Motorbike driving recommendations & tips

[settler]

I'm a decent driver at home, but driving in Pattaya is crazy. Before my first ride here I started easy by driving in smaller cities in the North. And yet sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed when rush hour kicks in, like on Beach Road, Central, Buakhao, Second road...

It's crazy 😆

Do you have any tips on what to be especially careful of? For example to watch out for bahtbuses when driving on their left side since they might turn left unexpectedly to pickup passengers?

Also, any suggestions on right turns on highly congested sections?

[forcebwithu]

Just go with the flow and follow what any good rider does automatically, and that is a relentless scan, including mirrors, of what is happening around you. Don't be that guy that's speeding past others in a hurry to get to the congested intersection or red light first.

Edited November 17, 2025 by forcebwithu

[Laawman]

Road blocks are the 'in' thing these days, so wear a helmet and don't drink. 

[chemtrail69]

1 minute ago, Laawman said:

Road blocks are the 'in' thing these days, so wear a helmet and don't drink. 

Definitely do this.

I'd add, carry your International Driver's License with a Motorcycle endorsement, and at least a copy of your passport with visa page.

Try to anticipate- ride as defensively as possible without pissing off other riders!

[nunchuck]

Don’t bother !!!

[LASportsNut]

I rode professionally in USA for about 4 years and trained for 1 of those years. Here is my recommendations:

PRACTICAL ORDER OF MOTORBIKE SAFETY IN PATTAYA

BEFORE YOU RIDE

1. Have a proper motorcycle license
It proves you understand the fundamentals and protects you legally.

2. Wear proper safety gear

• Helmet (a real one)

• Gloves (minimum)

• Decent shoes and pants (recommended)

3. Know your limits and don’t over-ride your skill level
Pattaya punishes overconfidence fast.

4. Learn counter-steering
This is essential for control at any real speed or in emergencies.

5. Practice emergency braking
Front brake slightly first → weight shifts forward → proper stopping power.
Learn how braking changes on sand, gravel, and in rain.

---

GENERAL ROAD AWARENESS

6. Ride the center of one-way streets (like Second Road)
Cars will shoot out blindly from both sides.

7. Watch out for pedestrians
They step into traffic without looking.
If you hit someone—even if they run into you—you can still be blamed and pay 3,000–100,000+ baht.
(Hard-earned lesson.)

8. Expect motorbikes to overtake you on BOTH sides
Keep your line steady and predictable.

9. Don’t trust green lights
Always check both directions before entering intersections.

10. Don’t tailgate
Sudden stops and random obstacles are everywhere.

---

VEHICLES TO BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS AROUND

11. Baht buses
They stop instantly without warning. Give them extra space. Yes, be extremly caustious when passing them on the left.

12. Tourist buses
NEVER overtake them on bends — especially near Walking Street.
Huge blind spots, wide turns, zero room to escape.

---

CONDITIONS TO WATCH FOR

13. Rain = danger x 10
Oil and dust turn Pattaya roads into an ice rink.
Slow way down.

14. If something feels off, pull over
20 seconds parked > 20 meters of danger.

---

EXPERIENCE / MINDSET

15. Know the local rhythms
Ride defensively, assume nobody sees you, and don’t copy how locals ride — they’re playing a different game.

---

 

Edited November 17, 2025 by LASportsNut

[hormone]

19 hours ago, settler said:

driving in Pattaya is crazy. Before my first ride here I started easy by driving in smaller cities in the North. And yet sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed when rush hour kicks in, like on Beach Road, Central, Buakhao, Second road...

Do you have any tips on what to be especially careful of? For example to watch out for bahtbuses when driving on their left side since they might turn left unexpectedly to pickup passengers?

Also, any suggestions on right turns on highly congested sections?

