Vietnam is overwhelming for most people. New sights, new smells, new faces, new customs, new language. But one of the biggest things to adapt to is the traffic. The most common form of transport in Saigon, and across Vietnam, is motorbikes! There are lots of them. 8.5 million of them scooting about HCMC every day, to be exact. Yeah…that’s a lot. So it’s not surprising that most newcomers to Vietnam are anxious about hitting the wild Vietnamese roads. Learning to ride a motorbike will transform how you are able to explore the city, while also just being a great travel skill to have!
I taught myself to ride an automatic bike last year by following these steps, slowly building up from mastering crossing the street to driving by myself! But for many the idea of teaching themselves is daunting. How great would it be to have a fluent English speaker guide you at your own pace and help you gain confidence on the roads? Amazing, right? Well, let me introduce you to Ride With Me Saigon!
What is Ride With Me Saigon?
Ride with Me Saigon is a motorbike riding school based in Binh Tan District (between D1 and D2) of Ho Chi Minh city! The motorbike school do small group or private motorbike lessons, first in their off-road parking lot and then around a quiet neighbourhood. Everything is done at your own pace, with safety kit like protective helmets provided.
What do you do in a lesson from Ride With Me Saigon?
Ride With Me Saigon teach you to ride a motorbike through a simple 3 step process.
Step 1: Getting on a motorbike
In this first step your instructor teacher will teach you how to use the basic controls of a motorbike. You also learn safety procedures, like how to break safely.
Step 2: Practice
Now you know how to turn on the motorbike you need to practice riding it. Your first time practicing will be done in an enclosed area, free from other motorbikes to allow you free reign of the bike without fear of bumping into anyone! Your instructor is there to guide you and support you throughout this whole stage.
Step 3: Getting out there
The final step of your lesson is getting out onto the road! To ease you into it you are first taken into the quiet streets around Binh Tan district, and you are lead through the traffic by your instructor. The whole of this step is done with the guidance of your instructor!
Check out the video to see what it looks like getting a motorbike lesson from Ride With Me Saigon:
Another perk of learning through Ride With Me Saigon is that they are partnered with one of the most reputable motorbike rental companies in Saigon, DC Motorbikes. This means you can go along for a lesson and ride off with a new rental bike!
How to book motorbike lessons from Ride with Me Saigon?
Ride with Me Saigon can be found on Facebook. Send them a message to book in for a lesson!
Where: DC Motorbikes, 5K2 Đường số 1, Phường 26, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh
Cost: A private lesson from Ride With Me Saigon is 500k VND ($21 USD)
Let them know you came from So The Adventure Begins and you’ll bag a cheeky 10% off too!
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For more on Motorbiking in Vietnam:
- Learning to Ride a Motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City
- Lessons Learned on my First Motorbike Road Trip
- Buying a Honda Cub in HCMC: The Honda Cub Exchange
Blondes teaching blondes to drive motorbikes. Yaaaay! 🙂