SELF-GUIDED MOTORBIKE TOURS OF VIETNAM

You may wonder what the most affordable way is to start a two-wheeled adventure. The answer is typically a self-guided motorbike tour.

With this option, you do not need to pay everything up front, although costs will accumulate throughout your journey. You also save on the expense of a local guide. However, you will need to manage all aspects of the trip independently.

If you enjoy motorbiking with a sense of freedom and an unaccompanied adventure, this is the right choice for you. Enduro bikes, motorcycles, and riding gear are available for independent (self-guided) riders on a daily rental basis. All equipment is well-maintained and in good working condition.

All rentals must be reserved in advance and confirmed with a deposit prior to bike pickup.

One-Way Motorbike Hire?

We currently do not offer one-way motorbike rentals unless specifically agreed in advance. Many clients ask whether we can deliver or collect bikes in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) so they can follow routes similar to the “Top Gear Vietnam Special,” but the usual answer is no.

All rentals begin and end in Hanoi, where our only office is located. We are happy to provide free advice and travel tips when you collect your bike from our Hanoi office.

We share our passion for exploring this incredible country, and we believe that getting a little lost is part of the adventure. Even a flat tire can become a memorable experience and an opportunity to meet new people – some riders are even disappointed when they don’t experience a puncture on their trip.

Who Should Do Self-Guided Motorbike Tours?

Since December 2006, Offroad Vietnam has supported more than 1,000 self-guided trips, involving approximately 3,000 riders. Most participants successfully experienced everything they planned to explore, and many exceeded their expectations. You can find feedback from our customers through testimonials and trip reports shared on riders’ forums across the internet.

Self-guided motorbike tours are best suited for riders with prior experience and confidence in handling motorcycles in varied road and weather conditions. Novice or beginner riders are not recommended to rent our bikes for self-guided travel. Please note that once a deposit has been paid, it is non-refundable if the rider is unable to operate the motorcycle.

Riding instruction is not provided for self-guided rental clients and is only available as part of guided tour.

Our motorcycles are manufactured by Honda and produced in Japan, Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. All bikes are equipped with electric start, and some models also include a kick-start option, typically available on smaller engines.

What To Know

Riding in Vietnam can be challenging and requires full attention, especially due to heavy traffic conditions and unpredictable road behavior. In addition to busy roads, riders should also be aware that, as in any country, there may be occasional dishonest practices. The following tips are based on real experiences shared by our clients. Please save this page for future reference.

To rent our motorcycles, a rental deposit is required before collecting the bike(s), motorbike(s), or scooter(s). Please note that deposits are non-refundable in the event of cancellation or after the vehicle has been picked up.

For an overview of our tour pricing, please click here.

Fuel Quality

Always use secure hotel parking for your motorcycle overnight. We recommend refueling only at official petrol stations, where fuel quality is more reliable and the risk of contamination is lower.

As noted by Iain Stewart, co-author of the 2009 Lonely Planet guide, there have been rare cases where fuel tanks were tampered with overnight. While such situations are uncommon, this highlights the importance of caution.

For this reason, we advise riders not to refuel at the end of the day. Instead, it is best to fill up in the morning before starting your ride, ensuring the bike is ready for a full day on the road.

Before June 1, 2026, we used to provide all rental motorcycles and scooters with a full tank of fuel. However, with only E10 RON95 and E5 RON92 ethanol-blended gasoline available in Vietnam from June 1, 2026, we have unfortunately had to discontinue this practice.

Ethanol-blended fuel can degrade in quality when left unused in a fuel tank for extended periods. Since some motorcycles may remain unrented for several weeks, providing a full tank in advance could affect fuel quality and engine reliability. For this reason, all rental bikes are now supplied with only a small amount of fuel, allowing customers to refill with fresh gasoline near our shop before starting their journey.

Bike Service & Repairs

You should check and adjust the chain tension every day in the morning. The chain should also be lubricated daily. A local mechanic can be helpful for this service, with a typical cost of around 20,000 VND (approximately US$1) per bike for chain adjustment and lubrication.

If you do not maintain the chain and sprockets properly, or if they are damaged due to lack of care, a full replacement charge will apply. This is typically US$60 for XR150L, and US$100 for CRF250/300L dirt bikes.

If your rented motorcycle develops a problem on the road, first check the ignition and fuel system. If you can’t fix it, please bring to the nearest mechanic shop and put us on the phone so we can assess the situation. We will check whether it can be repaired using the parts you have, or arrange for replacement parts to be sent overnight if necessary.

If it is confirmed to be a mechanical issue that cannot be repaired on the spot, we will arrange a replacement bike (typically delivered the following day), and all related costs in this case will be covered by us.

