Buying A Motorbike in Hanoi
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Jan '2026
Part 3 of 3 in the series of Blogs in relation to my motorbike journey from complete beginner to buying one.
After renting a motorbike for 2 months, and using it more than I thought I would, as I renewed for a 3rd month I was confidence I had gained enough experience and had adjusted to the local traffic and felt a lot more positive. As much as anyone can in the crazy Hanoi traffic. So I convinced myself to buy a motorbike. The initial outlay would be greater but it would pay for itself long term vs monthly rental, was my thinking.
I began looking and viewing second hand bikes advertised on Facebook groups and Marketplace and local sites. There seem to be a pattern of a modern clean motorbike photos but when I got there they looked nothing like the pictures. I think they used the photos from when they were brand new or even a different bike, but the same model, not as they were now in the used condition.
I test drove a few, just walked away from many more. Although I am no mechanical expert something didn't feel right and had that gut feeling they weren't the ones for me. I was losing confident in the 2nd hand market.
I saw an advert for new Electric motorbikes and had been reading that the Government were wanting to introduce electric bikes and stop petrol bikes entering the Old Quarter/centre of Hanoi, as early as 2026. Although in reality how do you stop an estimated 8 million of them and have the infrastructure in place within 12 months?
I went to test drive one and it felt amazing. So smooth and stylish and the price for a brand new one was only around £300. Not that more expensive than some of the second hand bikes I had been looking at. It also came with a 2 year warranty. It appeared to work out it would only cost about £5 or £6 a month to charge it.
I contacted my Landlord to say I was looking at buying an electric motorbike and was he ok with me charging it in the parking area in the ground floor and could we come to agreement how much I would pay him monthly to do this. To my amazement and disappointment he was adamant -"no, they are a fire risk" I tried to persuade him but he would not change his mind. So that was the end of that, a dead end. I was told and read later that a few years ago there had been a big fire in a high rise apartment block in Hanoi and a number of people had died, it has been attributed to an electric bike catching fire!! So you can sort of understand his reluctance.
So I started to look at new petrol motorbikes. I visited of few garages within 20 minutes of my apartment. One had lots on show but wouldn't let me even test drive one. I finally found one, and had small test drive in a small back alley, a new 50cc automatic for £600 with a 2 year warranty, which gave me some piece of mind. It was a Vespa Alley, see photo above.
Unfortunately as a foreigner in Vietnam I could not register a new motorbike to obtain a local registration plate. Living on 90 day tourist visas I wasn't even allowed to register it myself. Foreigners with temporary resident cards who are allowed to stay longer than the 90 day tourist visas are allowed to register new bikes but are only allocated NN registration plates, foreigner number plates., which is legal and fine to ride around, but I was informed and found out they are so much harder to sell when you finish with them, locals want local number plates. So my Vietnamese girlfriend agreed to register it with the local police for me. I had to pay a police "admin fee" to make it happenof 3 million VND, or about £90. Typical Vietnamese life it took a couple of months for this to be processed, somethings just don't seem to be urgent here.
I contacted the same insurance company I had purchased the rental insurance from and for £10 managed to insure myself and any 3rd party casualties if I was involved in accident.
So now I'm owner of a brand new motorbike and very happy and it has given me the freedom and independence I was after. I feel more and more confidence every day I use it. My girlfriend seems just as happy as she is always borrowing it so her 19 year old daughter can use her own bike to go to University or work.
Look for my Blog were I cover the basic about riding legally here in Hanoi.
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