Tokyo Motorcycle Rental: Branches, Gear and Cover Compared

Tokyo has several places to rent a motorcycle, from nationwide chains to a single local shop. The price of the bike is only part of the choice. The trip to the pickup branch, the gear you can borrow, the cover and the return time all change what suits you.

This page covers rentals for sightseeing and touring days, not business use. You can start from the bike you want to ride, but your licence, your confidence handling it, your luggage and the weather on the day also narrow the choice and make the day easier to plan.

Three places to start searching in Tokyo

This compares where to search. It is not a ranking of price or bike quality. A service may list something overall, but check when you book that the branch you want has the bike and gear on your date.

Match the base to the nearest station, not just its name

Motobase's Tokyo bases include Kichijoji Ekimae, Mejiro and Shibuya Sasazuka Ekimae. Kichijoji Ekimae is 6 minutes on foot from JR Kichijoji Station, and Shibuya Sasazuka Ekimae is 9 minutes from Sasazuka Station. Mejiro is 18 minutes from Mejiro Station, and 10 minutes each from Shiinamachi and Shimo-Ochiai stations. The station in a base's name is not always the closest, so compare bases against your route on the day.

If the bike you want is at another base, recheck the return fare to the branch and your meeting time.

Choosing a bike and gear

Check your licence and the size of bike you can handle

Choose a bike that fits your licence, including engine size, licence class and any automatic-only condition. Being licensed to ride a bike is not the same as handling it comfortably after a break. On an unfamiliar model, check the weight, seat height, how your feet reach the ground and how it handles with luggage.

A large-motorcycle licence does not mean you need the largest class. Think about manoeuvring in town and getting in and out of car parks at sights, and consider starting from something close to what you ride now.

At Rental819, you register your licence and a credit card in your own name (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club or American Express). Riders with a foreign licence also register an International Driving Permit or a Japanese translation, and show it with their licence at the branch. For additional riders or riders under 20, ask the branch separately.

Gear to book with the bike

Decide first whether to bring or borrow a helmet and gloves. If you borrow, check the size and stock. Even where gear rental is offered, the size you need may not be available on the day.

What each branch offers depends on the service. Rental819 treats helmets and gloves as optional items, so check that your branch has them and in your size before you book. They are not covered by its Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) if damaged or lost.

Conditions, prices and cover

Check which damage is covered, including tip-overs

Look separately at third-party cover and at vehicle cover for damage to the rented bike. Also check the excess, the non-operation charge, theft, keys and gear, and towing. A line saying insurance is included in the base rate does not tell you what you pay if the bike falls over.

Ask specific questions, such as: "How do you treat it if I drop the bike while parked or moving it?", "Is the vehicle excess separate from the non-operation charge?" and "Who do I call if I cannot ride on, and how far will you carry the bike?" Confirm the answers for the bike and cover plan you choose.

Compare cancellation terms if rain is a concern

Cancelling or changing a booking in bad weather depends on the branch and plan. Do not assume that a rainy day is always free because it is a motorcycle. Note how many days before and by what method you must make any change.

If you plan a long mountain road on an unfamiliar bike, be ready to switch to somewhere nearer if the weather turns. Choosing on the four points of price, gear, cover and time finds a bike that suits the trip better than a booking made on the lowest price alone.

Planning the day around pickup and return

The time you book in the morning is not necessarily when you ride off. It includes identity checks, the contract, checking for scratches, adjusting gear and an explanation of the controls. If you meet your touring friends somewhere far from the branch, allow for that ride too.

Work back from the return, allowing for the ride from your last stop, refuelling and the return check. If you drive to the branch, find out whether it can keep your car or whether you need a nearby car park, and what that costs.

So you can cut the day short if you tire or it rains, treat your last sight as optional. If you might miss opening hours, stop somewhere safe and call the branch rather than operating a phone while riding.

Read next

• CDW and NOC explained
• Rental car extensions and late returns