Scooters, mopeds and motorcycles

Where two wheels make sense

In Batumi in summer a scooter is one of the most pleasant ways to get around a seaside town: the seafront is flat, the distances short, and in the evening a breeze comes in off the sea.

Motorcycle travel on Georgia's mountain roads is well known in the region: passes, hairpins and valleys where sitting in a car gives you less of the pleasure. But it is only for experienced riders.

Where they do not

We rarely recommend a scooter in Tbilisi to a visitor. The city is hilly, traffic is dense, and drivers do not always notice a two-wheeler - especially when changing lanes.

And if you have only recently started riding, a mountain road is not the place to learn. Gravel, sand on a bend and a steep descent are the biggest dangers for a beginner.

Driving licence and category

To ride a scooter or motorcycle you need a licence in the appropriate category, depending on engine size. A car licence does not automatically entitle you to ride a motorcycle.

Hire companies sometimes do not check the licence, but that is not in your favour: without it the insurance does not apply, and in an accident all the costs are yours.

Before booking we check your licence and tell you which category of vehicle you may ride. If you do not hold the category, we offer a bicycle or an e-bike instead.

Helmet and gear

A helmet is compulsory, for the rider and the passenger alike. It is usually included in the hire, but check that it is your size and fits snugly - a helmet that is too big cannot protect you.

Riding a motorcycle in the mountains you need full gear: a jacket with armour, gloves, sturdy boots. Some companies hire it out, but your own often fits better.

In summer in Batumi plenty of people ride scooters in a T-shirt and sandals. It looks normal, but even a minor fall then becomes a serious injury.

Insurance and the deposit

Scooter insurance is often more limited than car insurance: the excess is high, and sometimes theft is not covered. We check this in the contract and set it out for you separately.

Some local hirers ask for your passport as a deposit. Never leave your passport - it is your document for entering and leaving the country. A cash deposit or a block on a card is far safer.

We work with hirers who do not ask for passports and put the contract in writing. That is the minimum standard.

The Batumi seafront

In Batumi the most beautiful scooter route runs along the seafront, from the boulevard to the Botanical Garden and the southern part of town. It makes a half-day outing with short stops.

Parking a scooter in town is easy, but you may not ride into pedestrian zones or onto the boulevard. We show you those places in advance.

At midday in summer Batumi is hot and humid, and the tarmac is scorching. So the best hours are the morning and the evening, when the breeze comes off the sea.

Tbilisi on two wheels

In Tbilisi a scooter is convenient for a local but rarely for a visitor. The city centre is on hills, the streets are narrow and cobbled, and traffic is dense at rush hour.

Cobbles become slippery after rain, which is dangerous on a scooter. The old town opens up far better on foot, and vehicles cannot get into many of its streets anyway.

If you still want two wheels, a bicycle along the river and in the parks is the calmer choice. We recommend a scooter only to an experienced rider, and not at rush hour.

App-based e-scooters

In Tbilisi and Batumi electric kick scooters can be hired through apps: you unlock one by phone, ride and leave it. For short distances that is convenient.

But they often move among pedestrians and alongside cars, and accidents are not rare. No helmet comes with them, and few people think about that.

Our advice: carefully, at low speed, and not at night or after drinking. And, as everywhere, the rules change from time to time - read in the app where you may ride and where you may park.

Travelling by motorcycle

Georgia is well known among motorcycle travellers: a great deal of landscape in short distances, mountain passes and unpaved roads that draw lovers of adventure.

But this is not a tarmac circuit. Twisting hairpins, potholes, sand on a bend and unexpected livestock call for experience and a low speed.

We hire motorcycles only to people with the right licence and real experience. We ask about this when you book and, if needed, offer a short test ride on the spot.

A moto tour with a support vehicle

The safest way to ride the mountains is an organised tour: a local riding guide goes ahead, while a vehicle with the luggage, spare parts and first aid follows behind.

That way luggage does not weigh the motorcycle down, and if the bike is damaged or someone gets tired, the vehicle is always close. A motorcycle can be loaded onto it and the rider can continue by car.

The guide knows where the road is bad, where there is fuel and where you can spend the night. It costs more than travelling independently, but in the mountains it is often the only sensible choice.

Road surface and hazards

On the main roads the tarmac is usually good, but potholes appear unexpectedly, especially after winter. For a two-wheeler a single pothole is a serious danger.

In villages dogs often chase motorcycles and bicycles. It usually ends with noise, but sudden braking or swerving raises the risk of a fall.

Livestock on the road, especially in the evening, and slow lorries on bends - all of this is more dangerous on two wheels. On a bend your speed should always allow you to stop in time.

Weather

In summer the lowlands are hot, and riding in full gear is exhausting. So on a moto tour day we start early and spend the midday heat at a stop.

