Motorcycle license advice, please.
I've had a UK car driving license for 30+ years (not that the length of time matters). I want to rent or buy a scooter in the Philippines. I've rented a car in Manila several times (I actually really enjoy driving in Manila), but I'd like to try the scooter thing too.
So I'm thinking of getting my UK motorcycle license and then converting it to a Philippine license within (I think) a year. But since I have no plans to ride a motorcycle in the UK, I'm wondering if I should just take the motorcycle test in the Philippines. Then again, I might want to rent a scooter when visiting other Southeast Asian countries.
I think I may have answered my own question (get the UK license)… but I'm curious what others have done.
If there's a picture of a motorcycle on the back of your UK license, you can ride a motorcycle in the Philippines. I converted my UK license to a Philippine one and got the motorcycle entitlement, because here cc doesn't matter, it's one size fits all. So if you have the 50cc scooter category (with a 30-year full license you must have it!), you can ride anything here.
Get a UK license. There's no need to convert, since it's valid here for at least 90 days.
A couple of hours and a couple thousand pesos, and you can just get your license without a driving test.
I'm old, 54, and rode two-wheelers all my life back in the States. Riding a scooter HERE is one of the most dangerous things we do in the Philippines. The risk is hugely different between the cities and the countryside, but I'd still say it's much better for us to call a ride. Believe me, I love riding a motorcycle more than most people. I even bought a 2026 Honda PCX160 here. I'm comfortable with the madness in traffic, but I'm always scared of a minor accident. They happen every day here, and I sure don't want to end up laid up in a hospital bed here.
If you don't have a motorcycle license and get an international permit for, say, Thailand… no legal bike rentals. Depends on your travel plans, I guess.
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