Scooter and bike rental agencies in Kochi, Kerala
Unlike other destinations in Kerala, Kochi has a few motorcycle and scooter rental agencies. Find the list of two wheeler rental agencies in Kochi/Ernakulam area.
Travelling in your own vehicle is the most convenient way to explore a tourist destination. However, that may not work out in case of long distance travel. If you are travelling by air or train, then renting a tourist car is the right option for most people. However, if you are travelling alone or with a single companion, then renting a bike will be a cheaper option.
Bike rentals is not very common in Kerala. You won't find any two-wheeler rental agencies in most tourist places here. However, Kochi, one of the most visited destinations in Kerala, have a few bike rental agencies, with daily and weekly rental options.Why renting a bike in Kochi is a good option for tourists?
The tourist destinations in and around Kochi are quite far from each other. Some of the key attractions like Fort Kochi and Cherai beach are about 30 km apart. If you like to cover places like Athirappilly waterfalls, plan for travelling about 75 km from the city. To cover all these places in a single day (or even in 2 days), you will need to hire a taxi or rent a car, which is not very cheap. Considering the traffic conditions here, you may not be able to cover all these places in a single day. However, with a two-wheeler, you can quickly skip a lot of traffic and cover almost all key attractions. And if you are on a tight budget, renting a bike will save you a lot of money.Bike rental agencies in Kochi
To take a bike or scooter on rent, you need to pay the advance deposit equivalent to the rent for the number of days you are hiring the vehicle. Also, you need to surrender the passport until you return the vehicle in safe condition. An agreement needs to be signed in stamp paper stating you are fully responsible for safety and consequences of using the vehicle. Any damages to the vehicle will be your responsibility.
See the list of popular two wheeler rental agencies in Ernakulam, Kochi area. 1. Kerala Bike Tours
I have listed a bunch of rental agencies in this article but this is the one I felt the most reliable rental agency based on the details provided in their website. Kerala Bike Tours have given clear policies on what will happen in case of accidents, nature of the insurance provided, what costs are covered etc. According to the details on their website, all of their bikes are insured against theft and accidents. When I spoke to other bike rental agencies, no one was willing to give a clear answer on the nature of the insurance provided.
Kerala Bike Tours is relatively more expensive than others mentioned here but I think it is worth, considering their professional services and well defined policies.
Here are some details from their website:
Check out their pricing at http://www.keralabiketours.com/bike_rental.html.
I haven't personally used their rental bikes but considering their well defined policies and their background in tour operations, I would recommend this service to the foreign tourists.
While renting a bike, Kerala Bike Tours require you to surrender your return flight ticket until you safely return the bike. If you don't have a return flight ticket, you may surrender alternate documents like original passport.2. Rent a Bike / i-One Two Wheelers (Fort Kochi)
Here is their rate card:
1. Honda Activa: Rs 300/-
2. Suzuki Access: Rs 350/-
3. Hero Honda & TVS: Rs 400/-
4. Bajaj Pulser: Rs 450/-
5. Yamaha FZ & Bajaj Avenger: Rs 500 to Rs 600
6. Royal Enfield STD: Rs 600/-
7. Electra: Rs 700/- to Rs 900/-
8. Classic: Rs 900/- to Rs 1,100/-
9. Classic 500c: Rs 1,100/- to Rs 1,300/-
You can get more details in their website - http://rentabikecochin.weebly.com/. Or, contact Mr. Ivan Joseph at +91 9847155306.3. Arafath Rent A Bike (Fort Kochi)
They don't have a website but I spoke to them and collected some information. Sounds like they have been in this business for a while and have several options like Enfield Bullet, Bajaj Avenger, Honda Active etc.
Daily rent for bikes and scooters:
Enfield Bullet - starting from Rs 700 and goes up to Rs 900, depending on the age, condition and model of the bike. Also, they have some 500cc model of the bullet and will cost you Rs 1300/- per day.
Bajaj Avenger - Daily rent starts at Rs 500, and goes up to Rs 700 per day, depending on the model and condition of the vehicle.
Honda Active scooters are available for rent at Rs 300 to Rs 400.4. Cochin Motorcycles
This is another bike rental company I spoke to. They are located at Muvattupuzha, a bit off from Ernakulam/Kochi but will be delivering the bikes anywhere in Ernakulam district including the airport. They didn't disclose the rent to me and said it all depends on the model, age and condition of the bike. They seem to have a good number of bikes/scooters available.
Some conditions:
1. Bikes are available for a minimum period of 5 days.
2. In case of any damage/accidents, you are responsible to fix the problem or pay the cost. It may not be feasible for them to cover the cost through insurance due to various legal/formalities.
3. A cash deposit of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 (depending on the bike) is required to rent the bike.
4. You need to surrender passport or similar documents.
Find more details at http://www.cochinmotorcycles.com/.Caution: It may not be easy to rent a bike here in Kochi
Bikes are considered private vehicles and not meant for renting out, as per the motor vehicle act. So, when you rent a bike, it is sort of an "arrangement" between you and the owner. There will be no legal protection for you if something goes wrong with the bike. If you are stopped by motor vehicle inspectors, you can't legally claim that you rented this bike. It will become your responsibility to convince the vehicle inspector that you "borrowed" this bike from a known person and you are not responsible for any legal issues related with the bike.
Since the bikes can be abused for criminal activities, the rental agencies are very careful when they give the bikes to local people. Most bike rental agencies will give the bikes only to foreign tourists. If you are a local tourist, you may have a tough time convincing the rental agencies to give you a bike, unless you go through some local contacts or travel agents.
This is a nice service. People visiting tourist places in Kerela can hire a motorcycle and do trips to the hill stations and coast much freely than as part of a group. Besides, riding Royal Enfields are an enchanting experience! Apart from Kerela and Goa, which other states offer such bike rentals for tourists?