In the mountains the weather changes quickly: morning sun turns to rain and cold by midday, especially on a pass. Waterproof clothing is essential even in summer.

The best time to ride the mountains is late spring and early autumn. In winter the mountain roads are practically closed to two-wheelers.

Riding at night

We do not recommend riding two-wheelers at night, especially out of town. Visibility is poor, potholes cannot be seen, and a car driver notices a motorcycle even less at night.

In Batumi, an evening ride along the seafront on lit streets is usually trouble-free. But leaving town at night is another matter.

On a moto tour we plan the route so that you reach your overnight stop before dark. That is the simplest and most effective safety rule there is.

Parking and theft

Always leave a scooter or motorcycle locked and in plain view. Do not leave the helmet or belongings on it - those go missing most easily.

In some contracts theft is not covered by the insurance, and then the value of the scooter is on you. So we always check this in the contract.

At a hotel at night you leave the scooter in an inner courtyard or car park if possible. We agree that with the hotel in advance.

An accident

After an accident the first call is to 112, even for minor damage. A police report is essential for the insurance and the hirer.

If you are injured, do not move and wait for the ambulance. After a crash on two wheels people often feel fine, but injuries show up later.

At that point we interpret, deal with the hirer and the insurer, and put you in touch with a clinic if needed. Before you travel, check whether your travel insurance covers riding a motorcycle.

Alcohol

Riding a two-wheeler after drinking is the worst idea in any country, and in Georgia, where wine is everywhere, the temptation is especially strong.

Our rule is simple - zero. On a wine day the scooter or motorcycle stays put, and you get back by taxi or transfer.

When riding under the influence of alcohol the insurance does not apply, and all the damage is on you. That is the most expensive consequence of a single glass of wine.

Passengers and children

Taking a passenger on a scooter is possible if the scooter is designed for it and the passenger has their own helmet. For a novice rider a passenger makes handling much harder.

We do not recommend taking a child on a scooter, especially in city traffic. In Batumi a bicycle with a child seat or a family bike is a safer choice for a family.

On a moto tour a motorcycle with a passenger is heavy and needs more experience on a mountain road. In that case we often suggest the passenger rides in the support vehicle.

Checking the scooter when you collect it

When you collect it, check the brakes, tyres, lights and indicators. Photograph and film every scratch in front of the hirer.

Check the fuel or battery charge and ask where the nearest filling station is. An e-scooter's charge often covers less distance than the advertising claims.

If the brakes are weak or a tyre is worn, do not take the scooter. Ask for another - that is your safety, not a matter of politeness.

When other transport is better

If your riding experience is limited, in Batumi a bicycle or an e-bike is safer than a scooter and gives almost the same pleasure.

In the mountains, if you do not have a lot of experience on a motorcycle, a car with a driver or a 4x4 is better. The views are the same, the risk far lower.

And for a long drive between cities a scooter is no good - it is slow, tiring and dangerous among lorries on the highway. A transfer or the train is better there.

Booking and lead times

In Batumi 24 hours is usually enough for a scooter or a bicycle, except on summer weekends, when they are booked up early.

A motorcycle or a moto tour is planned in advance - a week or two ahead, more in season. Good motorcycles are few, and riding guides are busy in season.

For a moto tour we put the route, the overnight stops and the support vehicle together and send everything to you in one quote.

What we need from you

Your driving licence and its categories, and your experience on two wheels: how many years, what type of vehicle, town or mountains. That is the basis for choosing the vehicle.

The dates, the city and the route you would like. For a moto tour, also the style of overnight stay: hotel, guesthouse or tent.

And the terms of your travel insurance, if you have it. Many policies do not cover riding a motorcycle, and it is better to know that in advance.

What the price depends on

The price of a scooter or moped depends on duration and season: hourly, daily and weekly hire differ, and prices rise in summer.

For a motorcycle the model and the level of insurance set the price. A moto tour adds the guide, the support vehicle, the overnight stays and fuel.

We show you everything in one quote, as separate lines. The price is known before you book and does not change on the spot.

The contract and the border

The hire contract is always put in writing: the condition of the vehicle, the deposit, the insurance, the limits and the return conditions. We do not rely on a verbal agreement on two wheels.

Crossing a border on a hired scooter or motorcycle is usually forbidden. A moto tour into a neighbouring country is arranged separately, with the right documents.

If anything in the contract is unclear, we translate and explain it. Sign only when every clause is clear.

Bicycles and e-bikes

The Batumi cycle path runs along the seafront and is calm enough for a family. An e-bike gives the same pleasure with less effort, and needs no licence.

Out of town, in the lowlands, half-day routes by e-bike are possible too - among the Kakheti vineyards, for example, on village roads. We do not recommend cycling on the highway, though.

We recommend a helmet on a bicycle too, and for children it is a must. A child seat or a child's bike needs to be booked in advance.