To preface this: as an expat, you probably shouldn’t ride a motorbike in Vietnam. If you’ve never been on a motorbike before, you absolutely should not attempt to ride a motorbike in Vietnam. I had never ridden a motorbike. So – I decided to try and learn how to ride a motorcycle in Vietnam. It couldn’t be that hard. Turns out, it can be very difficult for a multitude of reasons, so here’s a quick motorbiking in Vietnam Guide to get you on the road quickly and safely.

Motorbiking In Vietnam

 

My First Attempt at Learning

Our Airbnb host had a bike that he allowed guests to use. I had never ridden one and was really only familiar with the principals of using a scooter. So I decided to give it a shot. All in all, it did not go very well. At first I could not figure out how to get into neutral so that I could even move it. After thirty minutes, I finally figured out how to work the clutch. But somehow I’d managed to get the key cover closed, and couldn’t figure it out.

 

Getting Started

So away to Youtube and Google I went. This actually was quite helpful. I figured out what I felt I needed to know. I knew how to get the key in the ignition finally, how to switch gears properly, how to kill the engine, control the throttle, and brake.

In the private front courtyard I managed to get comfortable riding the clutch in neutral and jumping into 1st. I got used to the “friction zone”. As well, I figured out how to purposefully stall the engine – and more importantly not stall the engine.

Feeling ready for a more serious attempt at riding, I began to make my way out of the alleyway. It wasn’t pretty. The throttle was jumpy, and the bike jerked forward and back as I managed to “power walk” my way through the first alley. Turning down the second alley I suddenly came across what seemed to be the entire neighborhood out enjoying the day.

It was obvious to the older adults that I had no business on a bike. Their faces showed disapproval to put it lightly. I made my way past them though without any issues though (still hadn’t stalled the bike yet) and continued on down a third alley.

And my First of Many Failures

I turned down a fourth and final narrow alley which would lead to the roadway – and managed to run into a wall. Luckily no one saw that happen and there was no damage to the bike because I was going something like 2 mph. However, the children caught up to me and were quick to point and laugh at my ineptitude.

Watching the children mock me and looking at the busy street ahead of me, I decided that it would be beyond stupid of me to proceed into the street. A Vietnamese roadway during the best traffic conditions is as bad as the worst traffic you’ve ever seen in a big city, during rush hour.

I turned around and headed back towards the house. Once again, the elders shot ugly looks my way. Unfortunately, I messed up even further and managed to finally stall the bike directly in front of them. In shame and defeat, I got off the bike and pushed it back to the house and where I found it.

I could learn to ride, I had no doubt. But I needed more space than a narrow alley way and to not have the neighborhood shooting poisonous looks my way. Our host would be back the next day, and I’d just ask him to take me out somewhere to learn. It really is necessary here, because it’s just so inconvenient otherwise.

Reassessing Our Situation

The next day came and went, our host was coming back from a vacation in Da Lat for Tet and got in late. I explained the predicament to him, and he seemed pretty amused. He explained that I could just use the automatic scooter he had instead as it was much easier, and the next day he would assist me in getting a SIM card for my phone so I could have GPS.

I got up early the next morning, and we went on our way to get the SIM card. I hopped on the back of the scooter and off we went. Luckily, riding on the back gave me a quick eye-opener into how to manage traffic which is much less intimidating once you’re a part of it and not on the sidelines.

Trying a Different Bike

Once back, I took the scooter for a spin around the neighborhood to gauge my comfort level with it. I was amazed at the difference. It was far smoother and easier to handle, and thankfully no gears to mess with. It was just get on and go. And the traffic really wasn’t too bad to handle – though admittedly completely different from driving in US traffic.

Since I felt comfortable, I came back and we prepared for our trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels which would be a pretty serious test of our ability to ride a bike through Vietnam. It should have been a 40km trip each way – but things happen and we got lost.

