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How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali

By on September 20, 2011 6:11 pm in Travel Articles / 20 comments

 

It is a damn great feeling to ride a bike to Rohtang Pass and it is further a feeling out of the world to ride a bike all the way to Leh from Manali via Manali – Leh Highway. In the past I have noticed that for almost all the adventure lovers and bikers, it has always been a topmost question – How and where to hire or rent a bike in Manali. Well, though I am not a biker but still I have few points worth mentioning here on this topic based on my get together with such bikers/people and past readings on several travel forums over the Internet.

It is worth highlighting that if your own bike is in decent condition then it is always best bet to ship your own bike and carry the journey on it. The rented/hired bikes comes no way close in terms of reliability, stability, fuel efficiency and overall mechanical conditions. The cost factor may not be vary too much when compared but the RISK of taking hired/rented bikes is far higher than what it can save you in costing terms. Depending upon your plan or itinerary, you  can ship your own bike to any of these places viz. Mandi/Chandigarh/Delhi/Srinagar.

Where to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

First and the foremost thing, given below is a list of several tour/travel operators/mechanical workshops/mechanics, I have collected over internet, who offer services for renting or hiring a bike or motorcycle in Manali region. I hope it will be helpful to the fellow adventure lovers who plan to hire bike form Manali after considering few precautions/suggestions mentioned above.

  • Tara Auto Mobile Service Station – 9318764392 (reliable as per reviews)
  • Bike Rentals Manali| Abhinav 9816044140 / 9552020932
  • Keshav – 9816003010
  • Hardev Motors | Sonu Rajput –
  • Anu Auto, Vashisth Road | Anu-9816163378, 01902-253001(Office)
  • Enfield Club, Vashisth Road | Enfield Club – 01902-2510954
  • Bantu-09459916424 (Manager – Bantu) 09736075478 (Bantu) (Garage)
  • Himalayan Inder Motors, Tel 9816113973, Gompa Road
  • Life Adventure Tours, Tel 01902-253825, Diamond Hotel, Model town Road.
  • Enfields – 094181-83993 or 095010-90093
  • Prasang Sharma – 9816083825, 9318764393, 01902254491

NOTE:- Feel sorry for not giving all the references (as I missed to copy all) but some data is from BCMT and IM.

Not being a biker myself, I do not know any of them personally so cannot really comment which one is better/reliable and which one is not. So, I leave up to you to further investigate and hope it gives you a head start in the right direction.

Cost to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

Generally, the cost of hiring a bike/motorcycle range about Rs 700 – Rs 1500 per day per bike. Of course the exact rental price depends upon the modal, make (bullet, Enfield, pulsar etc) and condition of the bike you choose. As suggested by one of my friends Tarun Goel –

“The classic ones are nothing less than Rs 1300. The UCE and Twinspark models are also well above 1200. The old models are available for less but then if you do mileage analysis paying more rent is advisable because that serves two purposes, a) headache is not too much as fewer chances of breakdowns b) You don’t have to worry about the oil and mileage because mileage difference with UCE is well above 10kmpl.“

As for security deposit, be ready to shell out anything ranging from Rs 10K – 15K (for non-local hire) or may be more and it totally depends upon the dealer in question and bike you select. The security deposit is much less if you plan to hire the bike locally i.e. may be a ride to Rohtang Pass. You will need to deposit one of the original identity proof of yours like passport, pan card etc along with the money in many cases.

Important Things to know for hiring a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

