The best way to explore when traveling

That feeling when you twist the throttle and bike takes off is a thrill that’s tough to beat. Wind in your face and open air views. The sound of the engine sputtering and the smell of the gasoline you bought for a few bucks that came in a plastic water bottle. The sense of belonging as you zip along the sides of the traffic, swinging into a turn along with scores of others, reveling in your own freedom. Undoubtedly the best way to explore the countryside of an exotic land is by motorbike.

Scooters, mopeds, Vespas, motorbikes or whatever else you may call them may be laughed at as the tools of drunkards in the US but in many parts of the world it is the main mode of travel. Take a trip outside of the Western world and you will be amazed at how many people use them. Families of five will blow by you on a bike, the toddler in front of dad who’s driving while the eldest child sits in between him and mom (who happens to be holding a baby with one hand. Car seat and baby bag not included. You will see the most bizarre things strapped to bikes, from full size refrigerators to goats. And the bikes themselves are sights to behold, old rugged bikes that have been running for decades. I know positively next to nothing about motorbikes, but I know that a Vietnamese mechanic can keep one running for ages. Cheap, reliable, and fun, these things are the way to explore.

The advantages to renting a bike are endless. For one thing, you don’t have to rely on motorbike taxis or tuk-tuks to ferry you to and from places as these guys are generally awesome but they have a penchant for jacking up the price of the ride due to the color of your skin. Renting a bicycle is another great way to explore but truth be told, it’s usually too damn hot, the roads are too steep or shot, and even though you may be more hardcore for using one, a motorbike is just much easier. Remember, you are on vacation! And finally, and this is especially true for a longer journey, when you are driving a bike, your life is generally in your own hands, as supposed to some maniacal minivan driver taking blind turns at 50 kilometers an hour all in an effort to make a deadline. Plus you can stop and take a break any time you want!

So you have decided to rent one.  What’s the first thing you have to know? Basically, that anyone can rent one. No one is checking driver’s licenses or giving you tests to make sure you know what you are doing. You will always be able to find someone to rent you a bike, even in places where it may be deemed illegal for foreigners to drive, such as in Myanmar. It’s not a bad idea to take a few pics of the bike when you rent it just to ensure they won’t try to scam you into paying for dents and scratches you didn’t make. Or you could get online and scour trip advisor for the best reviewed places. But where’s the fun in that? In my experience, most businesses aren’t out to get you, but it’s not a bad idea to be cautious, especially in real touristy places. Oh and if you take a bike for a few days they may want your passport as collateral. But that’s pretty fair to me. You are renting their bike for usually next to nothing. Sometimes a copy will suffice but if they want the real one, it’s generally OK. Ask around if you are nervous but chances are, it’s in safe hands.

Now when you do rent a bike, be very careful if you don’t know what you are doing. You can read all about my first attempt to drive a motorbike here, which embarrassingly resulted in a crash and a bunch of angry Indians. So, if you don’t know how to ride, get online and do a bit of research, or show up at the rental shop with a buddy who can teach you. Don’t be afraid to rent bikes. They are not hard to figure out. Even the semi-automatics are ridiculously easy to learn how to drive. If you don’t rent them, you will miss out on a lot of amazing experiences. But don’t jump on one too haphazardly either. You can screw yourself up pretty good. They call them tourist tattoos and you will see them all over the globe. Backpackers in slings and casts, gnarly burns, scrapes and bruises. Nine out of ten times, you don’t even have to ask how they got them.

The next thing you have to be careful about is driving drunk (and other drunk drivers.) Don’t do it. Just because you aren’t in danger of hitting a DWI checkpoint doesn’t mean you should hop on your ride after downing a few buckets at a Full Moon Party. You’re more than likely to wreck and remember, not only are you not wearing a seatbelt, but you’re likely wearing a tank top and flip-flops. Even a minor wreck is going to freaking hurt. And by all means, keep in mind that most of the other drunk backpackers are probably not as clear minded and level-headed as you. So even if you are driving safely, chances are some (most) of your fellow partygoers are not. There is a reason the hospital in Pai, Thailand (a sleepy mountain village filled with hordes of tourists) stays relatively busy at night. It’s because the village readily provides the three main ingredients to prepare anyone for their first tourist tattoo, booze, drugs, and motorbikes.

Anyway, you know how to operate the bike, and you aren’t a dumb shit and know not to drive drunk. The final thing you need to realize is that just because you can putter around the paved roads of a flat island doesn’t mean you are ready for big city traffic and steep dirt paths. Driving a car in downtown Manhattan or along the freeways in LA may be daunting for some, but it’s nothing like taking a motorbike through a crowded S.E. Asian city. The traffic is ten-fold, the horns are 100-fold, the signs are nonexistent and the rules are anyone’s best guess. But that doesn’t mean you can do it. You just have to take it slowly. Proceed with caution. The locals with speed by you with either a friendly nod or the same disdain we give to foreigners creeping along in the passing lane in our countries. Ignore it and concentrate. The more time on the bike you have, the more experience you will get. The same goes with the steep island dirt paths. Don’t try to find the secret beach on the island on your first few attempts driving the bike. The guidebook may make it sound like a pleasant journey but the truth could be steep rutted inclines of soft sand that could send you flying off the road at any moment. I have the tourist tats to prove it. But like anything else, after enough kilometers logged on the bike you will have the control it takes to fly up and down the dirt inc
lines that lead to the most private and unspoiled beaches.

So next time you are out in the world, do you self a favor and rent a motorbike. Keep all these things in mind and you will have the time of your life.