I live and do most of my riding in BKK.   Before getting my own motorbike here, I took moto-taxis for almost full year in BKK,  majority of times going through the same road to/from work.  I was consciously thinking as if I were the driver, anticipating what the driver would do next, watching out for others, cars and motorbikes, trying to understand how they behave.  I know this applies more to people here long term who are considering getting a motorcycle/ scooter.  But here's what I got out of this prolonged observation period:

1- Don't think like you would back home in Farangland -- drivers here just THINK differently.  What does not make sense to you WILL make sense to them...  You think you have priority, so do they... As easy as that.  This is why so many drivers go onto the road super slowly, almost forcing oncoming traffic to stop ...
2- Don't be in a hurry to fit into a gap somewhere ahead of you ... what seems like an attractive spot or a possibility to pass can rapidly turn into a squeeze ... from both sides!! 
3-  When turning (right or left onto another street), be wary of cars/ trucks-- they tend to turn wide then cut square narrow.  So best not to try to fit between the car and the curb...
4- When about to cross an intersection on my green light, I slow down before if I am not in a continuous flow of vehicles and there is not a wall of stopped vehicles stopped on the other sides.  I've seen too many drivers just pass on the red at high speed or start off to try to take advantage of a gap between you and the driver passing the intersection ahead of you...  Once again, they all think they have priority.  Western driving logic does not apply...
5- Don't focus too much on google-maps while riding -- you can get easily distracted and miss someone about to cut you off/ run you down at the last minute.  I use it, sure, but I prefer to make a brief stop along the curb or on the side of the main road and recheck if I am not sure where I am/ going to when I am not familiar with the road . 
6- On multi lane roads I avoid the left lane as much as I can--even though slower vehicles should be on the left.  Thais have a nasty habit of just turning onto that lane blindly and using it as a take off ramp.  I opt for either left or right side of middle lane (out of a 3 lane road) depending on my speed and the traffic ahead. 

Be patient, drive a bit slower, don't think you have priority even if you do...
 

[hormone]

33 minutes ago, LASportsNut said:

2. Wear proper safety gear

• Helmet (a real one)

Everything @LASportsNut wrote is excellent, but I cannot overemphasize the important of a REAL proper helmet (and I would suggest a full face one, unless you want to use your face as landing gear).  

Major brain injuries have been implicated as the sole cause of death in >50% of motorcycle deaths in Thailand and combined with other injuries in another 30%.   The eggshell helmets rental companies offer you are only useful to avoid a police fine. 

Edit:  I know for many tourists it's a pain finding a proper helmet (I don't know of the Pattaya shops to recommend one with good helmets sorry).  But if you do serious riding more than just around very central area of Pattaya at low speed, I encourage you to look into this...

Edited November 17, 2025 by hormone

[forcebwithu]

Link below to a recent topic on helmets.

I use a full face helmet for longer rides when the route takes me on highways, but for my rides around the Pattaya area I wear a half helmet as I find them more comfortable and it doesn't restrict my hearing like a full helmet does.

 

[forcebwithu]

One recommendation for whatever helmet you get, don't attach floppy bunny ears to the top.

Saw one westerner on Buakhao ride by last night with bunny ears that had sagged down on each side of the helmet. The result was they had blocked his peripheral vision and he had to constantly turn his head to see traffic on either side of him.

Pretty clueless IMHO to not realize the source of the problem and just rip the damn ears off.

[Kandinski]

15 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

One recommendation for whatever helmet you get, don't attach floppy bunny ears to the top.

Saw one westerner on Buakhao ride by last night with bunny ears that had sagged down on each side of the helmet. The result was they had blocked his peripheral vision and he had to constantly turn his head to see traffic on either side of him.

Do you recommend riders mount the bunny  ears  further back then?😋

[Spaz-505]

I been riding since I was 10 yrs old, and I'm still in one solid piece. Motocross and road, still ride today 55 yrs later. 

I ride in Thailand, but not in the big cities or motorways. In Pattaya, I don't find a need to as it's easy to get anywhere, and there are plenty of transportation options. 

