Starting to ride a bike in Bali is a breeze. Many people decide to rent a scooter for the first time here to feel complete freedom while traveling around the island.
But even if you've taken a few lessons and feel confident on the road, an unforeseen situation can always occur that will stump inexperienced bikers. We've gathered 5 stories from beginners who didn't panic and successfully overcame the challenges. Take note; this could happen to anyone!
Ran out of Gas
Vladislav, driving experience in Bali: 1.5 months
I usually monitor the fuel level and try not to let the last bar start blinking. But this time, I couldn't find a moment to refuel—either I didn't have cash, or the queues at the gas station were too long. The first warning came as I was leaving Canggu. At the intersection, the bike didn't respond immediately to the throttle. Then it jerked suddenly. About 10 minutes later, the bike began to jerk unpleasantly while moving, and you couldn't understand whether to accelerate or not. In the end, somewhere between Canggu and Ubud, I came to a stop. Right on the road. I decided to look for bottled gas, which is sold at many shops. But as luck would have it, many were closed. In those that were open, they were out of stock. I bought a 1.5-liter bottle of water, drank half, and poured out the rest. Then ordered a Gojek. The nearest large gas station was about 15 minutes away. But we found fuel with the driver even earlier. Ultimately, my negligence cost me 20k rupiah for the Gojek and 40 minutes of wasted time... keep an eye on your fuel. It's better to wait in line at the station and fill up with good fuel than search for bottled gas later in a village!
Lost Key
Ilona, driving experience in Bali: 2.5 weeks
I got so comfortable on my beautiful PCX that it seems I relaxed too soon. After a paddle, we went to breakfast with the girls. I pulled the bike key out, tossed it into a gym bag, and put it in the trunk. Only after I heard the click did I realize I had locked the key in the trunk. Panic and anger at myself washed over me. How could I, Ilona, make such a silly mistake! The café's parking attendant saw me anxiously pacing around my bike. He suggested contacting the rental.
“I can't come for another 1.5 hours,” replied the scooter owner... The morning seemed ruined! But then a second parking attendant approached. They talked it over with his colleague and suddenly came to my bike seat and started pulling it up from both sides.
“Get in and grab it!” they laughed. I had no trouble slipping my thin hand inside, found the bag (thankfully it was on top), and retrieved the cherished key. I felt like I had won Fort Boyard! So, a key in the trunk is a solvable problem. But after this, I wondered... is it safe to leave anything more valuable than a raincoat in the trunk? Probably, retrieving a laptop is not as easy as a key, so I always take my MacBook with me now.
Punctured Tire
Vitaly, driving experience in Bali: 5 weeks
I didn't immediately realize I had a punctured tire; I lacked the experience. At first, it felt like bad handling. The bike was moving, but it kept veering right then left. Finally, when crossing a speed bump and scraping it with the bike's bottom, I understood. By then, the rear tire was very soft. Spinning it, I saw a pretty large nail embedded deep into the tire. My first instinct was to pull it out—thankfully, it didn’t happen. A passing local advised leaving it in until reaching a repair shop; otherwise, it would deflate entirely. Following his advice, I Googled “bengkel” and was at the nearest tire shop within 10 minutes. The experts fixed it in 5 minutes. They just inserted a piece of soft rubber into the hole that molded to the tire. The job cost me 15k.
Brake Failure
Svetlana, driving experience in Bali: 1.5 weeks
This happened on the 3rd or 4th day when I felt I somewhat mastered the bike and figured out how to brake with the front and rear brakes. Returning from Bukit to Canggu, the traffic was terrible. I was pressing the brake almost all the time and seemingly overdid it. The rear brake lever just gave out. When I pressed it, it moved back and forth but did nothing. In horror, I saw a car bumper half a meter ahead of me. In the nick of time, I managed to brake with the front. Slowly, I moved to the side of the road and stood there, catching my breath for 20 minutes. I tried again and discovered the brakes worked! Later, a friend told me it's a common issue when brakes overheat. It's particularly risky on long descents. You should alternate between the front and rear brakes and stop sometimes to let them cool down. This can also happen in heavy traffic if you abuse the brakes in the heat. It's better not to accelerate too hard to avoid constant braking.
Battery Drained!
Ivan, driving experience in Bali: 2 months
At the end of the holiday, I learned what it means to be ‘towed’ in Balinese style. I forgot to take the key out when I arrived at the guesthouse. But no one took it; I found it in the bike the next morning. But there was a bigger problem—I hadn’t just left it in the ignition, I left the ignition on. The battery died overnight. I had to get to the airport to meet friends. But as is always the case in Bali, everything resolves when you relax and go with the flow. Fortunately, a staff member from the reception was stepping out of the guesthouse and understood what happened. He told me to get on the bike, pushed it with his foot, and in a soft tow, we reached a repair shop. In the end, I made it to the airport in time.
Expert BaliMotion.pro: It's great the guys managed to get through tough situations without loss. However, if you rent a bike from a trusted and experienced rental service, they usually handle all issues. For instance, we can train beginners and explain the common nuances people without bike-riding experience in Asia might face. Overall, there shouldn't be any super complex issues if you're prudent (and your head is in a helmet). The main thing is not to rush; Bali doesn't like haste!
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