  • First and foremost, the conditions of the bikes are not that good after being battered in the hostile conditions for several years. So, if you have your own bike, then do prefer shipping it at any day as compared to hiring a bike. Though things are changing but again you need to pay more on the front to have bikes with good condition.
  • You should have a valid driving license in order to hire a bike. Some amount of experience of riding in the hills will be an added advantage as always.
  • Do not ever book bikes over phone or internet and always prefer hunting the right bike once you reach Manali. You must test several rental shops and see what everyone has to offer. You never know, you may get an out of the box solution right away. Booking it over phone or Internet do not leave you with many options or you do not have much control over what is offered to you.
  • Some dealers provide too old bikes and you should know how to avoid selecting such bikes, so as to minimize the chances of being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Beware of such dealers. So, quite important that you have the mechanical understanding of the basic parts of the bike so that you can detect any fault or tentative age of the bike after inspecting the parts.
  • Whenever you hire a bike, then spare a day for testing the bike locally (may be a run to Rohtang Pass) and getting any necessary fixes done right there in Manali itself or replace the bike with some better version. This will minimize the chances of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. The breakdown can result in several risks and dangers. Example: Consider a breakdown at chilly location of Taglang La where even the oxygen content is low, you are suffering from AMS, help hard to find and in all you are left with an option to tow the bike in truck/pickup whenever one arrives and agrees. Ehhh!! Not so good feeling. Hence, it is very important to test the rented bike thoroughly and select the perfect one for you.
  • It always helps having some mechanical knowledge for doing basic fixes/repair of the bike. You never know when you need such skills on these rented/hired bikes.
  • Do not forget to [highlight]carry extra spare parts[/highlight](at least basic ones for sure) even if you are going on your own bike, forget about hired bikes. Always make sure that the renter provide you with basic toolkit, at least single rider helmet, spare tube and other common spares like chain links, spark plugs or whatever they can offer. Try to get as much as you can. Rest you can buy yourself. It will further minimize the chances of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere.
  • If you are OK with the budget then carry a backup mechanic with you, if possible. Of course, you need to carry the basic spare parts as well. Some people also take an entire extra backup vehicle (car) to carry luggage, spare fuel, spare parts and mechanic. It is definitely a safeguarded approach but carrying extra mechanic and vehicle will add to the cost factor to a great extent. Hence, you need to decide judiciously whether it fits in the budget or not.
  • Most of these hired/rented bikes offer a pathetic mileage and hence it is always better to play safe and carry sufficient amount of spare fuel after analyzing the fuel efficiency of the hired bike on the test run. Never count on what a renter says.
  • Make sure that the RC, Insurance and PUC (Pollution Under Control) documents related to rented/hired bike are provided and they are up to date and valid enough. After all you do not want to land in some dismal situation on your life time trip.
  • Make sure that you have in written what needs to be done in case of you crash a bike or damages some or other parts of it. Generally, the bike will be transported to the nearest garage and the cost incurred for the repairs done need to be paid by the one who rented the bike. Also, check out the other intricacies (terms and conditions) as well like who will bear the cost of transportation or what happens in case the bike goes non-repairable state etc.
  • I guess many of the renter do provides Royale Enfield’s that does have luggage support as well as space to carry jerry cans. You may not find these things on other bike modals though.


Conclusion

In the end, again if you have your own bike then do prefer it over the hired or rented bike. But, if you still plan to hire/rent one from Manali then do carry a test run for a day and get the required fixes done right in Manali itself or replace the bike if it is too troublesome. If budget is not a concern then opt to carry a backup vehicle or a mechanic along with required spare parts with you. Do understand all the terms and conditions thoroughly from the renter before handing over the security deposit and documents. Do go through all other points mentioned above, so as to better understand and prepare yourself on bike rentals.

I will be looking forward towards your responses and queries as comments below. Have you rented a bike from Manali? If yes, then kindly share your own experiences with other fellow travelers here. The tips for you will help ensure them a safe and hassle free journey.

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20 Comments

  1. akshay says:
    May 5, 2012 at 6:01 pm

    can nybody tell me…wats the requirement to hire a bike frm manali to ladakh? nd wats the price for one day??

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      May 6, 2012 at 2:12 pm

      Hi Akshay,

      You can read the article above which has the most details, if you have any specific query then please ask here. When we hired it in Leh, we were supposed to submit our original driving license or passport or PAN card and then pay the rent in advance to take the bike with us. There are there formalities as well like signing of a bond etc.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  2. Shashank says:
    April 24, 2012 at 12:44 am

    Hi All,

    I am just trying to make a short trip ranging from 5-6 days, is it possible to go to and fro Manali to Leh by bike with such tight schedule.

    All what i am interested is in bike riding rather than staying.

    please suggest.

    Reply
  3. Saurav says:
    April 8, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    Hi Dheeraj, can you please provide some important pointers on hiring a bike in Leh, thanks Saurav

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      April 9, 2012 at 8:13 am

      Hello Saurav,

      Most of the pointers mentioned above are equally applicable to hiring bikes in Leh as well. Just ensure that you at least a day of local sightseeing test run before heading to other remote regions of Ladakh. This is perhaps the most important thing to remember. Plus in Leh, the roads are in better shape than Manali Leh Highway at least on major tourist circuits and you get less slush covered stretches and nallas on the way. Also, unless you plan to do some remote route, you will be seeing taxis going past every now and then, so help could be easier to find but only in comparison to Manali – Leh Highway.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any doubts or queries.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  4. Mohan Sharma says:
    March 10, 2012 at 12:47 am

    Hello Everyone

    I am looking for Hiring a bike for the raod trip to Leh. So if someone tell me how I can hire a good condition bike from Manali. Plz anyone can E-mail me the details.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      March 10, 2012 at 10:16 am

      Hi Mohan,

      Nothing is certain with the bikes and best bet is to reach there, check it yourself, do a test drive to and then finalize the bike for Leh trip. All other tips are mentioned above along with the contacts of bike rentals services in Manali. You can contact them and get more details.

