Renting Motorbikes In Patong, Phuket

[Padkapow Guy]

Can anyone tell me if this is required to hand over your passport to rent a motorcycle in pat pong. Last year I rented a bike and the guy who was renting me the bike insisted that he keep my passport until I bring the bike back. Well I let him take it but I was very uncomfortable about doing this. Sure enough the guy did not want to give me my passport back when I brought the bike back. He held on to it until after the bike return time and then said I was late turning the bike in and wanted more money. After trying to get my passport from him for @ 1 hour I told him that I was going to the tourist police to report him. The guy got pissed off and threw my passport on the ground.

I was wondering if I can give a photo copy of my passport to the next guy I rent a bike from. If anyone has any suggestions on how to better handle this I would like to hear them

thanks Jim

[Felt 35]

Go to "Tuks motorbike rental" in Kata.

You have to hand over your passport, but it’s safe.

If you think that’s to far to travel. Try to rent in Patong with a kind of less valuable ID than your passport. They accepted that a few years ago!

[thaigerd]

In your headline you asked:"Renting motorbikes in Pat Pong"

I guess you mean Patong........

otherwise a long way from BKK to here

Just make a copy from your ID and offer it to them, I don't like it either to give away my passport.

Gerd

[mrmnp]

They are only looking for collateral for the loan of their bike. Negotiate for anything else that you don't mind leaving as security. I left my U.S. driver's license.

You can always tell the cops, if you are stopped for not wearing your helmet, that your license is with the rental agency. You of course, shouldn't let it get that far, as I always had 100 Baht handy in my shirt pocket for "coffee money" for the cop when I was stopped. It helped that I had a Thai with me who could politely offer the money for "coffee".

[kasi]

a copy of your passport should be sufficient. I would be very uncomfortable letting any of those touts on beach road have my passport. Stay at a hotel thats rents bikes. Alot less hassle renting that way.

the coppers are stopping people regularly checking drivers licenses. A buddy got a 1000 baht fine for not having his with him.

Drive like everyone else on the the road is completely insane because they are. The accident statistics in Phuket are appalling. Dont be a statistic.

[grim_marmazet]

I wouldnt hand over my passport for anything, unless official. A US or UK passport can fetch a nice bit on the black market. Not that all people will scam you.

[SoiSniffer]

Just for an Idea. Renting a motor bike might end your holiday. I spend alot of time in Patong and I can tell you that a common site is bandaged up farang from motor bike accidents and that doesn't account for the ones in their room or hospital. Additionally if you have an accident it will be YOUR FAULT! Legally you need an international DL for motorcycles or you are operating with out a lic!

Save money in the long run and take a Tuk or use the Bus system to get oyu to Big C/Lotus and Phuket Town. Those little two wheeled putt putts and holiday wreckers!

[Schmeen]

I agree with Soisniffer (HJ), over the years I've personally known two fatalities and one Aussie being shipped home in a mess where I think to this day he'll wish he'd died. His wife wasn't much better either. Driving in Phuket has got worse and worse as the cars became more powerful. I saw a guy in a Honda CRV doing 70 odd mph near the Country Club, with a TV on the dashboard, No Brains.

As for the passport problem, I always give them a copy and tell them I work in Vietnam and that my passport is in the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok waiting for a new vise. Moan a lot about how dumb the Vietnamese are, and how long it takes with their silly beauracracy. Things like this will fill them with Natiional pride and they accept the copy. Many have still refused though.

Haven't rented one for years though, but a visitor to me used it last year, though I think he criticised the Cambodians.

[Zendesigner]

Give a copy,

if they keep on insisting, laugh and walk to the next guy. I was always able to rent Big motorbikes in pattaya with a copy. if the first one won't the second one will.

What happens if it gets "lost" somehow when you give it. Do you think you have any recourse in getting it back.

It's the one thing you should never give out to somebody else. Without a passport you are nobody in a foreign country.

B

[grim_marmazet]

Just for an Idea. Renting a motor bike might end your holiday.  I spend alot of time in Patong and I can tell you that a common site is bandaged up farang from motor bike accidents and that doesn't account for the ones in their room or hospital.  Additionally if you have an accident it will be YOUR FAULT!  Legally you need an international DL for motorcycles or you are operating with out a lic! 

