Motorcycle Rentals

Thai law restricts local bike manufacture to 200cc maximum capacity. For this reason most hire bikes are small 100 - 150cc scooters, or grey import  250cc plus bikes from Japan. In 2006 the most popular hire bikes are

1. Honda Dream / Wave 110 -150cc a four-stroke single cylinder scooter. This is the best bike in & around town. It is a simple, reliable & very economical machine & without a clutch to worry about it is very suitable for novice riders. Anyone doubting this bike's ability should watch hill tribe people, three-up, tackle a steep mountain dirt road. Hire cost is 80 -150 baht a day. In town you can't beat a Dream. Hire one for your first couple of days in Chiang Mai to look around & get a feel of the place. Then hire a bigger bike for trips upcountry.

2. Honda Phantom 200 a popular Thai made chopper. Single cylinder, 200c, with electric start & disc brakes. Cool for light cruising and / or inexperienced riders. Hire cost is 500 baht a day. Safe, & easy for the girls to ride & enjoy themselves on.

3. Honda AX-1 250 a second hand import from Japan. A dual purpose machine with electric start, fantastic disc brakes, and very economical fuel consumption, it is a better road bike than a dirt bike with the suspension too soft for the serious dirt rider, but either way it gives unlimited enjoyment when ridden. Very easy to ride, it is a great "lady's bike" for touring North Thailand (one-up). Getting old now & only available at Dang Mc Hire. Cheap & reasonable value touring one-up, hire cost is 600 - 700 baht a day.

4. Honda XR 250 Baja a newer model 250cc single cylinder four stroke off road machine with disc brakes and electric start, imported 2nd hand from Japan. It is a better stronger bike for the more serious dirt rider; but with a higher seat height is not so suitable for shorter riders who might not be able to get their feet firmly down on the ground in tricky situations. Get a new one with the big fuel tank and a range of 300 kms for serious riding. Look for good tyres to go off-road for a bash in the bush. In Feb 2001, I rode one non-stop from Luang Nam Tha (the Lao / China border) to Chiang Mai in a day, & my Baja never missed a beat. This is my preferred off-road touring machine! Hire cost is 650 - 800 baht per day.

5. Yamaha TTR 250 , another newer model grey import from Japan. Single cylinder, four-stroke, electric start. Quite a good dirt bike, but probably not as good as the Baja. However with a slightly lower seat height, than the Baja, the Yam can be more rider friendly. There are two models, one The Raid has a bigger headlight & fuel tank, for longer distance riding. Hire cost is 650 - 800 baht per day.

6. Honda CB400 Four / super four, another newer model grey import. This one a nice little higher revving 400cc small road bike. Quite a few around, but condition varies a lot, so take a good look. In particularly take a good look at the tyres, brakes & suspension. Hire cost is generally around 500 - 600 baht a day. Brilliant for thrashing round the twisty mountain roads, one-up.

7. Honda CB750F ye old faithful. A big lumbering heavy four cylinder machine. Good for touring on road with the girlfriend or a pax. Generally reliable & solid. If you're a big road bike man, then it usually does the biz quite adequately. Hire cost approx 700-1000 baht a day.

Check the GT Rider board for the latest bike & shop info.

Serious big bike riders might want to bring their own machine, but come and rent a local bike and take a look on a local bike first. Read about how to bring your own bike.

BIKE TEST RIDE
To be satisfied with the bike's reliability and comfort for an upcountry tour, test ride it before hand. Start with a run around the city moat, then if you are still not sure take it for a one day trip. The Samoeng loop is an excellent 100 kms half day ride from Chiang Mai, which everyone should do at least once, even if just to test out a bike.

BMW bike rental. Got money & need the best?  Then check out Discovery Moto Tours
Rates in Thailand for an 2007 Model BMW R 1200 GS

• 1-3 days charged at £120 per day
• 4-7 days daily charge reduced to £113 per day
• 7-14 days daily charge reduced to £105 per day
• 14-30 days daily charge reduced to £90 per day
• Rates in Thailand for an 2007 Model BMW F 650 GS
• 1-3 days charged at £90 per day
• 4-7 days daily charge reduced to £85 per day
• 7-14 days daily charge reduced to £79 per day
• 14-30 days daily charge reduced to £68 per day

CHIANG MAI MOTORCYCLE HIRE SHOPS

 Shops worth considering (but which all have good & bad days):

1. C & P Service. 51 Kotchasarn Rd. Tel: 053271161. Bikes: Honda Baja 250s only  Comments: Reasonable bikes & fair prices.

2. Dang Hire Bike. 23 Kotchasarn Rd. Tel: 053271524. Bikes: Honda AX-1 250s. Comments: The only shop left in town with AX1 250s. A big fleet and getting old, bike condition varies, so have a good look at your preferred steed first.

3. Goodwill M/c Hire / Joe's Bike Team. 26/1 Soi 2 Chang Moi Rd. Tel / Fax: 053251186.

Bikes:

To Book a Bike at Joes - click here

5. Jaguar M/c Hire. 131 Moon Muang Rd. Tel: 053214694. Bikes: Honda 250 Bajas @ 600 baht a day. 4 x Honda 400 Super Four @ 500 baht a day, 1 x Honda 600 Shadow @ 800 baht a day, 2 x Honda 400 Steed @ 500 baht a day, 2 x Honda 200 Phantom @ 500 baht a day. Comments: No rip-offs and generally reliable.

