Renting bike and passport?

[ippyboy]

So Ive rented bikes heaps in thailand, but only little Scooters, first few time they always wanted to hold onto my passport. then I started just taking a colour photo copy with me, now some but not all would take it, but wasn't that hard to find someone willing. last couple of trips my TGF would just get it and didnt have to leave anything. but question is, next trip next month. I plan on getting a bigger bike. R1 or GSXR1000 or Hayabusa, and doing a couple of day trip to Koh Chang. whats the go with most of these rental guys are they differently gonna want to hold onto my passport? Its not that I fear crashing it. I own one here. and have driven heaps all through SE asia. it's just I don't like the feeling of leaving my passport anywhere.

[andy666]

You might try leaving your ID-card (looks more formal than a copy) along with a copy of your passport. It always worked for me in the past, though it were only Scooters

[okuma]

I would in no way leave my passport to them and drive around in a foreign country. Much too risky in my opinion.

 

Cheers

[gogo dog]

Make sure the bike has a white number plate, you will get a lot more attention from the BiB with a red plate.

[dc_publius]

Pretty much every place that rents 'big bikes' requires you to leave your passport. I have never heard of a legit place that doesn't require it.

 

It's not right, and it can land you in trouble because you're supposed to have your passport on you all the time, but that's how it's done.

 

I would be weary of the 'big bike' rental places along the beach road. Personally, I don't trust them. They may play you like the jet ski scam. I also read somewhere that the places in Pattaya basically rent bikes with fake papers. (Do you know how much R1 actually costs in Thailand? And now, why do you think it costs so little to rent?)

[ITGFELIA]

I would never leave my passport with anyone, just way to much potential for problems.

[ippyboy]

whats difference between red and whit number plates in Thailand????

[pubstud]

I won't leave my passport with any of them, I heard once that the various embassies in BKK are sick to death of having their citizens rolling up because they left their passport with Thais and things went wrong. Usually you can rent through the resort/hotel you're at without leaving the passport.

[dc_publius]

I won't leave my passport with any of them, I heard once that the various embassies in BKK are sick to death of having their citizens rolling up because they left their passport with Thais and things went wrong. Usually you can rent through the resort/hotel you're at without leaving the passport.

 

Tell me what resort/hotel rents 'big bikes', as you make it sound so obvious and easy as if you have experience. (Basically you are making stuff up when you don't know the situation at all.)

 

The problem with not having the passport is with the govt authorities and travel. You need to be able to show that you are in Thailand legally (passport and visa) or you can end up in jail.

 

But also keep in mind that a passport is not even your property - it is your governments property (This is true at least for USA passports). If someone is holding 'your' passport, you can contact your embassy and they will get back their property from them for you. Keep that in mind if some place thinks they can negotiate anything out of you holding the passport ransom.

[WalkingSt]

I've rented a big bike in Bangkok before from http://www.bangkokbikesrental.com/ they were very helpful, they rent clothes, jackets, GPS, etc also, so a one stop deal.

They do hold your passport but at no time did they feel in anyway shady so I had no problem with them doing this, as normally I would not trust many places and have even changed hotels when they have insisted on holding my passport in the past.

 

The bike is rented with third party insurance, not sure if it is worth anything, as I have never tested it but it does seem to keep the police happy when they see it.

[Cerberus]

It is illegal to give your passport to a rental firm as by law it should be in your possession at all time.

 

If they will not accept a copy of your passport and a deposit, in my view you would be better off not hiring the bike.

[dc_publius]

It is illegal to give your passport to a rental firm as by law it should be in your possession at all time.

 

If they will not accept a copy of your passport and a deposit, in my view you would be better off not hiring the bike.

 

There is NOT ONE place in Thailand that rents big bikes without you leaving a passport with them... Not one...

 

(Exception may be pattaya places renting undocumented bikes, but no legitimate place rents w/o passport)

[T-T-T]

I have always find leaving my photo UK driving license is enough. if they keep it so what get a new one when I get home.. Like Cerbeus says you want to have acces to your passprot at all times

 

I have rented a bike and a car with full insurance which is legitimate without leaving your passport. I have done it khon kean, nong baulamphu , koh samui. koh larn, koh samui and pattaya. And had all the doucmentation checked by my thai friends....

 

If you use hertz at they airport they dont keep your passport and there about as legitimate as they come

 

Only thing I would look out for is taking a bike to an island you may not be covered, not sure why, but we looked at renting a car and they said it was not to be taken off the main land so you might want to double check that.... maybe was a miss understanding and they meant across the border but double check it

[GoldCoastJon]

I've rented a couple of bikes (R6 and CBR 600RR) from Beach road. Both times I have left my passport with them, in hindsight I'll not be doing this again. Both said when I rented I could either leave my passport or a large deposit, off memory about 5K

 

And Im not aware of any guesthouses or hotels that rent large bikes