How’s the Traffic? – Safety

 

Rules of the Road

Motorbiking in Vietnam comes with a few things to keep in mind – especially for westerners who are used to more structured traffic:

• Cars on the road also always have the right of way  – and they will act like it. If you see one, just move as far as you can to the right. The cars, while relatively few compared to the number of bikes, are still readily found. They will go anywhere on the road, and won’t think twice about running you off the road. They will usually at least give you the courtesy of honking.
• Honking isn’t rude, it’s just the norm – you can use honking for just about anything in Vietnam. But it’s main purpose to inform others that you are passing them, coming up behind them, or want them to move.
• Major highways have distinctly different lanes – one for motorbikes, and one for cars and trucks. These are pretty intuitive and make it safer for drivers. However, this segregation is mostly only around the cities.
• Be wary of the weather – you are exposed on a bike, and the roads aren’t in the greatest condition. If you are driving in mountainous regions, flash floods could strand you in a random village for several days – or sweep you off a cliff. So be prepared.
• Respect the roads – they are dangerous, especially the roads between cities. Narrow mountain roads driven by hurried truckers lead to many accidents and bikers pushed off of roads and cliffs.

You Won’t Have the Newest Model

Your bike is almost certainly used. This means that it’s parts are possibly going to break, if they’re not already broken. You might as well assume that the speedometer and odometer aren’t going to work.

Flat tires are a common occurrence – I got two flats in two days. And anything can break. The good news it that repairs are cheap (an entire new tire costs ~$20), fast, and just about everyone can fix basic repairs. A mechanic is seemingly always just on the next corner.

Watch Out for the Police

When it comes to cops, the best advice I can give is to relay what I’ve read elsewhere. Do your best to not draw attention to yourself – by driving properly – and don’t make eye-contact.

If you should find yourself pulled over, then you should prepare to get fleeced. Vietnamese cops are notoriously corrupt, and they will ask for a “non-receipted fine” – read bribe. They’ll take what they can get from you, so it’s wise to have a “fake” wallet with only a few bills that you can hand off rather than a huge wad of cash.

Is Motorbiking in Vietnam Allowed?

It is technically illegal for expats to ride and own bikes in Vietnam, you need a Vietnamese Driver’s License – an International Driver’s License won’t cut it. So when you get pulled over, the cops have all the power.

If the option is open to you, speaking English and feigning ignorance might get you off the hook because they’ll get tired of trying to deal with the language barrier, but cops are more frequently speaking English or know someone who can, so this option is becoming less reliable. You can also call a Vietnamese friend who “owns” the bike who might be able to get you off the hook. All in all, it is illegal, but there are rarely consequences in Vietnam if you do ride.

Why Is Everyone Interested?

So if you’ve decided that you really are ready to go anyways, you’re going to need a bike. The Top Gear Vietnam episode has inspired many people to make the ride from Hanoi to Saigon – an epic 2000+ km ride through the mountains, beaches, jungles, and valleys. We thought about trying it, but it didn’t work out because we had too much gear for a single bike. But anyways, there are a variety of methods to obtain a bike.

Can I Buy or Rent?

Buying new is pretty much out of the question because of paperwork and needing a license. Buying used is easy – just go to any bike shop and make a purchase. You can buy one used for anywhere between $150 and $400. You can also purchase from other expats who have completed their journey and are selling the bike before they continue on. If you go this route, you will have to sell your bike at the end as well though, so keep that in mind.

If buying a bike isn’t your thing, you can rent a bike. This is a great option if you’re just wanting to ride around town. But at the same time you can get rentals that will allow you to go from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh via http://flamingotravel.com.vn/. They have a wide range of options and great support for any issues you run into along the way.

Renting, which can cost a bit more than buying, depending on your intentions, does have the benefit of convenience. You don’t have to bother with selling at the end, and generally they’ll help if not take care of all repairs you may need to make.

Stay Safe

This really can’t be stated enough. You need to do everything you can to stay safe. Hospitals and medical attention are not great, and if you have a serious accident you may have to be airlifted to Bangkok – which will cost a lot. Add on the fact that no insurance companies will cover motorbiking in Vietnam at all. So the risk is entirely on you.

Great Rides and Beautiful Views

Our favorite place to ride was on Cat Ba Island. Here we pretty much had the island to ourselves and felt pretty relaxed riding around. It really was a great experience, although we did have to be careful to avoid the pot holes. Briana had a chance to ride around here, since the traffic was non-existent and is a great place to learn in Vietnam if you’re uncomfortable. If a sense of adventure strikes you – definitely ride a bike in Vietnam. It’s a trip of a lifetime, just be safe!

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