2 weeks in north Vietnam, can't decide plan

[stevehaigh]

i'm going to Hanoi with my wife and daughter (15 years old) for 2 weeks on April 8

i'm debating 2 options:

1: hang out in Hanoi 2-3 days, take bus to SaPa, stay in SaPa for maybe 5 days and rent motorbikes a few days to visit near by places of interest. take bus to Halong bay, hang out a couple of days, bus to Hanaoi, hang out a couple of days and home

2: hang out in Hanoi 2-3 days, buy 2 cheap motorbikes (look into renting but i think buy and sell cheaper and rental places want huge deposits, worried if i loose a rental bike will cost a lot more than loosing my own), then drive to Sapa and have a 10 days driving though the northern villages, then back to Hanoi, sell bikes, and home. i'm not that bothered about Halong, i live in Phuket and figure it isn't that different.

i know driving is illegal for foreigners and if the police stop you with no license they can fine you or worst case, take your bike (and fine you)

any thoughts, i really can't decide right now. i like the idea of the adventure of option 2, but worry it could turn out to be more nightmare than adventure. also, if i go with optiopn 2, will i be able to find places to stay in small villages and how much will that likely cost. and what do you think the weather will be like in the mountains in mid april? i just checked Sapa and its 16degrees and rain right now which is surprising cold, not bike weather

[IsaanUSA]

Too late for ideas now. Anyways, let us know how the trip went!