Motorcycle Rental Company

[PeaceBlondie]

I guess I left my American passport with Mr. Mechanic when I crashed his rental bike on Doi Inthanon, as a tourist. And three times when I rented a GS400 Suzuki from some guy on Moon Muang Road, when I had a non-immigrant B visa. Years later, living in Hua Hin and visiting Chiang Mai (or vice versa), I rented from folks who knew me well, such as Buddy's on Huay Kaew, and they did not keep my passport.

Maybe you could put up a deposit of 30,000 to 90,000 baht. The guy renting the GS400 only wanted 27K to sell the bike. Or leave your first-born child as security.

[piewarmer]

I still wont be leaving my passport it stays with me period and my advice is you dont do it either there are shops that dont require you to leave your passport so frequent there business is my advice.

Now off to rent a car for mai sai run (No passport required)

leave your passport at the rental agency, then go to Mae Sai to do your visa renewal, whoops!!!!

[thaimiller]

I still wont be leaving my passport it stays with me period and my advice is you dont do it either there are shops that dont require you to leave your passport so frequent there business is my advice.

Now off to rent a car for mai sai run (No passport required)

leave your passport at the rental agency, then go to Mae Sai to do your visa renewal, whoops!!!!

Jamie the guy who used to own jamies bar on moon muang road did this twice in 6 months.

[junki3korean]

+5555!!!

sorry just a quickie about big bikes in CM.have anybody seen big sport bike for rent?? like a CBR600 or along those lines....seems theres only motorcross and streets not like phuket or pattaya...

Edited October 21, 2008 by junki3korean

[benjamat]

The problem is that with most rental shops, we are "small fry" and don't turn over enough to qualify to accept credit cards. We possibly could do but then the extra cost would be passed onto the customer and that would give some people something more to p1ss & moan about. As Davidgtr states, the holding of the passport is a system that's been in place and worked fine for the majority of people for the past 20 years or so. For expat residents of CNX, we have accommodated people before where they need their passport to blat up to Mae Sai for example so we can be flexible within reason.

Cheers,

Pikey.

So what would you do with someones passport if the bike they rented was stolen from them?

[naklang]

The problem is that with most rental shops, we are "small fry" and don't turn over enough to qualify to accept credit cards. We possibly could do but then the extra cost would be passed onto the customer and that would give some people something more to p1ss & moan about. As Davidgtr states, the holding of the passport is a system that's been in place and worked fine for the majority of people for the past 20 years or so. For expat residents of CNX, we have accommodated people before where they need their passport to blat up to Mae Sai for example so we can be flexible within reason.

Cheers,

Pikey.

So what would you do with someones passport if the bike they rented was stolen from them?

I would say they keep it until you cough up the coin for the value they say its worth, or wait until its recovered (good luck). Hence the need for travel insurance or insurance of some sort. Or use credit card for deposit (insured for loss), but apparently they dont accept those yet. Unless you really want to get to knee draggin', just rent a cheap little scoot and keep a wheel lock on it, you should be fine. I guess they could lift it onto a truck and bye-bye, but sounds a pretty rare event.

Edited October 22, 2008 by naklang

[ThePyawkt]

I;m heading up to CM next weekend to heading out ito the mountains with the GF bike riding. I did this a few years ago on the MHS loop and hired a 400CC Honda something Harley style but can't remember where from.

It was ideal and want to get something similar (or bigger as GF will be on back). Anyone recommend? And prices? Anytjhing else?

Two places worth looking are Tony's Big Bikes (English) in the top of Rachamanka Rd, down there on the left (as you walk, it's one way against you, not that anyone seems to care) about 30m west of Moon Muang Rd, and Mr Beer (Thai with good English) in Rachawitee Rd, about 100m down on the right from Moon Muang.

Confess I have not seen either for many months but guess they are still there.

Safe journeys!

I strongly caution against the one mentioned as "Thai with good English". I rented a bike from him 2 months ago - the rear axle was loose, and came apart while I was on the MHS loop - I could have been killed. I dragged the bike to a mechanic near by and called Mr. B. with my mobile. His wife screamed at me, demanding I pay for the damage. No matter how nice I was, she got more and more aggressive.

The mechanic talked to her and explained that this was not my fault, and that the bike had not been properly maintained. Finally, they were supposed to send a truck to fetch me and the bike. Three hours later, the guy appeared, drunk, and took me back. There, the wife again berated me for an hour, refusing to give me back my passport until I pay for the bike. I got another mechanic to come over, look at it, and they told her again that it was not my fault. I had to threaten to get the police before she finally gave me my passport, after screaming at me that she wished I had been killed by the bike. It was a nightmare - I highly DO NOT recommend doing business with that place!