Thinking of Getting a Motorbike/Scooter in Bali: Read this before you do

Bali certainly doesn't have the heightened chaos of Ha Noi, but it can still fairly intimidating if you've never been on a scooter before. Even if you have, it's best you acquaint yourself with a couple of do's and don'ts before you saddle up. 

Scooters are a great way to get around the island and in particular, short journeys around each location you're visiting, like Canggu. You can of course use Taxi's and they have GoJek app for rides, similar to Uber. Which is cheap. Although I've heard it can take a long time to get one booked.

You'll find most cafes, bars, gyms and restaurants all have decent WiFi so you shouldn't have any trouble getting online. 

Prices for scooter rental in Bali will range from 40,000-70,000 IDR per day. (2- 5 GBP). If you're looking to rent a single scooter for a longer period you can often negotiate a better rate. 

SAFETY TIP

Always wear a helmet and never accept a poor conditioned one. It has to be immaculately presented and well fitted. If they do not have one, do not hire the bike. Move on to find a better place.

DO's 

• When over taking you must use your horn. Otherwise you run the risk of over riders veering into you. 

• Keep a look out for wildlife. You'll share the road with more dogs, cows and wildfowl than you thought possible. 

• Take your driver’s licence with you. You can get a temporary Balinese driving license (tourist driver's license) from the police station in Denpasar within a day (although this is not technically required to hire a scooter). Check with your hotel or ask any of the locals, they will know how you can get there. The cost is usually 22-23 GBP. Bring I.D and your sober face. 

If you have had no experience with riding, you can take a 2 hour training course. (Drop me a comment in the box below if you need any help). Alternatively you can always get your friend or someone from your group to assist you.

GOING FAST

Going fast (although don't) is easy. It's the going slow that is hard and that’s when most accidents happen. So train doing tight corners slowly in a car park until you feel ready to hit the road. 

The main traffic flow is rarely faster than 40km/h. However, 40km/h on a scooter is a different beast to doing 40km/h in the safety of your Ford Fiesta. The main roads are fun and you can (and should) get up to speeds around 60-70km/h. 

You'll find there is a cacophony of horns on the streets. Don't mistake this for London traffic sounds. These horns are to let people know of your presence. If you get beeped it's not out of aggression. 

LASTLY

If you're thinking of upping your fitness levels you can always hire a push bike. The heat is quite something out here so this might not be for you. It's always an option and many people cycle around in Bali due to lack of training/confidence on a motorbike.