6. Mr Beer. 2 Rajwithee Rd, Chiang Mai. Tel: 053418236. Big bikes available 5 x Honda 400 Superfours @ 600 baht a day, 7 x Honda 200 Phantoms @ 500 baht a day, plus the usual Honda Dreams. Comments: some mixed reports, but generally acceptable.

7. Mr Mechanic. 4 Soi 5, Moon Muang Road. Tel: 053214708 / Mobile 018824402. Chiang Mai biggest rental fleet & run by the vivacious Gung. Bikes:

• 1x Honda CB1000 @ 1,200 baht a day.
• 1x Honda VFR 750 (93) @ 700 baht a day.
• 6 x Honda Steed 400 @ 700 baht a day.
• 6 x Honda 400 Super Four 400 @ 600 baht a day.
• 8 x Honda Phantom 200 @ 600 baht a day.
• 2 x Honda Degree 250 @ 600 baht a day.
• 11 x Honda XLR/ XR 250 Bajas @ 700 baht a day.
• 1 x Honda AX1 250 @ 600 baht a day.
• 30 x Honda Dream 100cc @ 80 –120 baht a day. 
• 44 x Honda Dream125cc @ 150 baht a day.
• 3 x Honda Sonic 125cc @ 200 baht a day.
• 11 x Honda Wave 110cc @ 1220 baht a day.
• 7 x Yamaha Mio Automatic @ 200 baht a day.
• 4 x Honda Click Automatic @ 250 baht a day.

Comments: Generally new model Honda Dreams.  Gung & her female staff also liked to be wined & dined. Lek (Mr Mechanic) also runs some 2-3-4 day bike tours if you are interested. Recommended for excellent friendly service & the best long term rental deals in town. To Book a Bike at Mr Mechanics - click here

8. Tony's Big Bikes. 17 Ratchamankha Rd. Tel: 053207124. .Bikes:

• 10 X Honda Super Four 400 @ 700 baht a day.
• 4 x Honda VRX 400 @ 800 baht a day.
• 2 x Honda Bros 400 @ 600 baht a day.
• 5 x Honda Phantom 200 @ 500 baht a day.
• 2 x Suzuki Desperado 400 @ 800 baht a day.
• 5 x Honda Airblade Automatic 110cc @ 230 baht a day.
• 5 x Honda Click 110cc @ 200 baht a day.
• 10 Honda Wave / Dream 125cc @ 150 baht a day.
• Suzuki Hayate Auto (1 cyl/125cc) = 250 baht a day

Comments: The shop has a good variety of well-maintained bikes and is run by a couple of knowledgeable ex-pat bikers with a lot of local miles between them. If you want trip advice with a dose of Brit humour as well as a decent bike, this is the place to go. To Book a Bike at Tony's - click here

9. Pirates Cove - 58/60 Ratchamankha Rd Chiang Mai , opposite the Anodard Hotel

Run by Aussie Mark, & a very relaxed easy going guy.

Telephone: + 66 (0)89 633 9271 or + 66 (0)85 841 5466

To Book a Bike at Pirates Cove - click here

10. BMW RENTAL with bed & breakfast (or vice versa). Check out Chiang Mai Luxury Bed & Breakfast Phone: +667-193-4646. Fax: +1-480-275-3589. Address Mae Sa Ban Doi on R1096, the Mae Rim - Samoeng road. The bike: BMWR1100R @ US$100 a day.

Latest bike & shop info: check out the GT Rider board

CHIANG RAI MOTORCYCLE HIRE SHOPS

1. ST Motorcycle. 527/5-6 Banphaprakan Rd. Chiang Rai.

2. Big Bike Service Chiang Rai: Si Motor 196/14-17 Trairat Road. Chiang Rai. Tel: 053719115. Mobile: 018814990. Email: pibool_sae@hotmail.com

HIRE PRICES
Can be negotiable, but if you bargain too hard for a bike the owner will probably give you the worst bike in the shop and keep the better bike for someone else who wants to pay more money. A cheap rental price might only mean a cheap bike that costs extra money for fuel, repairs and heaps of worry while on tour. 
Hire prices in Chiang Mai are very cheap with most of the shops struggling to survive in low season. So, take care of your bike, don't try to screw the shop owner, and they'll be there when you come back next time.

PASSPORT SURRENDER
When you hire a motorcycle you must surrender your passport to the shop as security for the bike. As the bike is not insured, your passport is the insurance for its return. When the shop has the bike back to their satisfaction, your passport is returned. This hiring condition might alarm first time visitors, but it is standard practice in North Thailand and there is seldom a problem recovering your passport, provided you bring the bike back. 
Note too that motorcycle theft is not a real threat to deter you from hiring a bike.
If you do experience any difficulty recovering your passport, don't waste time with the shop - call the Tourist Police.

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