Bali Governor Wayan Koster has once again addressed the issue of tourist motorbike regulations. In his opinion, foreigners ride motorbikes too unsteadily. He plans to introduce a regional regulation, PERDA, which would ban non-Indonesians from riding motorbikes. This measure is proposed in response to frequent traffic violations by visitors and aims to improve road safety and order.
Governor Koster emphasized that the regulation is not intended to limit tourism but rather to ensure safer and more organized road conditions. He pointed out that many foreigners ignore local traffic laws, creating chaos on the roads.
“Foreign tourists will no longer be allowed to freely ride motorbikes. This will be formalized in a regulation. When we travel abroad, we are required to follow their laws. Here, tourists have been given too much freedom,” Koster stated.
However, before issuing the regional regulation, the governor plans to enforce it through a circular directive.
“First, we will create preliminary conditions and tighten control a bit before the situation gets out of hand. Right now, they do whatever they want on the roads,” Koster lamented.
The governor also complained about tourists recklessly riding motorbikes without clothing and helmets.
Key Issues Behind the Proposed Ban:
✅ Frequent traffic violations by tourists, such as riding without helmets, driving against traffic, and lacking valid licenses.
✅ Increase in accidents involving tourists unfamiliar with Bali’s road conditions.
✅ Preserving Bali’s image as a safe tourist destination.
✅ Encouraging tourists to use official transport, such as taxis, car rentals, or transportation provided by travel agencies.
This initiative has received support from locals and public transport operators, who believe it will help reduce road congestion and improve safety. Additionally, a ban on foreign motorbike rentals has been one of the key demands of local transport associations.
However, motorbike rental businesses are concerned about potential financial losses, and some tourists may feel restricted in their freedom of movement. If enforced, this ban would significantly change how foreign visitors travel around the island.
Similar initiatives have been proposed in the past but were never implemented due to lack of support from national authorities. Whether this regulation will pass remains uncertain, especially since Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism has changed since the last attempt.
If enforced, this regulation could have a severe impact on Bali’s tourism industry and expat community. The ban is not expected to affect KITAS holders and other long-term visa holders, but short-term tourists would no longer be allowed to ride motorbikes.
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