Almost everyone arrives in Bali planning to rent a scooter, because that is what everyone else is riding. For a lot of trips that is the right call. But if your plans include Kintamani, the west coast or a run over to Lombok, a scooter turns a good day into a long one. Here is how to choose.
Take a scooter if you are staying local
An automatic 150cc scooter is the best tool for Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud and the beaches within half an hour of them. It is light in traffic, easy to park, cheap to fuel, and anyone who has ridden a bicycle can manage one after ten minutes of practice. If your riding is cafés, surf spots and rice-terrace loops, nothing beats it.
Its limits show up on hills and long distances. Two adults with luggage on a 150cc scooter climbing towards Kintamani will be slow, and at 80 km/h on an open road the small wheels feel nervous.
Take a motorcycle if you are covering distance
A real motorcycle changes what a day looks like. A 250cc bike cruises comfortably at highway speed; a 500–650cc adventure bike will take two people and luggage across the island and back without drama. Bigger wheels and proper suspension make a difference on the broken tarmac you meet outside the tourist areas, and the brakes are in a different class.
The trade-off is skill. A 650cc motorcycle in Denpasar traffic is not a beginner’s machine, and it needs a licence category that covers it.
Matching the bike to the trip
For a week around Canggu with beach trips, a 150cc scooter is enough. For a fortnight with a couple of overnight trips inland, a 250cc motorcycle is the sweet spot: manageable in town, capable on the open road. For a tour of the island, Java or Lombok, take a 500cc or larger adventure bike — the touring bikes in our fleet are set up for exactly that.
Riding in Bali: what nobody tells you
Traffic is left-hand and moves by feel rather than by rule. Expect scooters to come out of side roads without looking, and traffic to fill any gap you leave. Ride at a speed you can stop from. Rain turns the road surface slick within seconds, and the painted lines become skating rinks. Helmets are included with every rental and are worth wearing properly, not perched on the back of your head.
Try before you commit
If you are unsure, start with a scooter for the first days and swap to a bigger bike when you head out of town — we can bring the second bike to you and take the first one back. Send your route on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly which machine fits; we would rather you enjoy the trip than rent the most expensive thing in the catalogue.