bike damage insurance for thailand
 

hi all
hire motorbikes (650cc) regularly in thailand and cant find anyone reputable to sell me property damage ins. -- ie if bike gets damaged
.. any suggestions ?

I dont think there is such an insurance on those rental bikes or that you can buy it anywhere. Vehicles have mandatory third party kind of insurance, but if you damage the bike - you pay. If somebody else damages the bike - they should pay. Bit beware - this is Thailand and it might not happen.

I've never been able to get it through any renter.
Take lots of photos before leaving, preferably with time & date stamp turned on & I always get the renter who did the paperwork, to pose for a photo too.
It works a treat later on, if they try the fake damage scam:thumbup1:
I've frustrated a few operators with that one :rofl:

Renting bikes in Thailand is a risky business. But It doesn't stop many people doing it.

I rented a few offroad scooters (don't laugh) and it was a pain in the arse..

They will take your passport. Usually no way around this.

Then they will try and scam you for every scratch on it. At twice the price it actually costs.

No one else will touch a rental bike if you damage it because it's a cultural 'fix'.. Usually !!

Like said, you want to take lots of photographs of all damage you can see. Check everything on the bike before you leave. Oil, brakes, lights etc.

You will need a thick skin and be able to stand your ground.

I'm sure there are some honest rental companies out there.


Insurance ????????? I don't think it exists.

Sorry, Ted when was the last time you rented a bike in Thailand? and were?
surely you are confused between jet ski rentals and motorbike rentals.

I have rented bikes in Pattaya, Chiang Mia and Chiang Ria and have found what you are saying is not the case generally.

It is true to say that some rental shops will ask for your Passport, but most will just take a holding deposit.

Companys like POPs in Chiang Mai has not built up a very good business by not conning people like you have implied.

Most rental shops work on the basis scratches are accepted but broken parts need to be replaced and paid for.

And most shops will have a price list from the manufacturer of parts for the bike you have rented.

I have 2 friends who own and run 2 off the largest rental shop in Chiang Ria.

1. ST motorbike rentals. http://www.st-motorcyclerentals.com/

2. Chaing Rai big bikes. http://crbigbikerentals.com/reserve/

Both owners would be very upset to hear your views concerning rental companies in Thailand.

As for insurance, ALL Rental bikes come with a legal 3rd party insurance, which doesn't cover much but it is insurance?

Sorry again to point out these facts but I find your post a bit misleading and incorrect.

Most rental bikes have had some type of "FIX" in some way or another?

Have a good day.

Im sure they would be sad... Because they rent bikes in Thailand. And you're their friend so I'm sure your opinion isnt totally indifferent.

I rented them down in the South Islands a lot. And that was the case in EVERY rental place I went to. And I spent days going around.. It was a scam after scam after scam.

I tried renting in Chiang Mai too but it was far too expensive for me. The woman in Pops DID ask for my passport too. They also couldn't supply a helmet that either wasnt a plastic skateboard helmet or a twenty year old enduro helmet which was either XXS or XXL.

I should have brought my own.. But I didn't. As is life...

As in my post, I said there probably are reputation rental companies. I know people who rented from pops with their own gear and were happy. But I couldn't find anything I was happy about.

To say renting in Thailand is a easy, hassel free experience with no risk is being a little biased isnt it..

That was my experience and that of many people. I didn't say it was the ONLY experience.




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Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

Yes i also heared storys like that but never had any problems my selfe. Way easyer and cheaper to rent bikes insted of shipping them. Even if you drop a rented bike all the parts are available and cheap to replace. We are talking about bikes worth only $500 total. Also my bikes allways came with a helmed. In laos and India they did not even take my passport so i could have sold the scoter as spare parts insted of returning it. In Thailand you can buy a passport for $5 at every second corner so no need to give your real passport.

http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/mit...angkok_060.jpg

Just take photos of every side of the scooter before you leave WITH the owner on them then everything is fine :)


http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/mit...ng_mai_027.jpg

It does exist but then the scoters are double the normal price =$10 per day.

http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/mit...ng_mai_025.jpg

http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?re...and_chiang_mai

I was travelling around with an American couple in the South. She scratched her mirror. It cost her $100US to get her passport back. We went around all the shops to buy a mirror and they all refused to sell us one..

