5 Best Motorbikes to Rent in Chiang Mai
Renting a scooter in Thailand, in my opinion, is the best way to get around. Super convenient, inexpensive and so much fun. Yes, it can be dangerous, especially if coming from a country where there are stricter rules put in place — the new sense of freedom can go to one’s head, resulting in snaking meanders, getting caught up in the moment of newfound discovery is a common occurrence, which can end in disaster. The fact that you can just go to a rental shop, hand over some cash with a copy of your passport, and exchange for a scooter of your choice is bloody fantastic; this is just not possible in the UK. Without a proper license, you’re going nowhere.
There’s something liberating about driving a scooter in Thailand, the freedom to explore at the drop of a hat with the sun beating down, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt really adds to the experience of being in the far East. I’ve had a number of bikes since living in Chiang Mai, which have always guaranteed the best of times. Here is a list of solid bikes to rent whilst visiting Thailand.
Honda Click
Automatic, easy to ride and surprisingly nippy, this bike is great for cruising around the city, visiting the hotspots as well as being reliable and is even a good choice for venturing out of the city. Usually around 200-300baht a day. I used to rent one for around 2k(baht) a month back in the day, nowadays you’re looking at 2,500-3,500. A great choice if you want something simple and quick.
Honda Dream
Incredibly reliable, great on fuel and as it’s a manual it offers more control that a Click or other automatic bikes. The back brake is activated by using your foot. It’s also durable and easy to fix if having any kind of issues and they’re cheap to run. They can take a bit of getting used to, however, in my opinion, value for money, a great bike to buy with the long-term plan of remaining in Chiang Mai as they are easy to sell and hold their value. I bought an ancient one which I paid 10k for with a green book back in the day that lasted me years. Dreams never die.
Yamaha NMAX 155
These are super bikes, performance orientated, comfortable suspension and great for road trips, plus they look cool. Powerful bikes that are automatic, they are great for hills and a good choice if you’ve got someone on the back with you. More expensive than the click, but more exciting to ride. Price wise – 300-500baht per day. It’s even a good choice for beginners, as easy to ride with its twist and go transmission.
Honda PCX
I love this bike, incredibly comfortable, durable, strong and awesome on fuel, I’d say slightly better than the NMAX. I’d say the NMAX’s handling is sportier but the PCX is a smoother ride. I love the fact that the PCX automatically switches off for a few seconds when you stop and then when you twist the throttle again it starts up, this is designed to save fuel. I found that it’s quiet bike which is safe to ride and quick, not as fast as the NMAX, however, I’d choose it over the Yamaha as I think it’s a better all-rounder. Very close call, though.
Vespa Sprint
I’m really choosing this particular Vespa because I own one, and I know a lot of people belittle them because of the price and for the reason they are a bit gimmicky. The sprint, though has been one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned, had very few issues with it and absolutely love driving it. It’s just a super cool bike to ride, quick as hell and surprisingly good on fuel. However, I think if you’re thinking about purchasing a Vespa it really depends on the model you buy as I’ve heard horror stories on some of them. I really like the vintage ones but they can be very expensive to run. The one negative with the Sprint is the seat, which is uncomfortable and small, so not great when taking someone on the back. One other thing to mention is, that the Asian Vespas are made in Vietnam not Italy, simply because of the lower costs in manufacturing.