However, if the damage is caused by an accident or crash, all repair and replacement costs will be the responsibility of the rider.

While most roadside mechanics are honest and reliable, a small number may not be. We advise you to pay attention during any repair work. In some cases, low-quality or generic Chinese replacement parts may be used or swapped without proper notice.

There have even been rare cases reported by clients where original components were replaced or altered – for example, CDI units being swapped incorrectly, causing further issues. Other parts that may be changed include wheels, shocks, plastics, seats, carburetors, brakes, and in extreme cases, internal engine components.

Paperwork & Tips for Self-Guided Motorbike Tours

To save time, you can download and complete the rental contract before arriving at our office. A PDF version is also available if the fonts display correctly.

We recommend printing useful words, phrases, and motorbike terminology. They can help you communicate with local people and mechanics, as many mechanics do not speak English. These resources are especially helpful when explaining bike issues during your journey. If fonts display correctly, you can download a pdf file here.

Available downloads:

• Basic words and phrases
• Offroad Vietnam simple troubleshooting guide
• Motorbike terminology (pages 1, 2, 3 and 4)

Important!

Navigation for Self-Guided Motorbike Tours

GPS works well in Vietnam. Please check with your device provider for the required maps, software, and updates before your trip.

Navigation is essential for self-guided tours. Fortunately, internet access is widely available, with affordable mobile data, internet cafes, and free WiFi at many hotels.

Electricity is available nationwide, but power cuts can happen during summer months (usually May – August), although they are not common at night.

Licensing Issues

First of all, foreign driving licenses alone are not valid in Vietnam, including your home country license. There are many different opinions and conflicting information about this topic, but unfortunately, the reality is that a normal foreign license is not accepted by itself.

The good news is that an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under 1968 Convention (not the 1949 Convention unfortunately) has been valid in Vietnam since August 1st, 2016 under Decree 46/2016/ND-CP. Having an IDP also makes it easier to arrange a suitable insurance policy. Please remember to bring your original home country driving license with a motorcycle endorsement together with your IDP.

If you do not have an IDP or Vietnamese driving license, police checks are not very common unless you break traffic rules or are involved in an accident. However, the bigger concern is usually personal travel insurance, as many insurance companies may not cover you if you are riding without the correct license.

Insurance

Insurance is one of the most important things to consider when planning a self-guided motorbike tour.

We do not require a driving license to rent a bike or join our tours, but insurance coverage is the main concern. Many insurance companies will not cover motorbike accidents if you do not have a valid license accepted in Vietnam.

Unfortunately, getting a Vietnamese driving license as a tourist is complicated. You normally need a long-term visa, work permit, sponsoring company, a valid passport, and translated, notarized documents. The process can take several days and requires a lot of paperwork.

With normal personal travel insurance, you are still covered for most of your trip when you are not riding, as we usually ride around 5 hours per day on average. Some insurance providers, such as CHI Insurance, World Nomads, and Allianz, may offer coverage without requiring a local Vietnamese license and can cover larger engine sizes.

Although licensing rules can be confusing, riding in Vietnam is still a great experience. Ride responsibly, prepare properly, and enjoy your adventure.

More details are at this link.

Standards

Vietnam is still a developing country, so the standards and services can be different from what you may be used to in Western countries. Some hotels may have firmer mattresses, and many local restaurants may look small and simple. This is part of the local experience.

Please keep an open mind and avoid comparing everything with Western standards. Traveling in Vietnam is about experiencing a different culture, lifestyle, and way of living.

Many small local restaurants may not look fancy, but they often serve some of the best and most authentic Vietnamese food. These places offer traditional dishes and local flavors that you may not find in large restaurants or hotels.

During our motorbike tours, we support local communities by bringing riders to local restaurants, homestays, and small businesses – giving you a true taste of the REAL Vietnam.

Road Rules for Self-Guided Motorbike Tours in Vietnam

Traffic in Vietnam may appear chaotic at first, but it is generally more manageable than it looks. It often behaves like a flowing river – once you are part of it, you simply need to move with the flow. The first rule is that there are very few strict “rules” in practice.

Motorcyclists in Vietnam are generally aware of traffic regulations, although they are not always strictly followed. To ensure a safe and enjoyable motorbike tour in Vietnam, it is important to understand the local riding habits and follow basic safety guidelines.

Types of Guided Motorcycle Tour Packages in Vietnam

– Fully guided motorcycle tours
– Semi-guided motorcycle tours

For more details and options about Offroad Vietnam’s self-guided motorbike tours of Vietnam, please contact us at [email protected].