Bike Travel in Pakistan for Foreign Travellers: What you need to know before
If you’re travelling in Pakistan is always an adventure—sometimes predictable, sometimes not—but if you really want to up the ante, there’s no better way to travel Pakistan than by Motorbike.
See, Pakistan runs on Bike. From dilly-dallying 70cc Hondas to zippy Yamaha YBR 150s to dependable Suzuki GS 150s, small motorcycles are the transport of choice for the vast majority of Pakistani Peoples. Locally referred to as “bikes”, they’re affordable to fuel cost, small enough to movement through the most jammed traffic, and easy to fix should something go awry.
The Best solution for Motorcycle travel in Pakistan: Tours 2024-25
Want to drop in, get on your bike, and hit the road with no hassle? Motorcycle tours of Pakistan are the best comfortable solution. Bike, gear, accommodation, hoteling, camping guide, the works… it’s all included in the bike tour cost.
I run 2 week motorcycle tours of Pakistan, both public and for private groups. My local tour partner, Pakistan Bikers, can also arrange motorcycles on rent and bike trips for you. Get in touch if you want to know more!
Would I rent or buy a Bike in Pakistan?
Everybody knows that renting a bike is the coolest option while travelling, but purchasing a motorcycle in Pakistan could be cheaper than renting in the long term… right?
More or less. However buying a motorbike is often cheaper if you are planning on travelling for at least 3-4 weeks, the trouble of buying and selling the motorbike might make the whole process more expensive than you negotiated for. This is not easy for foreign travellers to register motorbike to their name; most people have a Pakistani friend buy the motorcycle in their name, and then borrow the bike from them. Selling the bike at the end of your Bike tour can also be a bit of a hassle, as you’ll need to fix things up, then deal with lots of random persons calling you in Urdu and not showing up for viewings as planned.
Conclusion: renting a bike is the coolest way to go, but buying makes sense if you’re traveling on planning for weeks to months at a time and have a local contact that can help you with buying and selling a motorbike.
Motorcycle travel in Pakistan: which bike is the best for adventure tour?
When foreign travellers travelling in Pakistan by motorcycle, there are a few things you have to keep in mind when choosing your Motorbike:
- Appearances: Bigger bikes get you more attention, both positive and negative. They’re more likely to be stolen, and people will often come and fiddle with your bike when you’re not looking if it looks particularly nice.
- Size: Smaller is better, especially when navigating rush hour in any Pakistani city.
- Easy to repair: Motorbike mechanics are everywhere available in Pakistan, but most are only experienced with fixing smaller Japanese or chines 70cc bikes. Big bike mechanics are only found in the small villages but it’s available in big cities.
- Dependability: Chinese bikes are flooding the market, but finding spares for them can be tough and they’re not known to be reliable in the long term. I suggest pick the Japanese bike if you’re travelling more than 1 month.
- If you’re preference up your bike in Pakistan—as disparate to riding in or shipping your bike from somewhere else—I recommend going with a local Suzuki or Honda 150cc bike from a Japanese brand.
For myself own, use, and i recommend the Suzuki GS 150 or Yamaha YBR 150cc line. My Suzuki has been available all over in Pakistan, from the roughest of off roads in the northern areas mountains to river crossings in the heart of Punjab. Small as it is, it’s never failed to make it to whatever adventure destination I throw at it. Can’t recommend it enough—that’s why I use it on my motorcycle tours, too.
Bike rental costs in Pakistan
Obviously, prices vary by bike, renter/dealer, and the current rupee/dollar exchange rate. Small 70cc Chines bikes can be quite cheaper, but will give you hell if you’re trying to ride up northern areas mountains in Gilgit-Baltistan. Larger endure or dual sport bikes are rare and incredibly costly to import to Pakistan—rental costs reflect that. Here are some estimated daily costs of Bike rental in Pakistan:
150cc bikes $15-$20 | 250cc $50-$60
- Suzuki GS 150
- Yamaha YBR-G
- Honda CB 150F
- Honda CG 125
- Zongshen RX3
- Tekken 250cc
Where to rent bikes in Pakistan?
Bike rental in Pakistan
Bike rental businesses are few and far between, mostly because it’s difficult to get replacement bike parts and tourists are notorious for abolishing the bikes before bringing them back. However, a one or two of bike rental companies exist in Pakistan.
- Pakistan Bikers
- Riderly (rental platform – Islamabad only)
- Karakoram Bikers
Did I need a license to ride a Bike in Pakistan as a foreigner?
Officially yes.
Essentially? No.
If you’re a foreigner tourist riding a motorbike in Pakistan, you’re not likely to be requested for your license unless you’re pulled over for speeding… and even then, local police don’t know the difference between a foreign bike license and foreign car Tourist license. In all my years of bike riding in Pakistan, I’ve only been requested for my license once. And yes, it was at a speed trap.
The only documents you’ll likely be asked for are your passport and the registration papers of the bike (if the police are mad enough at you to demand them – usually they just ask for a passport).
Some of motorbike rental companies might ask for a general driving license to rent a bikes, or a motorcycle-specific license for larger bikes. But otherwise… as long as you have some idea of how to drive, you’re free to ride in beautiful northern areas of Pakistan to get historical adventure in your life experience.
Is motorbike travel in Pakistan safe for foreigner tourist?
Let’s start be real picture: riding motorbike anywhere in the world is not particularly safe. However, to be fair, Pakistan is a comparatively challenging country to ride in. Metropolitan roads are crowded, drivers are not particularly bothered with road rules or traffic rules (understandable when many never officially learned to drive), and roads infrastructure conditions can be poor in villages and mountainous northern areas.
What to expect from motorcycle travel in Pakistan as a woman
The exacting truth is that, though there is a trickle of women biking in Pakistan, motorbikes are a ultimately male pastime in Pakistan. But time is change now at the moment since 2020 women can ride the bikes.
That is not to say motorbike travel in Pakistan is difficult for women—I’m proof, don’t you know?
Courtesy will be your biggest daily difficulty. If setting out on bike as a woman, be prepared for glowers. Lots of them. Some of them are friendly, someone judgmental (especially for brown women travelers), and some outright confused. I am regularly asked if I am a man or woman when out on bike; some people don’t believe my answer even after I remove my helmet.