Motorcycle Rental in India & Nepal: Tips, Pitfalls & Advice

cal 28 октября 2024
cal 36
cal 10 min

South Asia is rich in beauty, and it is not surprising that it constantly attracts tourists who want to have an active holiday. Despite the condition of the roads, tourists conquer routes and travel directly to the foot of Mount Everest. But you need a transport to get to beautiful places. Since it is very expensive to carry your own transport to India or Nepal, it is easier to rent a motorcycle on the spot, for such cases there are rental agencies. Also you can buy a motorcycle directly from the locals. 

A piece of advice: if you want to go to Nepal, it is better to buy a motorcycle in India, because Nepal has a 300% fee, and it is simply unprofitable to buy there. Take a ride in Nepal, and then just sell the bike.

How much does a motorcycle rent cost in India?

A foreign person cannot buy a new motorcycle in India, you simply will not be allowed to register a vehicle for yourself, so choose a used motorcycle. A good bike can cost from 18,000 rupees, but you probably won’t find it cheaper. We recommend buying a motorcycle in workshops that are far from tourist destinations – usually the prices there are more appropriate.

But if you don’t want to bother with buying and then reselling a vehicle, just contact a bike rental agency. Bikes for rent are widespread in India and Nepal – you can find many outlets in major cities and beyond. You can arrange to book a bike online before the trip, or come to the local bazaar (it is easy to recognize it by the sign «bikes for rent») and haggle with the locals. Bazaars are usually located next to hotels, and sometimes the owner of the hotel can be the owner of a rental agency, which results in a double benefit.

Renting a bike is quite simple. Here are some tips for you:

  1. Don’t be afraid to haggle. Hindus and Nepalis are very fond of haggling. But the price of a bike can strongly depend on the tourist season: it rises on New Year’s holidays, on the length of the rental period (the longer the period, the lower the price), the novelty of the bike, the owner of the agency and your ability to convince.
  2. Do not pledge money and the original passport. Often the owners of bikes will demand you to leave your passport and/or money as a deposit. We do not recommend leaving money, but you can give them a copy of your passport, preferably from the visa page.
  3. Be sure to inspect the bike before renting. Record a video capturing the condition of the motorcycle so that you can confirm that the scratches and dents, if any, are not your fault. Take a used bike, but check its integrity completely: horn, turn signals, brakes, brake light and headlights. Ask for a test drive, and if something doesn’t suit you, they’ll pick up another model for you.

What do I need to rent a motorcycle?

To rent a bike, you need to have a bank card with a deposit for the vehicle or cash, an identity document, a driver’s license of the appropriate category and a booking voucher. We recommend making several copies of your passport and driver’s license.

What documents are needed to drive a motorcycle?

You will need an international driver’s license, because your country’s document may not be accepted. You can try to negotiate, but in order to avoid problems, we recommend that you take care of obtaining international documents. For a 50 cubic meters scooter you will need a Category B certificate, and for a motorcycle you will be asked for category A or A1, depending on the vehicle’s engine power. The requested bike licenses in India and Nepal are the same.

How old do I need to be to rent a motorcycle?

You must be between 18 and 75 years old to be able to rent a motorcycle, but some agencies have raised the minimum age limit to 21.

What happens if a motorcycle is damaged?

In most cases, the maximum the owners can charge you is an insurance deposit. If Premium Insurance is included in the booking, the deposit will be protected.

We hope that we have answered all your questions. If you want to book a motorcycle tour to India or Nepal, you can do it on our website. We charge you for bright and memorable places and an experienced team, you charge us with a good mood and a desire to conquer new heights!

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