Another mate of mine overstayed his rental by 45 mins. The shop had twenty other available scooters and charged him a full days rental plus a fine to get his passport back.

Maybe its a problem with the south. Lots more drunken teenagers.

Maybe im being a little negative.

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Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

Well you have to get use how to deal with people in third world countrys. One ALLWAYS have to negotiate. Thats normal. Its also about the way you lock and ackt. If you look like money on legs in a place with lots of drunken idiots, they will treat you as an atm and try to get money out of you, no matter if your in a bar, at customs or in a bike shop. Thats why i prefere to travel far away from normal tourist areas :-)

True there are lots of scam going on specially on the islands of Thailand.

If you show that your not an easy victim as 99% of the tourists there and pretend to call the tourist police or make a big shout to scare away other customers in the shop they will return your passport for free in no time.
If not tell them you will go to your embassy to mark your passport as stolen WITHOUT returning the scooter, they will return your passport before loosing their scooter. A passport has 0 value for them...

With 10000s of motorbikes being rented every day in Thailand if scamming is as widespread as you are implying then why ints the internet full of complaints?

The rental shop owner is onto that one and when that happen there just ring your country embassy and report there are holding YOUR PASSPORT?
No new passport will be issued because not LOSSES?

I know what you're saying... And I'm no push over with scammers. I didn't loose a penny because I refused to. But If you have to spend every day of your holiday playing games just so not be scammed or deceived then it's just no holiday. It just gets boring.. FAST !!

I've been all around the world and I have to SADLY say that I found Thailand the most dishonest, two-faced place I've ever been to. You couldn't even get on a bus without being forced off five miles short in the middle of the night to be blackmailed into taking a mega-priced Tuk Tuk. Or told by your tour operator that there were no cash machines at the border so you had to change it from him at his rate.

I know this happens everywhere that rich westerners holiday in other people's poverty. I've been to most of them..But I genuinely had this experience EVERY DAY.. I was in SE Asia for two months and I don't think I saw I single smile which didn't have a price-tag or an ulterior motive.

I've been robbed at gun point by Soldiers in Venezuela and I felt happier about it. Because at least they were honest about their intentions.

I didn't see it all obviously and I was probably there at the wrong time of year. (December/January). But I've got no desire to go back.

Everyone's experiences are different... And everyone should go any find out for themselves..

I should give Thailand a miss next time Ted, Venezuela sounds more interesting?

Thats true but also an adventure and if you stay away from the normal tourist plaes the little local farmers are soooo friendly!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlt3Y20Nrs

http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/mit...ng_mai_037.jpg


If they keep YOUR passport for what ever reason they steal it from you. At least a German passport cant be used as a deposit but belongs to the government...

It is !! This thread has a few of them.

Would you like me to find you some more ???

Here's just one to get you started. Happy reading.


https://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-...articles/75907

You'll find the Thai police give ZERO F**KS about who owns the passport !!

If you want 100% security, stay at home. Its allways bad to fight with people so better dont. Usuarly there is a friendly way to deal with each other. If you have a bad feeling, just dont rent there. If the shop owner is cool, enjoy your trip. If the worst comes to the worst, a passport is just a paper, nothing else. Yes people in Latin America are way more friendly :-)

There is a whole TV Series called "big trouble in Thailand" on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CsOUzYQp1A

It's always an adventure... :scooter:

I prefer more good times and genuine people in my travelling though..

That's why I won't bother with SE Asia again.

