Cooldude wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 2:18 am

nerdlinger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:02 am Just to derail the thread a bit, what do y’all think about buying vs renting? I was surprised to discover how cheap a monthly rental is, and seems like it’d take the stress out of worrying if your bike’s gonna get nicked.

You're right. Renting a bike in Cambodia is very cheap but they take your passport and you don't get it back until they get their bike back in the same condition you received it.

Wow. Is that everywhere? Maybe I should order a second passport before I come over, given how many things seem to involve you entrusting it to strangers. What do they take as collateral from locals?

Wow. Is that everywhere? Maybe I should order a second passport before I come over, given how many things seem to involve you entrusting it to strangers. What do they take as collateral from locals?

That's kind of a can of worms using two passports and leaving one with the owners of the bike you pretty much just ripped off. You're going to have to go through the business of filing for a lost passport because your other passport won't have a visa or departure card in it. Some of the Airblades I've rented have a $900 replacement price on them. Might be easier to just man up and pay for the bike instead of going the lost passport route.
I've never personally known any Cambodians who have rented a bike.

My mate rents out bikes, $65 a month, passport not required. I rented from him for years before buying last year.

nerdlinger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:21 am What do they take as collateral from locals?

Locals don't rent. Or at least I've never come across one.

nerdlinger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:17 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:04 am

nerdlinger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:02 am Just to derail the thread a bit, what do y’all think about buying vs renting? I was surprised to discover how cheap a monthly rental is, and seems like it’d take the stress out of worrying if your bike’s gonna get nicked.

If your rented bike gets nicked you will still be held liable with your passport as a collateral. Far from recommended.

Can you not get insurance for it?

I don't think you can.

Gazzy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:06 am My mate rents out bikes, $65 a month, passport not required. I rented from him for years before buying last year.

He rents out to strangers without a collateral?

The only time it's advisable to rent is:
A: You can't afford to spend the money upfront to buy (new or used).
B: You know you'll only be here for a few months (either because of travel, or a retiree who goes backs and forth every year or something).


Might look cheap on paper, but fast-forward a year and you've sunk $600-800 on an asset which doesn't belong to you. Not to mention the risk of theft or damage, which you're obviously still liable for. There even used to be stories of rental shops stealing from customers, but those days are gone now. I think...

Kammekor wrote:

nerdlinger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:21 am What do they take as collateral from locals?

Locals don't rent. Or at least I've never come across one.

A ton of them do "rent to buy" now/borrow money. Even for cars, so technically they're renting, but not in the same sense obviously. Still, I'm constantly surprised at the number of people who "bong romlous".


To the OP: can you not pay by ABA or something? You'll have to stick to the main dealers or larger shops if paying by cc.

Cooldude wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:47 am

Wow. Is that everywhere? Maybe I should order a second passport before I come over, given how many things seem to involve you entrusting it to strangers. What do they take as collateral from locals?

That's kind of a can of worms using two passports and leaving one with the owners of the bike you pretty much just ripped off. You're going to have to go through the business of filing for a lost passport because your other passport won't have a visa or departure card in it. Some of the Airblades I've rented have a $900 replacement price on them. Might be easier to just man up and pay for the bike instead of going the lost passport route.
I've never personally known any Cambodians who have rented a bike.

I don’t plan on ripping them off, I just don’t like the idea of my only passport being held long term by someone. Especially given the number of stories I’ve read about hotels that want your passport, employers that want your passport, travel agencies processing renewals hanging onto your passport, pool halls that hang onto your passport… like how the heck am I supposed to get ripped off by a dodgy travel agent if the moto guy already has my passport?

I don’t plan on ripping them off, I just don’t like the idea of my only passport being held long term by someone. Especially given the number of stories I’ve read about hotels that want your passport, employers that want your passport, travel agencies processing renewals hanging onto your passport, pool halls that hang onto your passport… like how the heck am I supposed to get ripped off by a dodgy travel agent if the moto guy already has my passport?

You might not plan on ripping them off but that's what the situation would be if you get the bike ripped off and then take off leaving the owners of the bike with nothing but your passport.
In my experience, the people I rent the bikes from also do visas so it's no big deal to get your visa work done.