Moto rentals for road trip?

Buzz65

Member
Jul 13, 2017
132
12
18
Hey North coasters,

Is it possible to rent a moto out of Puerto Plata area and drive to Las Terrenas?

Buzz
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
It is possible to do some real damage to yourself both physically and financially here. Your imagination is the limit.

Practically speaking, from your recent queries re:

Building a house
Purchasing property
Ultra-lites
Motos to LT

I get the impression that your understanding of the basic reality here needs some refinement. All of the above can be certainly be done by those who are committed to doing so, but that in and of itself doesn't necessarily make it a good thing to do.

After you have lived here for at least six months observing traffic as a passenger with an experienced DR driver, you will begin to appreciate how dangerous it can be to drive here. How incredibly vulnerable and at risk you are on a highway on a moto. You will hear of real estate horror stories and the almost complete lack of standards in practice, quality and workmanship in the building industry. You will begin to appreciate just how much of a hassle it will be to import an ultra-lite - the paperwork, inspection, licensing of the craft and the pilot, the taxes, the bribes needed to get it out of the port will demonstrate why there aren't many of these things crisscrossing the skies here. Getting authorization to take off and land somewhere is going to be a separate and ongoing hassle. The chances of a non fixed wing aircraft being to make use of an Int'l airport here are slim to none. A private strip, oh my goodness, the permissions, the inspections, the yearly fees, trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. A casual flight, not going to happen. initially you will be perceived as a drug smuggler and the air force will be paying you a visit.

I appreciate the enthusiasm and the eagerness to begin enjoying the "good life" abroad, however, this needs to be tempered with a good dose of reality. It doesn't matter if in the DR, Columbia, Belize, Ecuador, Panama or anywhere else in the developing world. These places aren't comparable to back home in any respect. The processes here to accomplish to most basic of things usually take an unexpected and unreasonably long period of time from start to finish.

Get all your stuff packed up and crated. Put it in storage with the moving company of your choice and set up shop in the destination country of your choice. Rent a place to live for at least a year. Feel free to move every 2 or three months to sample different locations. After a year, you might just be able to begin to answer the question, "Can I live here" and some of these other uncertainties you are now attempting to clarify.

If you don't know the realities of the real estate market, you have no business plunking down a bundle of cash shortly after you step off a plane. The generally accepted premise in the DR is that with enough money you can do anything you want...once. You may not be able to keep doing "it", you may lose whatever "it" is or "it" or someone else may end you in a variety of ways.

Slow down hop-along. Learn the new way of walking here before you go running off in every which direction at full speed.

Good luck, much success & happiness.
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
2
0
Hey North coasters,

Is it possible to rent a moto out of Puerto Plata area and drive to Las Terrenas?

Buzz

In Sosua there is a guy that has a motorcycle shop of full sized American style bikes. He even had a couple of Can Ams at one point along with his Harleys and a Ground Pounder. He said to me he would rent a bike for the "right price." On the main drag kust past the turn off to go down into the city. It is on the left and usually has bikes out front. The man I talked to was a European I believe form his accent, a white guy, but not American.
Der Fish
 

Buzz65

Member
Jul 13, 2017
132
12
18
I appreciate the enthusiasm and the eagerness to begin enjoying the "good life" abroad, however, this needs to be tempered with a good dose of reality. It doesn't matter if in the DR, Columbia, Belize, Ecuador, Panama or anywhere else in the developing world. These places aren't comparable to back home in any respect. The processes here to accomplish to most basic of things usually take an unexpected and unreasonably long period of time from start to finish.

Thank you and I'm absorbing as much information as possible. As a former Mil Officer, and working abroad for 10 years, I have found some good techniques to adapt. Did an 18 month gig in the south Sahel along a major drug and human trafficking route. I'm easy to please when it comes to accommodations. Not looking to build a Taj Mahal in DR.

I've driven in DR many times as well as Haiti and many 3rd worlds in Africa. It's all about perspective. Driving DR is actually quite easy, once you know the rhythm. DR is the only country where I seen police on the road with vehicles. Everywhere else I've driven is lawless.

And yes, of course I will rent first. I'm planning to come over to DR mid Sep. to spend a week. Just can't decide between Santiago or north coast.