Cat Motors — Reliable Scooter & Motorbike Rental in Chiang Mai

The rental cost of bikes typically depends on factors such as the duration of the rental, the technical condition, and the quality of maintenance. For a scooter with an engine capacity of 110-125cc, the standard daily rental rate is around 200-350 baht. Weekly rentals range from 1,200-1,400 baht, while monthly rentals cost between 2,500-3,500 baht. Prices may vary based on additional services, tourist season and the number of motorbikes in the parking lot.

We understand that some customers may prioritize lower prices and choose to rent from other nearby agencies offering better rates. However, it’s important to remember that, in most cases, you get what you pay for.

One such customer had an unpleasant experience when he decided to save $1 a day rather than rent a well-maintained motorcycle from our company. He decided to rent a motorcycle from another agency nearby that he said offered better prices. Unfortunately, that decision did not lead to a positive outcome.

Here’s what he wrote about this motorcycle rental agency after the rental period was over (you can easily find it on Google): “The bikes are dirty and in poor condition and well beyond their usual lifespan. The engine of mine stopped every time and it took time until I could restart the engine. Not recommended.”

Because you can’t rent a well-maintained motorcycle for the price of a cup of rice.

If you visit our rental shop and mention having seen the same bikes for rent at lower prices elsewhere, we can only recommend that you return to the rental place where you saw the cheaper rates and rent from there. We believe our prices reflect the value we provide to our customers.

We want to emphasize that while many rental companies may not ask for a driver’s license, possessing one is ultimately your responsibility. If a police officer stops you and you don’t have a valid license, you could face a fine of 500 baht. Police checkpoints are a common occurrence during daily journeys. Moreover, according to the 1949 Geneva Convention, an International Driving Permit may be required.

At our rental shop, we reserve the right to decline a motorbike rental if you don’t possess an appropriate driver’s license for riding a motorcycle.

We want to clarify that to legally ride a motorcycle in Thailand, you must have a driving license with category A. If you don’t have the proper license, the police may fine you 500 baht. Therefore, if your license only permits you to drive a car, it does not grant you the right to operate a motorcycle in Thailand.

Thailand consistently ranks as the country with the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities worldwide. This has been going on for years, and is unlikely to ever change. Instances of running red lights, driving in the wrong lane, and violating traffic rules even in the presence of police officers who do not apprehend the violator are not uncommon here. To learn more, visit our Tips For Riders section.

Today we only accept cash. Unfortunately, we no longer accept cryptocurrencies. If we start accepting debit or credit cards, we will additionally inform you in this section.

If you have a Thai bank account, you can pay for your motorbike rental using the nearest ATM, or via PromtPay, or using the QR code in your bank’s app.

You can also pay in cash using the nearest ATM. You do not need to visit our office to renew your rental.

On request, we can arrange delivery to your place of residence. In this case, the rental period must be longer than 7 days and the place of residence must be within the city.

Depending on the distance of your residence from the Cat Motors office, delivery may either be free or we may charge for the service. Delivery must be arranged in advance (at least 24 hours) so that we can schedule the work of our staff.

If you live in a remote area to which we do not deliver, you can visit us yourself by hiring a cab.

If the rental period is less than 7 days, in which case we do not deliver to your place of residence, sorry.

If you want to save money, you can come to us by city bus, which costs only 30 baht. You can find a map of the bus routes on the Location and Contacts page.

Ten years ago, when we started our motorcycle rental business in Chiang Mai, we were the first and only rental shop in Chiang Mai that never took a customer’s passport as a deposit.

Nothing has changed since then. We never keep the customer’s passport. You pay the deposit in cash. The amount of the deposit depends on the model of motorbike rented. The deposit is refunded on the day the bike is returned to the rental shop.

If the rented bike is damaged, the amount of damage is deducted from the deposit.

The deposit can be left in any international currency. In this case, your own banknotes will be returned to you at the end of the rental period.

UPD: However, if you really want to, you can leave your passport as a deposit. But we do not recommend doing this. Because all documents are kept in the safe box, and the manager who knows the code of the safe may have a day off, or an emergency exit. That is, for reasons beyond our control, you may not be able to get your passport on the day you need it. For example, on the day of departure.

Please note:

According to the law of any country, the passport must always be in the possession of its rightful owner.  If you leave your passport as a deposit, we are not responsible for your missed flight, failure to check into a hotel, or any other troubles where your passport is required. Especially if office hours are over and all office workers have gone home.

The premises of our rental shop are used only for business purposes. None of our employees live in the rental shop. Therefore, if you act recklessly and leave your passport as a deposit, we can’t help you in any way after hours, and we are not responsible for any of your losses or inconveniences.

