Moto for 6 months

Ask us anything. Cambodia Expats Online has a huge community of long-term expats that can answer any question you may have about life in Cambodia. Have some questions you want to ask before you move to Cambodia? Ask them here. Our community can also answer any questions you have about how to find a job or what kind of work is available for expats in Cambodia, whether you're looking for info about Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or anywhere else in the Kingdom. You're also welcome to ask about visa and work permit questions as well, as the immigration rules change often, especially since COVID-19. Don't be shy, ask CEO's community anything!
Bubba
Tourist
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:24 pm
Reputation: 2
Germany

Moto for 6 months

Post by Bubba »

Hey!
So I am likely to work in Phnom Penh for about 6 months and was wandering about mobility.
I already saw that you don’t need a Cambodian license for anything uber 125cc anymore, so that’s great. Yet, I still have two questions:

1) I get that insurance won’t cover you if you don’t have a valid license, but what’s the situation for <125cc?

2) Would you recommend renting a scooter for a auch a period or buying used and then reselling? What cos S are we talking about?

Thank a lot for any advice! Cheers
User avatar
Jamie_Lambo
The Cool Boxing Guy
Posts: 15039
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:34 am
Reputation: 3132
Location: ลพบุรี
Great Britain

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

Bubba wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:45 am Hey!
So I am likely to work in Phnom Penh for about 6 months and was wandering about mobility.
I already saw that you don’t need a Cambodian license for anything uber 125cc anymore, so that’s great. Yet, I still have two questions:

1) I get that insurance won’t cover you if you don’t have a valid license, but what’s the situation for <125cc?

2) Would you recommend renting a scooter for a auch a period or buying used and then reselling? What cos S are we talking about?

Thank a lot for any advice! Cheers
renting a bike will cost you about $80 per month, so $480 for the 6 months,
you can buy a 2nd hand Suzuki Step for around $300+ mark, a cheap Airblade will be $500+, semi-automatic Waves and Dreams you would be looking around $500-1000

renting would probably be cheaper in the long run during the 6months and you dont have to worry about the resale either
:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
Punchy McShortstacks School of Hard Knocks :x
User avatar
timmydownawell
Expatriate
Posts: 3626
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:50 pm
Reputation: 1454
Cambodia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by timmydownawell »

Bubba wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:45 am Hey!
So I am likely to work in Phnom Penh for about 6 months and was wandering about mobility.
I already saw that you don’t need a Cambodian license for anything uber 125cc anymore, so that’s great. Yet, I still have two questions:

1) I get that insurance won’t cover you if you don’t have a valid license, but what’s the situation for <125cc?
Travel insurance (usually) requires you to comply with licencing laws in your home country. So even though Cambodia doesn't require a licence for <125cc, you'll need to have the appropriate licence from your own country in order to be covered.
You must walk in traffic to cross the road - Cambodian proverb
User avatar
chkwoot
Expatriate
Posts: 441
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 5:03 pm
Reputation: 135
Location: is everything
Cambodia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by chkwoot »

Have you ever driven a moto in Phnom Penh before?

Will your job require you to go to different locations in different parts of the city?

For only 6 months, I think you would be happier (and possibly wealthier) living near your job, and using motodops, tuk tuks, taxis, the city bus, and/or walking. Owning a bike here comes with many stressful "hidden" variables (some can be very expensive) that you can't yet see. You can always rent a bike for a few days first to get an idea.
Whatever you do, you should bring a good helmet, and moto lock.
I've been using one of these for 20 years! :Image

The first time you wear a stinky, borrowed, useless helmet, you'll regret not having your own.

Bikes get stolen. If a rental gets stolen (sometimes by the people you rented from), you'll have to reimburse the shop way more than the bike's worth. Always use your own, effective lock.

Both the lock and helmet (if they are of high quality) can be sold (possibly at a profit!) when you leave.
I am sooooo very sorry if you can't understand or appreciate my sarcastic facetiousness.
User avatar
rozzieoz
Expatriate
Posts: 4862
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:51 pm
Reputation: 2590
Australia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by rozzieoz »

Do you drive a moto at home?

If you’re not an experienced driver, Phnom Penh is not the place to learn.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Once you've read the dictionary, every other book is just a remix.
User avatar
timmydownawell
Expatriate
Posts: 3626
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:50 pm
Reputation: 1454
Cambodia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by timmydownawell »

rozzieoz wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:05 am Do you drive a moto at home?

If you’re not an experienced driver, Phnom Penh is not the place to learn.
I second this. I'm an experienced rider in Australia, but I don't fancy tackling PP's traffic. I leave the driving to the pros. Using a motodop or tuk tuk app is cheap and convenient and you don't have to worry about parking, theft, riding while drunk, etc.
You must walk in traffic to cross the road - Cambodian proverb
User avatar
rozzieoz
Expatriate
Posts: 4862
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:51 pm
Reputation: 2590
Australia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by rozzieoz »

timmydownawell wrote:
rozzieoz wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:05 am Do you drive a moto at home?

If you’re not an experienced driver, Phnom Penh is not the place to learn.
I second this. I'm an experienced rider in Australia, but I don't fancy tackling PP's traffic. I leave the driving to the pros. Using a motodop or tuk tuk app is cheap and convenient and you don't have to worry about parking, theft, riding while drunk, etc.
Please please please take this advice.

We see too many pictures on Facebook of people splattered on the road.

But if, after all the very sound advice, you still decide to drive a moto in PP, for God’s sake wear a helmet!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Once you've read the dictionary, every other book is just a remix.
Bubba
Tourist
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:24 pm
Reputation: 2
Germany

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by Bubba »

Wow thank you so much for all the answers! I used to drive a smaller engine moto back home and have driven scooters around Yogjakarta and on Bali, but I guess PP traffic is more stressfull. I planned on bringing my helmet from back home and I think I'll just rent a moto for a week, see how it's going and mainly rely on apps and walking for getting around.
User avatar
StroppyChops
The Missionary Man
Posts: 10598
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 11:24 am
Reputation: 1032
Australia

Re: Moto for 6 months

Post by StroppyChops »

Bubba wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:55 pm Wow thank you so much for all the answers! I used to drive a smaller engine moto back home and have driven scooters around Yogjakarta and on Bali, but I guess PP traffic is more stressfull. I planned on bringing my helmet from back home and I think I'll just rent a moto for a week, see how it's going and mainly rely on apps and walking for getting around.
I've also ridden motos (scooters) in those locations and there's no comparison.

Let me give you a real world example of a difference. A school-girl comes out into traffic from a side street, riding a Scoopy (it's always a Scoopy) without checking for a break in traffic, and is looking down "playing Facebook" or texting with one hand. You have to swerve violently (don't ever do this) or slam on the brakes to avoid hitting her. In this daily scenario, YOU are the problem because it's YOUR responsibility to be aware of traffic coming out from a side-street, even if they're unlicensed underaged idiots. If you hit her, you will end up paying both her and the local Khmer policeman money. When you slammed on the brakes, several people ran into the back of you, damaging their lights, and although you're not precisely to blame for this, they are still looking at you pathetically/hopefully as you really should give them some money. While the police on the corners of intersections have gone very quiet compared to two years ago, there's a new law that says foreigners can't transfer second-hand motos into their own name, and yet the law requires you to put all your vehicles in your name within a short period. So, if you get stopped by the corner police, you're automatically breaking a combination of laws that they feel empowers them to expect some of your money... seeing a pattern yet?

On the flip-side, expats who know the game rarely ever run into these problems, but it takes time to earn those stripes.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 426 guests