guide · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 3 October 2026

How to prepare before you ride a scooter in Bali

Sort paperwork and booking questions before you land, then do a calm handover on the day. The aim is simple: correct documents, a clear excess, a bike you have photographed, and a plan for traffic, fuel and night riding. This is practical preparation, not legal or insurance advice.

1. IDP and licence timing

• Confirm your home licence covers motorcycles, not cars only; our licence post covers what police check.
• Apply for an International Driving Permit with a motorcycle category in your home country before you fly. Issuing can take days or weeks depending on the association—do not leave it for the airport queue.
• Pack physical licence and IDP in hand luggage.
• Re-read current foreign-office advice for Indonesia (for UK travellers, FCDO notes IDP use and high motorcycle accident rates in Bali).

If an operator asks for photos of your documents before delivery, send them early so problems surface at home.

2. Book on WhatsApp (or online) with a short question list

Whether you book on a website or WhatsApp, get answers in writing:

• Exact model and roughly how old / how many kilometres
• Day rate and what it includes
• Deposit or passport hold? Or pay on delivery only?
• Insurance included or add-on? What is the damage excess (and theft excess) in IDR or USD?
• Delivery and collection fees—both legs—itemised before you commit
• What licence/IDP they will check at handover
• Helmets included? Phone holder? Roadside contact number?

Operators that already publish these points save you guesswork. Overrun Moto, for example, lists no deposit, insurance included with a capped excess, pay on delivery, and delivery priced in the quote (including free Ubud on their site as checked 3 October 2026). Use the same questions on any shop you message.

3. Insurance and excess—ask twice

Rental “insurance” usually covers the bike, not your medical bills. Your travel insurance is what may cover you—if the policy allows motorcycle use and you hold the right licence. Read exclusions before you ride.

At booking, write down:

• Maximum you pay if the scooter is damaged (excess / own risk)
• Maximum if it is stolen
• What voids cover (wrong licence, drink-riding, taking the bike off Bali, and so on)

Prefer a published cap over “we’ll discuss later”.

4. Helmet fit and kit

• Try the rental helmet on: snug, level, secure strap, no cracked shell.
• Bring your own certified helmet if you prefer.
• Pack light rain layer, closed shoes, sunglasses or clear glasses for dusk.
• Phone mount: confirm the bike has one, or bring a mount that fits the bars without blocking controls.
• Download offline maps; pin your villa and a daytime fuel stop.

5. Route and traffic awareness

Bali traffic can feel chaotic: scooters filter, cars turn without much signal, and dogs or pedestrians can appear suddenly. UK advice notes poor traffic discipline and elevated moped/motorbike accident risk in Bali.

Before the first busy road:

• Practise brakes and indicators in a quiet street or villa driveway.
• Keep speeds modest until you know the bike.
• Assume others may not yield; leave space.
• Avoid mirroring local riders who split lanes at speed if you are new to it.

6. Night riding caution

Dark roads, uneven surfaces, unlit scooters and tired drivers can stack risk after sunset. If you can, limit the first evenings to short, known routes with working lights and a charged phone. Prefer daylight for unfamiliar hills (for example parts of the Bukit) until you are settled.

7. Fuel

• Agree the fuel level at handover (full tank vs “same level return”).
• Know which pump grade the operator recommends (many scooters use Pertamax or similar—confirm for your model).
• Note a nearby station on the map before you leave the villa.
• Do not run to empty in unfamiliar areas at night.

8. Photos of the bike at handover

Before you ride away, photograph or video all sides, existing scuffs, tyres, screen, under-seat, odometer and fuel gauge. Keep the rental agreement on your phone. This step is standard damage-dispute hygiene on Bali hire guides and is worth doing every time.

If you care about workshop history, ask for the last service date or log. Fleets that service on a published interval—Overrun Moto states every 2,000 km with a log on WhatsApp request—make that question easier to answer.

9. Emergency contacts

Save before you start the engine:

• Rental WhatsApp / roadside number
• Villa or hotel front desk
• Local emergency number 112 (as commonly published for Indonesia—confirm on arrival)
• Your travel insurer’s assistance line
• A friend who knows your rough daily plan

If you are hurt, contact emergency services first, then the rental.

Day-of checklist

• Licence + IDP on your person
• Excess, deposit and delivery fees confirmed in writing
• Travel insurance checked for scooter use
• Helmet fits; lights and brakes checked
• Phone charged; mount secure; offline map ready
• Fuel plan agreed; station pinned
• Full photo/video set of the scooter
• Rental and emergency numbers saved
• First ride kept short and in daylight if you are new here

Preparation will not remove every risk on Bali roads, but it can reduce avoidable surprises—wrong paperwork, unclear excess, a dark unfamiliar route, or a bike you never documented. When you are ready to pick an operator, see our companies comparison, and use the inspection checklist at handover.

Sources

Public pages and guidance checked 3 October 2026:

• UK FCDO, Foreign travel advice: Indonesia — Safety and security. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/indonesia/safety-and-security
• Overrun Moto homepage and FAQ (no deposit; insurance included; excess caps; pay on delivery; itemised delivery; 2,000 km service / WhatsApp log). https://overrunmoto.com · https://overrunmoto.com/faq
• Bikago Bali FAQ (licence/IDP expectations; booking and delivery framing useful as comparison questions). https://bikago.com/bali
• Bali Untold, hiring a scooter (photograph at pickup). https://baliuntold.com/visit/getting-around/hiring-a-scooter/