Renting a Motorbike in Pai
What residents and long-stayers tell newcomers about deposits, the 1095 road, and looking after yourself.
Renting a scooter is how most visitors get around Pai. Two things cause the most trouble: deposit disputes at rental shops, and the mountain road itself. Here is what residents and long-stayers tell newcomers.
Should I leave my passport as a deposit?
No. Leaving your passport is the single most common source of disputes in Pai. Shops sometimes hold it against an inflated or invented damage claim when you return the bike. Offer a cash deposit or a photocopy of your passport instead, and keep the original with you. If a shop will only rent against your passport, walk away and try another.
How do I avoid the damage-claim scam?
Before you ride off, film a slow video of the whole bike, all sides, close up on every existing scratch, dent, and crack, with the shopfront in shot. Note the date and time. Point out any damage to the staff and have them mark it on the rental sheet. This pattern of inflated or pre-existing-damage claims is reported as the most common dispute on Walking Street, and your own footage is the clearest way to settle it.