Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2018 – 19

by Vargis.Khan

Continuing from the previous article where I discussed the taxi rates in Leh Ladakh for year 2018-19, in this article I will provide Ladakh Bike Rental Rates for year 2018 – 19. If you were planning a trip to Ladakh this year and wanted to rent a motorcycle for sightseeing in Ladakh; then mentioned below is the daily rental that you will have to pay depending on the motorcycle you chose.

As a matter of fact, there is not really any difference in the rates from 2017 to 2018. These rates are the same that were declared last year and have been carried forward in to this year as well by Ladakh Motorbike Rental Association. The list of motorcycles available on rent too is pretty much the same.

ladakh bike rental rates

Srinagar Leh highway was declared open earlier this week which more or less marks the beginning of tourist season in Ladakh. So if a trip to Ladakh was on your mind, you are good to plan anytime now as per your convenience. The rental services in Ladakh are available even now so you can get to Leh by Air and rent a motorbike for rest of your trip. There are however a few things that you must pay close attention to while renting a motorcycle here which I will discuss in details further in the article.

Also read: How to Handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh

Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2018 – 19

Mentioned below is a list of motorcycles that are currently available on rent in Ladakh; with their per day rental.

Royal Enfield Himalayan
Engine Size: 411CC
Rental: Rs. 2000 per day, Rs. 1200 for half day

Royal Enfield Classic
Engine Size: 500CC
Rental: Rs. 1,800 per day, Rs. 1,100 for half day

Royal Enfield Standard
Engine Size: 500CC
Rental Rs. 1,600 per day, Rs. 1,000 for half day

Royal Enfield Electra
Engine Size: 350CC
Rental: Rs. 1,200 per day, Rs. 700 for half day

Royal Enfield Standard
Engine Size: 350CC
Rental: Rs. 1,100 per day, Rs. 600 for half day

Bajaj Avenger
Rental: Rs.1,000 per day, Rs. 600 for half day

Bajaj Vikrant
Rental: Rs. 900 per day, Rs. 500 for half day

Hero Impulse
Rental: Rs. 900 per day, Rs. 500 for half day

Automatic Bike / Scooty
Rental: Rs. 800 per day, Rs. 500 for half day

There are a few things that you do need to keep in mind while renting the motorcycle, as mentioned below.

  • No agency will be allowed to rent you a motorcycle if you cannot produce a valid driving license.
  • If you are a foreign national, you must produce an International driving license. Your local DL issued in our respective country will not be sufficient.
  • Apart from the daily rental, you will also pay around Rs. 20,000 as security amount. It will be refunded when you return the bike with no damage.
  • Please ensure that you are carrying your DL with you if you intend on renting a motorcycle in Leh.
  • No agency will rent you motorcycles below these rates. If they are found doing so, there is a penalty of Rs. 5000 that they may have to pay.
  • Half day rental is applicable post 2 PM. It means that you need to return the motorcycle before 2 PM. Failure to do so will imply full day charges.
  • An extra amount of Rs. 100 per day will be charged for luggage carrier / saddle bag.
Bullet on rent in Leh Ladakh

As you can see from the list above, Royal Enfield is the hot favorite of both the rental agencies and customers alike. Depending on which model you chose, renting a Bullet in Ladakh will cost you between Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 2,000 per day. Royal Enfield Standard 350 will be the cheapest but then it comes with no electric start and no disc brakes.  Royal Enfield Himalayan is the costliest of all the models. A moderate enough deal will be to go for RE Standard 500CC which will cost you Rs. 1,600 per day.

Also read: How to rent a motorcycle in Leh

Hero Impulse

This I believe is on the same lines as a Himalayan but at a much lesser price with a smaller engine. A Hero Impulse can be a good choice if you are on a budget as at Rs. 800 per day, it will cost you half the amount in rental than an RE. However you can only go for an Impulse when you are riding solo and has a thing for sporty bikes. I will not recommend it for riding with pillion.

Bajaj Vikrant

Good choice, within budget but the restrictions will be same as an Impulse. You cannot consider it while riding with a pillion.

Automatic Bike / Activa / Scooty

This is a great choice but I will recommend it only for city purpose. Do not rent these for going towards Nubra, Pangong or Moriri. Due to small tires, these will be a big problem on bad roads. But for sightseeing and moving from one place to another in Leh city, these can be a good choice.