The most popular routes in Chiang Mai for riders are Mae Hong Son loop, Chiang Rai loop, Phu Chi Fa and Doi Inthanon National Park. Each offers breathtaking views, unique attractions, and enjoyable riding experiences.

The bike may only be operated by the persons named in the rental agreement. The bike may only be used for personal transportation. It is prohibited to use it for taxi work, food delivery service work, courier work, street racing, transportation of illegal substances, committing crimes or conducting experiments. It is also forbidden to ride a motorcycle outside of Thailand.

It depends on the volume of the gas tank and the cost of gasoline. As a rule, motorcycles in Thailand use 91 or 95 gasohol (gasoline with an admixture of biofuel). At the time of writing this FAQ section, a liter of 91 gasohol cost 37 baht per liter https://www.shell.co.th/en_th/motorists/shell-fuels/shell-fuel-prices.html

The most popular Honda Click 125i has a gas tank capacity of 5.5 liters. Thus, filling a full tank will cost you 203 baht.

The Honda CB300R has a gas tank capacity of 10 liters. So it would cost 370 baht to fill a full tank.

However, you can meet local “experts” who claim on blogs that filling a full bike will cost you only 50 baht!

Avoid visiting such blogs, as the information provided by their authors has nothing to do with reality and misleads foreign tourists.

We offer a variety of motorbikes, including scooters, automatic bikes, and manual bikes. Our staff can help you choose the most suitable option based on your experience, preferences, and intended routes.

Yes, wearing a helmet is required by Thai law. We provide helmets for the rider and passenger at no extra cost.

Key traffic laws include driving on the left side of the road, obeying speed limits and traffic signals, and not using a mobile phone while riding. Additionally, riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs is strictly prohibited.

You should return the motorcycle to our office at the agreed-upon date and time. Late returns may incur additional charges, so please inform us in advance if you need to extend your rental period.

Safety tips include wearing appropriate protective gear (e.g., helmet, gloves, and closed-toe shoes), maintaining a safe speed, being aware of your surroundings, and avoiding heavy traffic during peak hours. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with local traffic patterns and road conditions before setting out.

Our team will ensure your motorcycle is in good working condition before your rental. However, it’s a good idea to check tire pressure, brakes, and lights before setting out.

If there are any problems, let our staff know that our guys were able to fix the deficiencies.

Of course, we service our bikes in a timely manner and fix any malfunction that occur, but we can’t rule out human error. Nevertheless, our job is to provide you with a serviceable motorcycle for your trip in northern Thailand. Therefore, if you find any malfunction, let us know immediately and we will fix it as soon as possible.

Also, be sure to refuel with the appropriate type of gasoline (usually either 91 or 95 octane) as indicated by our staff.

Sure, you can travel around Thailand on our bikes. Some of our customers visit Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, and sometimes even Phuket and Samui on the other side of the country. But at the end of the rental period, you have to return the bike in Chiang Mai anyway. Please, inform our staff about your planned route so we can ensure you have the appropriate bike and support.

First of all, don’t worry. You should contact us at the number listed on the lease. Our manager will tell you what to do. Remember to take pictures of physical injuries, if any, and damage of the bike.

If you need medical attention after an accident, be sure to go to the nearest hospital. Photos of your injuries, damaged motorbike, and hospital bills will be evidence for the insurance company when we assist you in obtaining your insurance payout. Remember, no insurance claim will be paid if you are drunk or under drugs.

If the bike needs minor repairs, when you return it to the rental shop, we will first assess the damage and then tell you the cost of repairs. A Yamaha or Honda dealership will assess the damage if the damage is severe.

After that, unless you have taken out additional damage insurance, you will need to pay for the damage as assessed, as well as the cost of transporting the bike to the service center and, if necessary, back to the rental shop. No other additional payments (fictitious fines; consequential damages; downtime and loss of income due to repairs, etc.) are provided by our company.

Even though, according to the laws of the Kingdom of Thailand, the lessee is obliged to compensate for absolutely all losses, including indirect losses, which includes loss of income among other things.

Do not try to repair it yourself, as our motorbike rental have very low repair prices. Repairing a bike on your own will cost more in any case. Including the fact that if you make a poor quality repair, you will must to pay again to redo it.

Of course, after reading the scary stories on the Internet about how the owners of rental shops rip the pockets of tourists who scratched just one plastic part, you would not believe, but it’s true.

However, we want to warn you that sometimes motorbike repairs can get very expensive. For example, the headlight for a Honda Forza costs 7,727 baht. This is the factory price. Thus, sometimes it can really hit your pocket hard. But this is not the fault of the rental shop. Because the rental shop has nothing to do with the accident, nor does it have anything to do with the factory price of the parts needed to repair the motorbike after the accident.

We are always ready to discuss any of your ideas about collaborations. Read the information on this page, and feel free to write to us!