The safest way to ride is to adapt to their driving and don't drive like you are back home. That's an accident waiting to happen. 

Rush hour is the wrong time to be on the road. Avoid as best you can if not all. 

Right-hand turns can be very difficult and risky.  Always try to use the traffic lights. If there is a group turning, join them and stay with them. Adding a little distance for a better right turn option is a smart decision, additional time insignificant. 

Best rule, expect the unexpected. Always leave yourself a way around what might happen. Keep your SA all round you so you recognize when something is going to happen.

Second best rule, maintain with the flow of traffic. You see it all the time people hauling ass and weaving in and out of traffic. Showoffs only put themselves in danger and everyone around them. The roads are stained with their stupidity!

Third best rule, sober 100%. Never under any influences. 

Fourth best rule, don't be in a hurry. This leads to bad decisions and much higher risk. 

Ask yourself how much are you willing to risk. Is the risk worth it or are there better options to get where you are going?

[nunchuck]

33 minutes ago, Spaz-505 said:

I been riding since I was 10 yrs old, and I'm still in one solid piece. Motocross and road, still ride today 55 yrs later. 

I ride in Thailand, but not in the big cities or motorways. In Pattaya, I don't find a need to as it's easy to get anywhere, and there are plenty of transportation options. 

The safest way to ride is to adapt to their driving and don't drive like you are back home. That's an accident waiting to happen. 

Rush hour is the wrong time to be on the road. Avoid as best you can if not all. 

Right-hand turns can be very difficult and risky.  Always try to use the traffic lights. If there is a group turning, join them and stay with them. Adding a little distance for a better right turn option is a smart decision, additional time insignificant. 

Best rule, expect the unexpected. Always leave yourself a way around what might happen. Keep your SA all round you so you recognize when something is going to happen.

Second best rule, maintain with the flow of traffic. You see it all the time people hauling ass and weaving in and out of traffic. Showoffs only put themselves in danger and everyone around them. The roads are stained with their stupidity!

Third best rule, sober 100%. Never under any influences. 

Fourth best rule, don't be in a hurry. This leads to bad decisions and much higher risk. 

Ask yourself how much are you willing to risk. Is the risk worth it or are there better options to get where you are going?

Sober and no Weed 

[harrycd]

Been riding for 20+ years, I have never ridden in Thailand :( 
I have been meaning to ride through Vietnam / Japan / China but when I'm in thailand I want to just chill and drink. 

If you plan to get a proper helmet, Bilmola seem decent and a thai brand.
I might grab one to take back to Aus but my current Shoei has speakers and cam mount already. 

Could be a good spare / second helmet. 

[Rocketboy]

Go with the flow of traffic, don't hesitate when making decisions, no Bluetooth in helmets listening to music, you don't need distractions, no talking on phone, if and when possible don't ride over drains on the roads, especially wet ones!

Edited November 18, 2025 by Rocketboy

[Rocketboy]

8 hours ago, Spaz-505 said:

The safest way to ride is to adapt to their driving

Yes I totally agree with this!

[hormone]

1 hour ago, harrycd said:

If you plan to get a proper helmet, Bilmola seem decent and a thai brand.
 

Interesting, did not know about this brand (as it's not SHARP tested, too bad ... ).  Looks decent (DOT certified) but I was not impressed by their "extreme impact testing" video on YT.  You can hammer it as much as you want, what I want to know is not if the helmet cracks, but how much force is transmitted to your head (and your brain).  I'm not implying Bilmola is not good, just pointing out the video is "impressive" if you don't know what to look for in a helmet! 
But yes, for people who don't want to put in too much money, it seems like a potential valid choice.  Thanks for the info! 

[Sloracer]

Lots of great advice. I've ridden bikes previously in Australia and here for about 3 years.

What's bugs me most, with the heat and humidity, it's too easy to go out in shorts and t shirt which I never would have done in Australia irrespective of how hot it would get.

As a minimum here I always wear a helmet, gloves and shoes.