There are plenty of alternative countrys. Best Countrys for me out of 90 Countrys were Argentina and Brasil even if they dont love each other. South Africa was also great. Have you been to India? Its simular as SE Asia (beautifull landscape, Elefantes, beaches, easy to rent scooters) but less money and scam orientated: http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?report=indien

Hi Ted
Thank you for posting the lonely Plant article, but this is just a general warning about scams throughout the world and not in line with what this thread is about.?
With over 30.000.000 people visit Thailand each year you would think the internet would be awash with complaints about Motorbikes scams in Thailand if you are correct.?

All Passports belong to the Government of each country and not you.?
And when a rental company holds your passport as security there are not stealing it?

I also love Argentina amd Brazil. I have made great friends there. Great riding too. Very friendly, hospital people. I love South America as a whole.

I also love South Africa. What an amazing country. I'd love to go back.

Ive only seen the west coast of India. An interesting place for sure. You can really feel the over-population though. Can you ever be alone in India ??

Lovely people though..

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Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

I have rented motorbikes in Thailand dozens of times, in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Pai, Udon Thani, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Phuket and I have never ever been scammed. I have been late with several hours when returing (phoned the company and told them of course) I have been extending the rental period while on the road several times - I have rented all kinds of bikes, scooters, 250 dirt bikes, big bikes, shoppers - never ever had an issue with anything! I broke a indicator on a dirtbike I rented at POP in Chiang Mai and was sure they gonna rip me off but they only charged me 2-300 baht for that.

But of course - its a good idea to take many photos of the bike before leaving the rental shop and also in front of the staff there so if they have the slightest idea of scamming you they will have to think twice.
I have several times seen all kind of tourists and backpackers treating their rental bikes like shit, doing "burnouts" towards a concrete wall, wheelies with a 250 dirtbike etc - so no wonder the rental companies get a little wary at times.
Keep away from the worst backpacker crowds and the places they visit and you will be fine.

Ted: Long distance bus stations in most bigger cities in Thailand are placed outside of the city center, often by 5-10 kms. Thats not a scam, its a thing done for conveniance for both passangers and bus drivers. Who wanna spend the last 30-60 minutes in a bus in mean city traffic that hardly moves at all. And doing 5-10 km/h in average.

The bus drop is a scam mate. Because the operators tell you it goes to the city. And there is a bus station in the cities that they then go to to pick up the next load of hapless victims. And they drop you in empty clearings miles out with nothing else about...

Same thing happens when you get the river cruises on the Mekong into Laos. All the foreigners are kicked off 5 miles short so you have to get a mega priced taxi. Whilst all the locals are allowed all the way in.

Ironically, it makes renting a bike the safest option..

If I went back I'd rent a bike. But Id bring all my own gear...

My points were just that you have to be carful because in my experience, S.E Asia is full of scams...

I'm not saying everyone is dishonest... I just found it more likely than most places in the world.

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Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

I agree that a certain degree of carefulness and common sense is good to have when travelling in SEAsia. But that goes for everywhere in the world one travel. There are for scams going on for sure here and there. But seek advice from long time expats or thai locals, not some random backbackers and not from a random tour operator ghat also do printings, laundry service and rent out scooters.

Ted I have read about a bus scam between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. But that is not gonna happen if you buy your tickets at the official ticket office at a bus station and not at a doubious guesthouse in Khao San rd or similar. Stay clear of the private tour operators operating from Khao San rd and other backpacker areas and you will not get scammed. I have taken long distance buses all over Thailand (earlier on before low price flights came and before I started to ride bikes in the country) and I have never experienced any scams. As I mentioned before, most long distance bus stations in bigger cities are situated a bit outside of the city centre so expect to get transport from bus stations to city center. This goes for Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Udon Thani, Phuket etc. Take the buses and the bus companies thai citizens use and you will be fine.

I have also taken the Huay Xai - Luang Prabang boatrip on the Mekong River and nobody got kicked out and no scams at all.

In my experience - and I have travelled quite a but in SEAsia you are much more likely to get scammed in Vietnam or Cambodia, omg even buying a cup of coffee they can scam you, not to mention bus and train tickets, guesthouse rooms etc.