      I hope this helps.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  5. Sanjeev says:
    March 8, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    hey guys, you should call Abhinav ( 2nd one on the list ) We had a very good experience with them and the bikes were trouble free.. had 2 bikes for 10 days and 5 bikes for 13 days.. only minor issue like twice flat tyre.. thats all !!!
    we got lucky i guess. i would only recommended this company as i have tried some more people in Manali, but man they rip you offf….
    Good luck guys and happy holi.. ))

    Reply
  6. APJ says:
    February 1, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    Very helpful thanks, will be visiting again, closer to my date of actual travel!

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      February 1, 2012 at 11:35 pm

      Thanks and I am glad that you like the information available here on my blog. Feel free to get in tocuh for any planning required for your Leh – Ladakh trip, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts/inputs for the same.

      Cheers!!
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  7. How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip says:
    November 12, 2011 at 12:03 am

    [...] Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling to Ladakh by self-drive rented bike mode of transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 21000 – 26000) + (Rs 7000 – 10000) = (Rs 28000 – 36000)) as the total cost for the entire trip. If you are interested to know more details or tips on how to hire the bikes in Manali / Leh, kindly check the link here. [...]

    Reply
  8. anku says:
    September 24, 2011 at 12:46 am

    You so much negativity towards the rented bikes ? we hired bikes form manali and had 0 breakdown and we had 3 bikes for 11 days ( manali- Leh ), no mechanics. Great info, but please dont scare people, its not bad after all… :-)

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 24, 2011 at 10:40 am

      Well Anku, it is great that you guys did not have any problems with the rented bikes. I will say lucky enough if you didn’t test them or wise enough if you tested them a day before. It is all what I have read, seen (not experienced though) and heard from so many, so many travelers who hire them. I know things are changing, may be now they give rent bikes with certain age limit but they are just handful of them. There is no too much negativity and nothing there to scare people. I have just sketched out some points that should always be taken into account while hiring a bike so as to minimize the RISKs involved. Having said that this year only, several of my friends + readers reported such issues,so I felt the need of this article else I too believed that only unlucky ones are the ones who suffer. Even if that is true today, so again there is no harm to have all these points in mind and prepare for the worse.Those roads as you know are few of the most isolated roads in India with least civilization, so why not take every aspect of hiring a bike into account and calculate the risk factor. It should not be like go-take way thingy. You never know when luck run out your way in those trans Himalayan range

      The too negative part can be considered as comparatively to the bike someone own. It is all what I can say :) … But, I will try to go trhough it once again and see if there is something I have missed or have said too negatively. Thank again for your time for writing in here :)

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      Reply
      • anku says:
        September 24, 2011 at 4:52 pm

        hey there.
        understand your point. u know when you rent the bike there are a lott of things that affect wht you take. mostly people prefer to take cheap bike and often end up having endless troubles, just to save some bucks. but on the other hand you pay a bit more money ( 200rs or something ) extra and get a new bike, perfect condition… no problems.. why not ? People see about the money not that they are riding on a seriously dangerous routes, no mechanics, no nothing. and the bike and you is all that is out there.
        u know so at the end of the day , you have the choices, but its up to you what you wanna go for … lol
        :-)
        P.s – its from My experiences. :-)

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          September 24, 2011 at 6:38 pm

          Hey Anku,,

          Thanks a lot buddy. I will surely update it as per your experiences. This information is highly welcome and will definitely help/warn people opting to choose some cheaply rented bike and end up jeopardizing their trips and paying more for a tow back or repairs :D … Thanks again for this piece of info.

          Hope to see you here more often :)

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  9. Travel Guide for Manali – Leh Highway says:
    September 22, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    [...] Are you planning to hire or rent a bike from Manali. If yes, the you must go through the article here:How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali [...]

    Reply
  10. How to plan a journey on Manali – Leh Highway says:
    September 22, 2011 at 3:09 pm

    [...] Are you planning to hire or rent a bike from Manali. If yes, the you must go through the article here:How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali [...]

    Reply
  11. TG says:
    September 20, 2011 at 8:14 pm

    Not to forget, do not hesitate to ask for help in case you are stranded.

    Reply
  12. TG says:
    September 20, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    VEry nice. Too good

    Reply
 
 

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