Save money in the long run and take a Tuk or use the Bus system to get oyu to Big C/Lotus and Phuket Town.  Those little two wheeled putt putts and holiday wreckers!

I totaly agree, i have a nice 4 inch scar on my arm from a motorbike accident in Koh Samet. I was lucky, it could've been a lot worse.

As for getting about, take a taxi or tuk tuk, or even better, make friends with a tuk tuk driver, trust me it gets you around cheap

[davethailand]

if a thai rented off of a farang would they leave their id card or passport.

i think not

[fatter than harry]

Try to avoid renting a sonic - those things are like wasps on crack - they are death machines and they make you look silly whilst riding them, unless of course you are a seasoned crack addicted wasp rider.

In any case no problems with your passport if you hire one of these as you'll be going home in a jar, two friends have crashed on these and one is still undergoing corrective surgery 18 months later.

[Zendesigner]

mmm, If you find a 125cc scooter a wasp on crack you'd better not ride a real motorcycle.

I've driven for many years when i came here

Honda cbr 900's

Yamaha XR 9

cbr 1100 even.

The problem is not the motorbike. as every experience motorbike rider knows you drive it defensively every time you see other traffic. When you are on a lonely road you can turn up the gas a bit.

But even then in thailand you still have to calculate in the dog that always tries to cross the street in front of your wheel. The pickup that backs out of his driveway ect.

The problem is always a tourist comes here and see that he can rent a motorbike ten times cheaper then home and thinks "oh well it won't be that difficult, i ve driven a scooter when i was young"

Even if you had driven a Harley when you were young there is no comparison to todays speeding machines. a CBR 900 (and that's and old model already now) only starts to really pull out at 9000 rpm, you are already pretty fast before that. It goes from 0 to 100 km's in 3.6 seconds and you've travelled the best part of a kilometer then.

You better not do this on Beach road surely. The last accident i remember was an american who drove in to the back of a standing bath bus on second road in pattaya. His motorcycle exploded from the impact and he was burned to a crisp in an instant.

I've driven there never more then 50 km an hour there, together with the small motorbikes and busses.

And of course find yourself a real helmet somewhere or bring it from home. Those plastic flowerpots they have here wont do you a bit good when you fall. Also never ride a big machine in shorts and sandals. At least good shoes and jeans, preferably motor cycle boots and leather but i know that is something you rarely see here. On a big bike the heat from the engine will actually toast your Balls if you were shorts

simpel rule: If you don't have one at home, don't have one here. If you have a small bike at home, have a small one here.

Even the scooters at home are probably something like 25 or 50cc while here they are already 125cc.

In the end it's YOU turning the gas handle...

B

[kasi]

personaly I like renting the little honda wave 100-125's. Sensible not too fast. But you still need some motorbiking experience to avoid becoming crippled and or dead. The yaba enhanced maniacs in the patong area are numerous. The biggest problem riding the 100cc putt putts is you need to watch your mirrors attentively.

Always take your time let the other guys drive past.

Driving a bike like a CBR 900 or a ZX11 is plainly ridiculous. You only impress the true nitwits.

I dont ride the little honda scooter at night. I take a motorbike taxi or a tuk tuk. my form of very cheap insurance. The horrendous motorcycle accident statistics in Phuket are very real. Your ass is in your own hands. That is partly waht i like about riding here.

[grim_marmazet]

Well as the new adverts here in the UK say;

"Look out for the driver that didnt see you"

[Patong Bob]

If you have a bike license, then come and see me at Scottie's Bar, 200 Phisit Karanee Road, Patong and I'll organise a well maintained bike for you, just need to SEE your passport.

Free advertising, I love it. Cold beer here too.

[Padkapow Guy]

Patong Bob

Thanks for the info. I will definetly stop by Scottie's bar on my next trip. I will probably need 3 motorcycles. Not that my a** is that big, I have a couple of friends that will want to rent also. I appreciate the info.

thanks Jim