What to check when picking up a bike: an 8-point checklist
Bike pickup takes 10 minutes: a 360° video, scratches noted in the contract, brakes, lights, mirrors, tires, fuel level, and helmets that fit. These 8 points protect your deposit — 3,000 ฿ for a 150–160cc scooter or 6,000 ฿ for a maxi-scooter — and prevent disputes at return.
Why inspect a bike the rental already gave you?
The pickup inspection takes 10 minutes and protects your deposit: 3,000 ฿ for a 150–160cc scooter or 6,000 ฿ for a 300cc+ maxi-scooter. Any scratch not noted at pickup risks getting pinned on you at return — and you'd pay for it at shop prices.
At an honest rental shop, this never causes conflict, because both sides record the bike's condition. We've run MC BIKE in Phuket since 2016, with over 2,400 rentals behind us — and in our experience, deposit disputes happen exactly where the inspection got skipped.
The checklist below is universal — useful here or at any other rental shop. Save it to your phone notes: it goes in order and needs no technical knowledge.
Pickup checklist: 8 points in 10 minutes
Here's the whole list at a glance — from video to helmets. Each point takes 1–2 minutes; we cover the key ones in more detail below.
- 360° video around the bike — walk around it slowly with the camera on, and get a close shot of the dashboard with mileage.
- Scratches and chips — log every visible mark in the contract or handover form, not just verbally.
- Brakes — squeeze both levers: firm travel, no give, and the bike doesn't roll with the brake held.
- Lights and signals — headlight, high beam, brake light, four turn signals, horn.
- Mirrors — adjust freely, hold their position, and show the road, not your elbows.
- Tire pressure — tires aren't sagging, tread has no cuts or bald patches.
- Fuel level — photograph the gauge so you can return the bike at the same level.
- Helmets that fit — try each one on: it shouldn't wobble when you turn your head and should buckle easily.
How to shoot video that actually protects you
One continuous 60–90 second video beats twenty photos. Walk around the bike, crouch by the side panels on both sides, and get close shots of the handlebars, mirrors, exhaust, and dashboard. The file's timestamp is your strongest argument at return.
Linger extra on the 'risk zones': side panels, fender edges, exhaust, brake levers. That's where marks from previous drops usually show up — and exactly what gets checked at return.
Scratches in the contract: why words alone don't count
Log every scratch deeper than a hair in the contract or handover form before you ride off. Keep it simple: location, size, type — e.g., '2cm chip, right side panel.' A verbal 'that was already there' means nothing at return, especially without video.
Pay extra attention to side panels, mirrors, and the exhaust — that's where past drops leave their mark. If a manager refuses to record damage in writing, that's a red flag — look for another rental shop.
At MC BIKE, video does this job: the pickup recording captures every chip more precisely than any description. But a written note in the contract still helps — paper and video back each other up.
Brakes, lights, and tires: a three-minute check
Brakes take 30 seconds to check: squeeze both levers while stationary, then brake gently for the first 50 meters. This matters in Phuket — the first 10 minutes of rain make roads slickest from the oil film, and mushy brakes are unforgiving here.
Click through the lights one by one: headlight, high beam, brake light from both levers, four turn signals, horn. On a dark road at night, a dead brake light is a real risk, not a trifle. Mirrors should hold position after you adjust them.
Check tires by eye: a sagging wheel, cuts, or bald tread are reasons to ask for another bike. A flat on the road is almost always the renter's cost — repairs run 100–200 ฿ — so riding on shaky tires mostly hurts you.
Fuel and helmets: small details, real money
Photograph the fuel gauge at pickup — bikes are returned at the same level. Scooters don't need much fuel: 60–130 ฿ a day, with Gasohol 95 at about 43 ฿ a liter at PTT, Shell, or Bangchak chain stations.
Try on every helmet right away. The fine for riding without one is 500–2,000 ฿ — per person, driver and passenger both. We give 2 helmets with every bike, and kids' helmets are free, as many as your family needs.
Why we film every bike at pickup ourselves
Video is standard practice at MC BIKE: we film the bike at pickup and return, and we suggest you do the same. Two recordings from two sides remove the whole basis for dispute — condition is documented twice, no 'proving' required.
Paperwork is just as transparent: we don't hold your passport — only a photo of it, a contract, and a refundable cash deposit. Full rules are on our rental terms page, and guest experiences are in reviews.
All 12 models in our fleet are automatic and serviced every 3,000 km, so pickup is usually a formality. But we still wait while you run through the full checklist — it's calmer for both sides.
How the deposit refund works
Your deposit comes back the day you return the bike: the same video-based inspection takes 5–10 minutes, then you get your 3,000 or 6,000 ฿ back. No damage, no questions.
If there is damage, only that gets charged: at the nearest shop's price, and only for parts actually damaged. No eyeballed estimates or charging for nothing — we just compare two videos, yours and ours.
A breakdown that isn't your fault is a different story: we swap the bike for free and leave your deposit untouched. Common questions on deposits and contracts are in our FAQ; available bikes are in the bike catalog.
Most importantly: this checklist works at any rental shop worldwide, from Phuket to Bali. 360° video, scratches in the contract, brakes, lights, mirrors, tires, fuel, helmet — eight habits that save money and nerves anywhere.