Really glad I decided to take a tour with Dat! He was so knowledgable about Dalat and going by motorbike was definitely a great way to see the area! Would recommend!

Da Lat ist eine tolle Stadt um sie auf dem Motorbike oder in der Nacht zu Fuss zu erkunden. Wir waren am Elephant Waterfall aber es gibt noch viele andere Wasserfaelle, Seen und Plantagen zu sehen hier. Man kann gut und gerne einige Tage in dem kuehlen Klima hier verbringen. Dat, der Besitzer von Through Vietnam hat uns abends in eine Bar mitgenommen und wir hatten superviel Spass mit ihm. Haetten wir mehr Zeit, haetten wir bestimmt auch eine Tour nach Nha Trang mit ihm mitgemacht. Viel Spass in Da Lat!

Wir haben zu zweit die countryside Tour mit easy ridern gemacht, unser Tourguide war Chris. Es war ein sehr abwechslungsreiches Programm, wir hatten viele Zwischenstopps, bei denen uns Chris einiges erzählen konnte! Da es an diesem Tag sehr heiß war, war der Besuch beim elephant waterfall sehr erfrischend! Wir haben uns gut betreut gefühlt und hatten auch viel Spaß auf den motorbikes!

So you have (or will soon) come to Vietnam and are considering purchasing a motorbike to traverse the country. This is a great choice. However, in addition to finding a reliable motorbike, it is imperitive that you also check the legal registration of the bike. This will come in the form of a small "blue card", and you should never purchase a bike if the blue card is not included. This short guide will explain how to ensure your blue card is legitimate and whether or not your prospective motorbike is a good purchase.

There are four things to check when inspecting whether the motorbike and blue card match. The license plate number, the engine make, the engine number and the chassis number.

The licence number can be found on the bottom left corner of the blue card, labelled "biển số". Make sure it matches the plate on the back of the bike. Next is the engine make, and it will be labeled "nhãn hiệu". If it says YAMAHA on the card, your engine should also be a Yamaha. You may wonder that this discrepency could just be a result of the engine being replaced, but if this is the case a new blue card must be issued for the bike. Non-matching engine names means the blue card is not legitimate. After this, check the engine number, labelled "số may". If you are purchasing a motorcycle, it is usually underneath the engine or front sproket. If you are purchasing a scooter, look in front of the rear shock on top of the engine. Lastly is the chassis number, "số khung". If you are purchasing a motorcycle such as a Honda Win, check under the handlebars and above the fork. It should be engraved there. Unfortunately, scooters are a bit more difficult; you will need to remove the front panel at a mechanic shop to ensure the numbers match.

By ensuring your blue card and motorbike are a proper pair, you save yourself trouble down the road if you are pulled over during your travels.

Vietnam is a beautiful country and has much to offer for a wide array of travellers with varied interests.

An increasing popular method of traversing the country is by motorbike, and the sights are well worth it.

As such, having a reliable machine is essential to safe and enjoyable travel, and picking a good motorbike can

save you costs in potential breakdowns and repairs down the road.



This is a guide from Through Vietnam Tips for inspecting your potential purchase before you even take it for a test ride. Of course, the motoring of

the vehicle is what matters most, but by doing an exterior inspection you can get a good idea about whether or not

this motorbike should be worth your time and money.



When you begin, visually split the bike into sections; front and back, top and bottom.



Beginning with top to bottom from the front, you should check your mirrors. Are they in good condition? Two mirrors

or only one (or maybe none!)? Next, your brake and/or clutch handles should be under tension. Give them a pull

and ensure they are comfortable. After this, check if your odometer, speedometer and fuel gauge work. It is common

to have one or all of these disfunctional in older bikes. After this, check that your fuel tank has no leaks and that the stopper seals shut.

Signals and headlights are extremely important and all should work. Left and right signals should be bright and

visible and your headlight should turn on, off and have working high beams. Test your horn as well, it should be loud

and consistent. Following this is the front suspenion.

Check that your suspension is clean and is not leaking or dirtied with oil. An oily suspension means the suspension

seal is not tight and there will not be enough pressure to absorb impact efficiently. As for it's impact absorption,

hold the front brake and push down into the suspension. It should absorb the shock well; not too much and not too little.

Inspect the engine as well. It should be clean, not oily and grimey. After this is your front wheel.

First, prop the bike up on the middle stand so that the front tire is lifted off the ground. Spin it by hand and

ensure that the wheel is true (that it spins straight, not wobbly). Next, check your tire tread. Is is worn smooth

or is still looking new? After this, check the tire pressure and make sure there is enough air in the tire. Low pressure

will affect handling poorly. The next step is to inspect your brake system. You may find disc brakes, or common on a Honda

Win or Honda Wave are drum brakes. If you have drum brakes, look for the bolt and nut under the brake drum. If the bolt

is sticking farther out (maybe about 3-4cm) the brake shoe is coming loose and you may need to get new brakes. And if you

have disc brakes, first check your oil gauge on your front brake handle. The fluid level should be adequate. Next, check

the brake pad that grabs the disc; it should still be about 25mm thick.





Now for the back half. Feel the seat to see if it is comfortable and inspect the material for rips. It may seem

like a small detail, but riding for long

distances can get uncomfortable fast and an uncomfortable ride will affect your enjoyment of the journey.

As with the front, check your rear signal lights and brake lights and then move to the rear suspension.

Follow the same inspection procedure. Next is the rear sprocket and chain. The teeth on the sprocket

should be rounded when new, so if they are too sharp it is a sign of old age and it may need to be replaced. Check the rear tire in the same manner as you did the front. While the bike

is propped up on the work stand, grab the rear end of the bike and try to move it laterally back and forth. It should

not sway seperate from the rest of the bike, as this can cause bike wobble at slower speeds.



This is just a basic walkthrough and inspection to give the bike and you will not truely know if the bike is for you until

you ride it, but by following these guidelines by Through Vietnam you can help ensure that you are making a reliable purchase.