Renting a Motorbike in Ubud: What to Check First

A scooter is a popular way to get around Ubud, where the town, the rice fields and the surrounding villages sit close together. It is also the part of a Bali trip where paperwork, insurance and unfamiliar traffic catch people out. This guide is about preparing sensibly, and about deciding honestly whether riding is right for you. It is general information, not advice on your own situation.

Start with the rider, not the bike

Before you look at models, ask yourself a few plain questions. Have you ridden a scooter recently, in traffic? Will you be carrying a passenger or luggage? Are you comfortable in rain, in the dark, and on roads where other vehicles may do unexpected things? If the answer to any of these is uncertain, a driver is a reasonable alternative, and there is no shame in choosing it. Our private driver tours exist for exactly that visitor.

Licence and permit: ask the right authority

This is the area with the most conflicting advice online. The rules depend on your nationality and on the licence you hold, so no single answer applies to everyone, and a rental shop cannot give you one either.

A sensible approach:

• Contact the authority that issued your licence and ask which documents and which vehicle class you need to ride a scooter in Indonesia.
• Check that your licence itself covers motorcycles, not only cars.
• Read your own government’s travel advice. The Australian Government’s Smartraveller page for Indonesia is one example for Australian travellers, but it is a starting point, and other nationalities should look to their own authorities.
• Do any paperwork before you leave home. Some permits cannot be obtained once you have travelled.

If you cannot confirm that your documents are right, please do not ride.

Insurance: ask your own insurer

Travel insurance policies treat scooters very differently. Some exclude them, some charge extra, and some tie cover to holding the correct licence. Ask your insurer directly, and ask in writing if you can:

• Does the policy cover riding a scooter of the kind you plan to rent?
• Does cover depend on a particular licence or permit?
• What does it say about damage to the bike, theft, injury to others and your own medical costs?

Also ask the rental what, if anything, its own arrangements cover, and keep the answer in a message you can find later. Neither the shop nor this guide can tell you what your insurer will accept.

Helmets and clothing

Government travel advice recommends wearing a helmet, and that applies to a passenger too. Ask the rental what helmets it provides and look at them before you leave. The strap should fasten securely, the shell should be free of cracks, and the fit should be snug. If it feels wrong, ask for another or bring your own. Closed shoes and long trousers are more comfortable if the road surface is unkind.

Inspecting the bike before you go

Spend a few minutes in daylight with the bike:

• Look at the tyres and check the brakes by squeezing both levers.
• Switch on the lights and indicators, and try the horn.
• Make sure both mirrors are in place.
• Photograph every scratch and mark, and the dashboard, so that you and the rental agree on the starting condition.
• Ask what to do and whom to call if the bike breaks down or you have a puncture.

Scooter or driver: how to decide

A scooter gives freedom and tends to suit short local trips. Its trade-offs are exposure to weather, the concentration needed in traffic, and the responsibility for the bike and your own cover. A driver costs a different kind of money and loses some spontaneity, but frees you to look around, travel with a group and avoid parking and navigation. Many visitors mix the two, perhaps renting a scooter for a few easy local days and booking a driver for a long outing such as Kintamani.

Questions to put to any rental shop

• Which models do you have for my dates?
• What are you able to provide for helmets?
• What documents do you ask me to show?
• What happens if there is an accident or breakdown?
• Can the bike be delivered and collected where I am staying?
• How and when is payment taken?

If you are asking us

We rent automatic Yamaha NMAX and Honda Vario scooters from our shop on Jalan Bisma, with delivery and collection across Bali by arrangement. See motorbike rental for how it works, then contact us with your dates and where you are staying. Please check your licence and insurance with the right authority and your insurer first. We would rather you arrive prepared than discover a problem later.