I have no concerns about leaving my passport with a bike shop, done it many times.
I think it is actually safer than leaving a cash deposit. I mean if you had a "bad" person operating a bike shop, wouldn't a stack of cash be more tempting?
I'd sooner just buy a bike.

Cooldude wrote: ↑Sun May 08, 2022 12:53 pm I rented 250s from Angkor starting 2002 and I'm pretty sure they've still got many of the same bikes now as they had back then. The last two times I rented there, I had big problems with the bikes in the worst of places. Avoid them at all cost. Post Covid, I really couldn't tell you who has good off road bikes for rent these days. The pandemic was really harsh on those types of businesses.

I agree that those bikes are dinosaurs, but options are rather limited and in my experience, most people who rent dirt bikes here on trips are in reality more after an "adventure ride" vs hardcore enduro stuff. There are exceptions of course, but that's what I've observed over the years. They usually end up doing sealed and laterite roads for 90% of the trip as it's impossible to know good trails unless you live here/use a guide (or have recent tracks loaded on a GPS). It's also quite exhausting to do 150-200km of trails every day for two weeks (especially if not used to the heat), so most stick to Google maps and end up doing laterite the whole way. So oftentimes a simple machine is best as it can be fixed roadside or limp to a town. That was my logic when recommending them. If a fuel pump goes, valve goes to shit, camchain issue or anything else happens with a slightly more modern bike you're fucked. Either way, most rental bikes I've seen tend to have horrible jetting. I agree VMS is pretty good, but as with most places, inconsistent. I don't know what fleet he keeps now, as I thought he mostly sold bikes now. Good bloke though. Dara is pretty much the same I'd say, you'll hear some good and some horrible reports. Your mileage may vary with all shops basically.

Good point about trying Telegram, it's widely used here so you could find a number and try sending enquiries that way. Pictures of bikes, get a feel for the owners etc. If you truly want some off-roading and you can afford it (and they're available), then definitely get 12+ bikes, or even EFI ones if you can.

Roadman, what are you and your friends after? Have you guys ridden here before? Do you want maximum trails, or some leisurely countryside riding, or a bit of everything? I ask because trails disappear/change every six months here. It's definitely possible to go through the Cardamoms now, always has been. There's been a major road for probably over a decade (gets muddy, but always passable), but recently some parts of the old-school trail seem to have reopened. Not much fun imo, I prefer other areas that have a wider variety of terrain, but that's the typical road people take if doing a loop. Are you guys planning a country-wide tour? What areas will you be visiting?

Thanks Lexus,
I have ridden Cambo before yep but it has been a while. I used to just go down the coast snooky way before the Chinese invasion.

I have been riding in Vietnam a lot. I completely understand what you sat about roads changing. Feel free to message me if you are interested in Nam riding BTW.

My friends and I are looking for all kinds of terrain, some of them are absolute gun riders and will want some challenges for sure. I will have to suffer through that with them.

I'm thinking XR 250s can be fixed easily enough. From what's been posted here I think Dara and VMS will be my first points of call when I arrive. I'll check it all out on the ground as opposed to booking from overseas.

I'm not going to be using GPS, making my own ride from google maps (often wrong), some paper maps I've bought, and some local knowledge from folks I know. Hopefully from here too.

The route we have is kinda mixed as some people can only make a 1 week holiday. I'll prob stay 6 months.

I strongly disagree with your opinion.
What are these unimaginable circumstances anyway?
Try travelling Vietnam and not letting people have your passport. Quite impossible.

 I agree that those bikes are dinosaurs, but options are rather limited and in my experience, most people who rent dirt bikes here on trips are in reality more after an "adventure ride" vs hardcore enduro stuff.

There's adventure and then there's adventure with a broke-down bike in the middle of nowhere. The last time I rented bikes from Angkor was a nightmare because of poorly maintained and just plain worn-out bikes. Two friends and myself were in the middle of the Cardamoms when one of the bikes broke. The area the bike broke down in looked like something out of Apocolypse Now from illegal logging. I walked to the nearest loggers tent and bought a length of old rope from them and towed my friend from that area through mountains and streams for approximately 40 miles until we got to Pram Muoy where we were hostage to the local bike mechanic. Had to tow one of their bikes a second time a year later when a friend's bike broke down about ten miles before the Stung Treng ferry. All you'll get out of Angkor is a bunch of lame excuses. I know it's all part of the adventure but it really gets old after awhile.
I used to spend quite a bit of time in the area around Angkor dirt bikes and watched them taking their test rides. One of the backyard mechanics would get on the bike and ride it from the shop down 51 to street 174. Hang a left on 174 to Norodom and back to 172 and 172 back to 51. With that 2 minute ride around the block, the bike was deemed fit to rent to the next sucker.

Fair enough Truffledog, we all have our own ways and take our own risks.

Cooldude, yep breaking down in the sticks is exactly what I am hoping to avoid. Makes for a great tale later but just is in no way at all fun at the time. I think I'll cross Angkor off my list. Thanks for the heads up.

roadman wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 9:34 am Fair enough Truffledog, we all have our own ways and take our own risks.

Cooldude, yep breaking down in the sticks is exactly what I am hoping to avoid. Makes for a great tale later but just is in no way at all fun at the time. I think I'll cross Angkor off my list. Thanks for the heads up.

Not in the sticks! But this was the condition of the main highway 48, from Srae Ambel to Koh Kong.


Between Trapeang Rung and Tatai I shred my rear tyre. Left the bike at 10pm in the middle of nowhere and thumbed a lift to Koh Kong.

Nice pic Andykk! What year was that?