Renting a motorbike in Bali is very much hassle-free. All they want from you is your passport copy and that’s it -you’re free to roam the streets. If you rent a bike from your host (hostel/hotel), they’ll hand the keys to you right away.
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Some hosts especially in Kuta tend to be a little bit careful by asking you to fill up a form and put down your signature in the end of it but that’s just about it. You might however want to read the terms and conditions carefully – just to be safe.
Most motorbikes are rented at 50,000 rupiah (~RM17.50 / USD 6) per day. When you say per day that means full 24 hours. If you start renting the bike at 1pm, you can return it at 1pm the next day.
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You’ll be surprised to see how cheap petrol in Bali is. Most motorbikes only need about 10000 rupiah (RM3.50 / USD 1!!) to fill up a tank to its full capacity. That should keep you going for at least one whole day.
While some locals don’t seem to wear helmet, you don’t necessarily need to follow suit. While they may have their own way of tackling the police, I’m afraid we tourists don’t. And do not expect us to have any privilege of going above the law too. I did see tourists getting stopped by police in Kuta because they didn’t wear helmet.
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Drivers in Bali honk a lot. Although their honks are more like friendly ‘watch out’ warning, they might send the wrong signal to your head if you’re from a country like Malaysia where honking is more like a not-so -friendly ‘fuck you’ warning. You’ll get irritated by the constant honking but that’s just the way they do it. LEARN to ignore them. 🙂
Some of the roads in Bali can be quite puzzling. They are many one-way roads that actually allow motorbikes to go to the opposite direction. Just follow the locals and you’ll be alright. You’ll just need to be a little bit careful.
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Ohh, and you gotta be careful with the closure of roads to give way for religious rituals. I’ve see a lot of them when I was in Bali. They can take up half of the road so a little bit of extra care will help you save your ass.
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Rest assured, roads in Bali are mostly (if not all) smooth and nicely asphalted they actually made me wince every time I get reminded of how bad our kampong roads are back in my home state in Malaysia. Smooth ride is guaranteed but some of them can be quite challenging especially in the countryside where your riding skills may be tested to the fullest. But then, isn’t it part of the adventure? 😛
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Challenges to ride a motorbike in the ever busy Kuta area are mostly associated with the business of the roads and the craziness of the traffic. You may never seen so many bikes roaming on a street all at once in any other place but in Bali. It needs guts to come out in the open and be part of the craziness. Believe me, it is one of those times when you wish you had bought a travel insurance 😀
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But again, my idea of traveling is being a little bit more adventurous than going through the boring daily ride to work back in Kuala Lumpur where I am currently based. The challenges of riding a bike were certainly something that I didn’t want to miss out on when I came to Bali.
For me, riding a bike is the best way to explore Bali. For one, it’s not easy to find a parking space in Ubud and Kuta if you are renting a car. In fact, they seem to have a deteriorating parking problem especially in Kuta area but then what do you expect from an island that is inhabited by 6 million people?
Make a good choice. Ride a bike and get adventurous. Happy riding people! 🙂