a moto coming around me on my right side. If I moved right, I would have forced that moto into the oncoming traffic (or a very hasty braking action). I ended up dropping the bike in the middle of the road. Fortunately I was only going maybe 10km/hr (6 mph). A minor scrape on my shin and big toe, and a few scratches on the bike.

At the time, I figured that was the only way I could avoid an accident. Since then, I have realised that I made a couple of mistakes. Obviously one was assuming that no one would try to pass me or hog "my" lane while I was turning. Another was that, instead of braking I should have accelerated (which would have put me ahead of the other vehicles, not pinched between them). As well, knowing that I was making a left turn (from the left lane of course), I should have been closer to the left curb, not in the middle of lane (which would have left the car behind me, and the other moto beside me in easy view).

That was 2 1/2 years ago and I haven't had a problem since. I was a little nervous when I first started riding the Harley around town. Bigger, heavier bike. Harder to manouver in traffic (harder, in some cases, to find parking as well). I've been riding with some (local) friends which has helped, but I tend to have trouble keeping up to them (they take a lot more risks than I am usually willing to try). If we are heading out somewhere, I make sure I know where we are going first as I expect I'll lose them (or they will lose me) pretty quickly.

So, my advise is to take your time, get some really good instruction and loads of practise (in a "safe" area), learn how to see 360 degrees around you continuously, wear a (good) helmet, and always expect the unexpected.

One part of the Defensive Driving course I used to teach was about planning your trip. Doesn't matter if you are going around the block, around the town or around the country, you should always plan out the trip ahead of time. Little factors, if not considered, could lead to large problems.

For example, what is the weather like (or going to be like) ? Is it likely to start raining while you are out (and you know what it's like here when it starts to rain) !

What time is it ? Are you going to encounter rush hour traffic ? Actually, the most dangerous time to be on the road (at least in North America apparently) is right after the bars close.

What is your condition ? (Half asleep, tired, sick, all of the above, etc).

What condition is your bike in (fueled up ? tires worn ? brakes slipping ?)

Where are you going ? What route to take ? If you go this way, will the extra traffic around the market make it more difficult to get where you are going ? If you detour that way, is that road construction still going on ? Where will I park when I get there ? Should I change my route so I can be on the left side when I arrive, or will it be easier to cut across traffic to get to the other side of the road/street/soi ?

Little things that only take a few seconds to consider (usually), but they could make your trip quicker, and safer. Good luck !