Riding a motorcycle in the Philippines is quite different to doing so in Western Europe and North America. The roads here, while beautiful offer different challenges. Here we have compiled some information to help.
Am I allowed to ride a motorcycle in the Philippines as a tourist?
Anyone with a valid driving license from their home country is allowed to ride a motorcycle in the Philippines for up to 4 months. After 4 months this license should then be swapped to a Philippine license at your local LTO unit.
At Cebu Big Bike rental we require customers to hold a valid motorcycle license in their home country in order to rent our vehicles. If you only have a car license and no motorcycle riding experience then we would highly recommend that you don’t ride a motorcycle here in the Philippines. We have seen far too many tourists come here and hop on a scooter with absolutely no riding experience. This is dangerous to yourself and others. These roads are unforgiving of mistakes and certainly not the place to learn to ride a motorbike for the first time.
Are there any restrictions on which bikes I can rent from Cebu Big Bike rentals?
At Cebu Big Bike rentals we want you to have an amazing and safe trip. This is why we restrict the rental of some of our more powerful vehicles to those aged over 35 who have had at least 3 years riding experience. We do this for the safety of customers and because in our experience this is the minimum amout of experience that you require to be proficient at riding. The bikes that are restricted are as follows: Kawasaki Z900, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE and the Yamaha Tenere 700. All that we require for the CRF 300 models is a valid motorcycle driving license from your home country. There are no age restrictions fro these vehicles.
What is it like to ride in the Philippines?
The Philippines offers some fantstic riding, from expansive highways, coastal and mountain roads to gravel tracks. There is always another stunning view around the corner. However, riding here is much more hectic and makes riding in the west feel very regimented and organised. People here will overtake/undertake you on both sides of your vehicle, may not use lights on their vehicle at night and may fail to signal when turning. For an excellent introduction to riding in the Philippines we suggest watching the following video.