I have a flip over helmet which is great as you can ride open face of full face. I'll usually go full face on places like Sukhumvit Rd.

Just recently I've been looking into protective clothing. There is some great tech available now like mesh jackets and pants which flow a massive amount of air and still provide reasonable protection. 

I'm trying out a cheap mesh jacket at the moment which I will upgrade when I next travel OS.

The jacket is like wearing a t shirt in terms of air flow but also has armour in shoulder, elbows and back. I've only felt a little hotter on the back because it has a large piece of perforated armour. Riding locally I remove the back armour.

 

 

[babaswim]

As we are on the bike subject, how much is it to hire a bike and helmet per day?

[schuss]

On 18/11/2025 at 13:38, babaswim said:

As we are on the bike subject, how much is it to hire a bike and helmet per day?

last time, I just went and rented at a random place. I think it was 400 per day for the cheap slow scooter.

this time I want to rent for a full month. I am not planning to drive far, so I will settle for a 160ccm scooter.
those are way to slow for highways, but appropriate for city and back roads.
btw. if I wanted to drive long distances via highway, the 300ccm would be still too slow. so that upgrade would bring nothing.

I looked at some online prices for 160ccm rentals. it seems that 4500 per month is an okay price. I bring my own helmet, but helmets would be included.

[forcebwithu]

55 minutes ago, schuss said:

last time, I just went and rented at a random place. I think it was 400 per day for the cheap slow scooter.

this time I want to rent for a full month. I am not planning to drive far, so I will settle for a 160ccm scooter.
those are way to slow for highways, but appropriate for city and back roads.
btw. if I wanted to drive long distances via highway, the 300ccm would be still too slow. so that upgrade would bring nothing.

I looked at some online prices for 160ccm rentals. it seems that 4500 per month is an okay price. I bring my own helmet, but helmets would be included.

Not sure what qualifies as too slow, but my Aerox 155 is fine on the highway. I can easily cruise along at 90 - 100 kmh. Comfortable ride too.

[ZRHuser]

On longer rides use sound protection for your ears. Helmet, most helmets you get are the cheap 2 to 400 Baht cheap Helmets. Most stink to heaven. You can wash the helmet, but that intense smell comes back very fast, your head smells of it. Then you go into a Bar with your smelly head. If you pick up in the shop, you may ask to get a not smelly helmet or ask if you can choose one yourself. I also use a helmet liner beany. They are cheap and you can wash them every other day in the sink. You can get them from Ali, Temu, Shopee etc.

For myself, as I stay longer then one month, I buy myself a Index Helmet in the 1000 Baht range. A huge improvement in wind noise, quality and safety. I don't have enough space for it in my lugagge, so I just gift the helmet to somebody (like security from the condo).

[j_omm]

Re Scooter Hire prices ..Those hiring around the busy Christmas time paying more than double 400 baht a day for a scooter IMO is way too much...more than twice  what I have paid to rent a Scooter and as others have pointed out a Monthly rate is a lot cheaper..can even get discounts on a weekly rate

[Rocketboy]

On 15/01/2026 at 08:27, forcebwithu said:

Not sure what qualifies as too slow, but my Aerox 155 is fine on the highway. I can easily cruise along at 90 - 100 kmh. Comfortable ride too.

Yes my Yamaha Nmax 155 does just fine as well! 

[hormone]

On 15/01/2026 at 08:27, forcebwithu said:

Not sure what qualifies as too slow, but my Aerox 155 is fine on the highway. I can easily cruise along at 90 - 100 kmh. Comfortable ride too.

Agree, same here.  Even a 125 cc is fine to reach 90 kph easily, just less acceleration power (and also many have not as good brake systems).  
In TH, on a highway, I  try not to go above 100 kph -- maybe except unusual passing situations where I really need to speed to avoid some idiot coming at my back at 150 kph...  Drivers here are just too crazy unpredictable and you never know when you will need to brake urgently.  Or break urgently... 555