How to Rent a Motorcycle in Costa Rica

The best way to explore this Central American gem is on a bike, and the easiest way to do that is to fly in and rent one. So we put this guide together to explain everything you need to know about renting a motorcycle in Costa Rica…

This guide is based on our motorcycle ride through Costa Rica during our round the world trip. The guides on this website are constantly updated by us and with info from contributors to keep them current, up-to-date and as helpful as possible for you.

Renting a Motorcycle in Costa Rica

By Andy Davidson

Mad or Nomad - RTW motorcycle travellers

Costa Rica is one of our favourite countries – and certainly one of the very best in Central America. Beautiful landscapes, wonderful people, easy to navigate, safe and well set up for tourism. You can have as much of an adventure as you dare in Costa Rica by sticking to well-used trails or veering off along jungle trucks. It’s epic and you’re going to love it.

But, unless you’re on a big ride of the Americas and in Costa Rica with your own bike, the easiest way to ride there is to simply fly in and rent a motorcycle or join an organised tour. And so we’ve written this packed guide is to help you do just that…

Why rent a motorcycle in Costa Rica?

We are on a round-the-world motorcycle trip and rode through Costa Rica in July 2024. And it just blew us away; we absolutely loved the country because it had so much to offer—especially for riding. From misty mountains to jungle trails and stunning beaches, it was by far one of our favourite countries.

One of the main reasons it’s so good to rent a motorcycle is because you have such an excellent mix of adventure and comforts. Costa Rica is well set up for tourism, so it’s easy to find decent accommodation, restaurants, and lots to do. At the same time, you can really get out there on a smaller bike and explore remote regions. You’ll also find great rental companies and a good selection of bikes here. Renting or joining a tour is easy to do here, unlike in some of its neighbouring countries. Here’s what you need to know about renting a motorcycle in Costa Rica.

Paperwork

To rent a motorcycle in Costa Rica, you will need a valid driver’s licence. If your licence is not written in the Roman alphabet, you may need to bring an international driver’s permit.

You also need a valid passport, and we’ll need to make sure you can enter Costa Rica with the appropriate visa or visa waiver. For more info on this, check our motorcycle travel guide for Costa Rica and the Admin guides for general info on paperwork for motorcycle travellers.

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Motorcycle insurance

It is important to make sure you are covered with insurance to ride your rental motorcycle in Costa Rica. It is likely your rental or tour company will provide this for you, but don’t assume that they do and make sure you check.

Personal travel insurance

We highly recommend getting decent personal travel insurance before you leave on your trip. It’s incredibly important that you’re covered in case of an accident and your medical bills will be taken care of. Make sure Costa Rica is included on your insurance.

READ MORE: The Motorcycle Insurance Guide

Choosing a motorcycle rental or tour company

There’s a few motorcycle rental and tour companies based in Costa Rica. You’ll want to do your research and look into their reviews and what bikes and services they offer.

To help narrow down your search, we’ve listed what we reckon are the top companies in Costa Rica on our recommended rentals and tour companies page.

And we highly recommend getting in touch with our good friend Luis from Go Ride Moto Costa Rica. He’s a brilliant guy, passionate about his country and helping you have the best riding adventure there possible.

What motorcycle to rent in Costa Rica

There’s a huge range of motorcycles on offer to rent in Costa Rica, however, Costa Rica is a fantastic country for adventure bike riding there’s a lot of off-road and trails and tracks to explore so we would recommend going for a small capacity motorcycle preferably a single cylinder we found the Honda CRF300 to be fantastic bikes for this country.

READ MORE: Adventure Motorcycle Guides

Checking your rental motorcycle

Check your motorcycle over. Look at the chain and sprockets, make sure they’re not too loose or worn, move the wheel side to side and check the bearings, do your handlebars turn freely? Apply the brakes, push down on the suspension, tyres in decent condition with plenty of tread? Sit on the bike and make sure it’s comfortable, does it start perfectly first time? Of course, there’s only so much you can check but it’s always worth covering the basics.

It’s always a good idea to take loads of photos of the bike before you set off. Take a photoic of any damage or scuff marks and do a video walk around that way you have proof of any damage done to the bike before you started your trip. Just in case.

What do you need to take?

How long you’re riding for and what terrain you want to cover will make a difference to what you need on the bike. If you are planning to do lots of off-road riding, then make sure your tyres are suitable. Check if your bike comes with a toolkit because there may be times when you’re stranded or need to perform repairs yourself.

How are you planning on navigating? Do you need a phone holder, and is this included? Importantly, check what luggage setup your bike comes with so you can take your gear with you.

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How much does it cost?

You can expect to pay anywhere from 50-200USD for a motorcycle depending on the model and duration of rental. Tours are another option and the prices will vary greatly on these dependent on your bike and group number etc.

Riding gear

Some companies will provide you with riding gear, but personally we believe it’s always better to take your own if you can. You’ll know it fits, is comfortable and safe that way. The last thing you want to do after flying to a new country for a bike tour is to squeeze your head into a helmet two sizes too small.

We highly recommend wearing lightweight and breathable summer riding gear or mesh kit. Carry a throwover waterproof in case you get downpours. If you’re not sure what riding gear to go for, have a read of our riding gear guides.

READ MORE: Adventure Riding Gear Guides

Should I rent or join a tour?

This one is completely down to personal preference and what you want from your trip. If you want a turnkey holiday where everything is taken care of including the route, accommodation, stops, sights and a mechanic in a support vehicle to follow you along then a tour may be the best option. Especially if you’re on a time constraint. It’s a great way to get the very best out of your trip.

But if you prefer doing things your own way and want to ride and explore alone, then renting is best for you. To help you decide, have a read of this guide below. And check out recommended rentals and tours page, as some of the companies in there offer a range of guided tour options from fully to self guided.

Where to ride in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is seriously diverse with everything from mountains and rainforests to beautiful beaches and national parks. Be prepared for varying road conditions, paved highways and dirt roads. So the conditions will greatly depend on where you want to ride.

But don’t worry, regardless of whether you’re renting or joining a tour, the company you go with should be prepared to help you plot a route. Just don’t be overambitious and try and squeeze in too much. Sure, it’s a small country, but it takes a while to get around thanks to its stunning and twisty roads. So plan accordingly.

You’ll find a selection of our favourite places in this guide.

When to go

Costa Rica’s weather can be unpredictable, especially during the rainy season. Check the weather forecast and be prepared for sudden changes. Make sure you carry throwover waterproofs. It can get seriously hot in Costa Rica so you don’t want to be riding in kit that’s fully waterproof. Remove any waterproof liners and just chuck a cheap throwover on if it starts to rain.

As for when to go, the best time is during the dry season from November to May. We rode in July for a month and had the odd heavy showers, but they tended to only be in the afternoon.

Tech

It’s worth opting for an eSIM before you get to Costa Rica. We personally use Holafly eSIMs. This way, you can get mobile data on your phone ready for when you cross into the country. It’s the easiest and quickest way to have unlimited data on your phone.

We also recommend downloading Maps.Me. It’s a free offline map and navigation app for your phone. Download the app and then the country map for Costa Rica just in case.

And finally, download iOverlander, a fantastic tool for motorcycle travellers.

You’ll find links to all of these apps and how they work in this guide.