Where to rent scooters in Bangkok if heading for Khao Yai/Isaan?

[BadCash]

We're a couple of guys who want to make a week long bike trip in the area around Khao Yai and southern parts of Isaan. We all have experience of driving scooters in Thailand, but one of us doesn't have an international driving license and experience with big bikes, so we're looking at getting scooters for all of us. Where would be a strategic and cheap place to do so in Bangkok? I found http://www.bangkokscooterrental.com but it's not very strategically located. I also looked at http://www.bangkokbikesrental.com/, but those prices are just too high (and the bikes look like they are brand new... past experience tells me we'll be going on some barely driveable jungle paths at some point in our journey, not to mention dusty dirt roads and such... i.e. some worn but still in good condition bikes would be preferable!)

I guess it would be most convenient if we could find a place either near Suvarnabhumi airport or the outer parts of the Airport Link.. (or perhaps even near Chatuchak?) That way we wouldn't have to spend time in traffic queues in the more busy parts of the city.

Or should we just cancel this idea and go for a bus ride to Pak Chong and rent there instead? I guess it's perhaps not the most interesing drive from Bangkok to Khao Yai, but it just seems like less hassle to go straight from the airport to being on the bikes, not having to spend time getting to Mo Chit bus station, waiting for the bus and then finding a scooter rental in Pak Chong...

[Namplik]

Conditions from BBR website:

Passport and Deposit are held during the whole rental period

If this is true, I would not rent there!

[BadCash]

Conditions from BBR website:

Passport and Deposit are held during the whole rental period

If this is true, I would not rent there!

Yeah, I agree. We have been in contact with http://www.bangkokscooterrental.com/ and judging from their website and their email replies they seem like a serious company. They do not keep your passport, only a deposit. Some useful information for people who find this thread might be that they provide locks and 3/4 or 1/2 helmets. They have some form of optional accident insurance as well as a theft/damage insurance, for what it's worth... If I remember to, I'll come back to this thread after our trip and give a report.

[BadCash]

Ok so we're all back in one piece from the holiday!

We ended up going with Bangkok scooter rental (http://www.bangkokscooterrental.com/). The rental went very smoothly, the staff all spoke very good english and were very helpful and professional. We rented two 125cc Yamahas. We were in luck since none of the helmets on the shelves were a perfect fit, we got 3 brand new (still in their plastic covers) 3/4 helmets that fit perfectly. Only afterwards did I realise that we would have been totally miserable doing as much highway driving as we did with 1/2 helmets - the noise level in the 3/4 is MUCH better.

Unfortunately I got a flat on both the front tyre the first day and the back the second day (what are the odds!). Since I recalled having read something about keeping receipts of repairs in the rental agreement, I insisted to get receipts from the repair shops, not that I really thought I'd be reimbursed (and it was only a total of 280 THB).

I had initially paid for one week, but we ended up being back in Bangkok after 5 days. Got the difference back without hassle, and to my surprise I got the 280 THB for the tyres as well!

Would recommend this company to anyone who's looking to rent a scooter in Bangkok! Only downside could be that they're closed on weekends, but I seem to recall that it was possible to pick up keys somewhere on the weekend. We ended up renting on friday instead of saturday just to save precious time and hassle.

[anto]

With Every rental Co.i know ,punctures are down to the customer (tyres if defective or too worn ,will be covered though ) .Also most will not give any rebate of rental paid up front .They were great for you ,but i just wonder how they stay in business ?What was the rental rate per week and how much cash deposit please ?

[BadCash]

Prices are on their website - 1500 THB per week for the Yamaha Mio 125cc and 2000 THB deposit. They offer additional insurance for 100 THB weekly as well.

I think there must've been some problem with the tyres (or valves rather), because they didn't seem to be punctured, rather they somehow deflated and came off the rims. Actually the front tyre came loose somewhere on the highway on day 1, but at first I only noticed a slight instability when slowing down to 50-60 kmph, which I though was just due to bumps in the road. When doing 80 I guess the air resistance lessened the weight on the front wheel enough so that I didn't notice there was anything wrong. When I slowed down to pull into a gas station (which luckily had a tyre shop next to it) I could barely steer the bike at 40 kmph, scary as hell! Don't want to think about what would've happened had I needed to slam the front brake at highway speed... The rear tyre was fine on day 1, but deflated the next morning. The shops put in tubes (there were none before). There were no traces of any puncture on the tyres, so my guess is that the valves failed due to being old and exposed to some extra heat from going at highway speed...

[VocalNeal]

I found http://www.bangkokscooterrental.com but it's not very strategically located.

Almost next door to me and I think it is very strategically located. Get the airport link to Ramkhamhaeng, taxi down Soi 71 to the shop. Go back down 71 to Rama 9 (IX) on the scooters, right on Rama IX , across Srinakarin and follow the motorway along the side road until the outer ring road then head north. Once you get to Seri Thai Rd.you can turn right ( OK left and do a U turn) and start heading across country.

Edited January 20, 2016 by VocalNeal