Bajaj Avenger

No offense meant to people who own an Avenger and love it but I will not recommend it for riding in mountains. The large turning radius may be a problem. A bigger concern however is that if you applied sudden brakes, you will be on the ground flat before you get your feet down.

Also read: How to Obtain Inner Line Permit for Ladakh

What to Check While taking a Motorcycle on Rent in Leh Ladakh

I am not a mechanic myself but I will still list a few things. Check the condition of the chain set and ensure it is not worn out. If the motorcycle is electric start, try bringing it to life a couple of times and ensure that it doesn’t cough or give trouble when you press the start switch. If it is kick start, ensure that there is no starting problem and the motorcycle is a single or at most two kicks start.

Check the condition of the tires if they are worn out. Sit down on the motorcycle to check that the seats are comfortable enough. Do a thorough inspection of the motorcycle for any oil leakage, either from engine or front shock absorbers. Check that the headlamp is bright enough and get it replaced if it is not. Also check the tail light and that both the indicators are in working condition.

Other Tips on Motorbike rental in Leh

Motorcycles rented outside of Ladakh are not allowed here. This applies to bikes rented from Manali and Srinagar as well. Riding these bikes, you can only travel on Manali Leh or Srinagar Leh route and reach the town of Leh. However for sightseeing in Ladakh, you will then have to rent a local registered bike; and leave the motorcycle you arrived on parked somewhere in the city. You may even have to keep a room at any of the hotel for this purpose. This applies for going towards places like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri.

The Ladakh Bike Rental Association has check posts at several places; and they may send you back to Leh if found on a motorcycle registered outside of Leh. If this argument gets ugly, they may even damage the motorcycle or worst yet, impound an hold it. This happened with several people in 2017; post which there was a huge altercation between Manali and Leh bike rental associations.

Also read: Clothes for Ladakh Trip – What to Pack?

Privately Owned Motorcycles

The rule above however is only applicable to rented motorcycles. Privately owned motorcycles are free to travel around as you like without any restriction. Please note that in case of personal vehicle, you can only take a motorcycle that is registered either in your name or in your parent’s name. Let us say that if you are traveling on a motorcycle registered in your father’s name, you can produce any valid identity proof to prove the relation. If however, you are traveling on a motorcycle registered to a sibling or a friend, you must leave it in Leh and rent another motorcycle for local sightseeing.

Bike Rental in Leh Ladakh

Some rental agencies in Manali, Leh and Srinagar have ties ups with each other. So for example, if you rented a motorcycle from Manali and then rented another in Leh from the company that the Manali people are in tie up with; there can be some discount given on Leh motorcycles. You may want to ask about this while renting bikes from Manali or Srinagar.

Ladakh Bike Rental Cost

Overall for bike rental, you will pay between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000 depending on which motorcycle you chose and then Rs. 100 per day for the saddle. However, apart from this cost, there is another heavy charge for leaving the motorcycles at another city. For example, if you rented a bike from Leh and left it at Manali or Srinagar, you will be charged with an additional Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000 as transportation cost.

Ladakh Bike Rental Price – Security Charge

Another amount that you will be paying is the security charge which can be up to even 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 depending on the company and motorcycle. You should also ask about this before you finalize a motorcycle with any of the companies.

Conclusion:

I hope the information above was of help. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below; or at our Community Forum; and I will be glad to answer.

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76 comments

Prodip Chakraborty September 16, 2019 - 2:11 am

Hello
I have seen pickup vans following groups of bikers as part of the team. It carries spares, extra fuel and a mechanic too. Could you throw some light on these facilities? Also, for a novice, can a bike be hired along with a professional driver?

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Vargis.Khan September 16, 2019 - 4:21 am

Those are available but at an extra cost. It is usually provided by the agency that you rent the bike from. You will have to ride the bike yourself if u rent one, it doesn’t come with a driver.

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Ashish Kushwaha July 22, 2019 - 6:14 pm

Me and my friends are planning for mid December this year. I want to know that, could we able to visit every popular places like, pangong lake, nubra valley etc. Or roads were blocked in December. One more thing, is it a good idea to visit in December.

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Vargis.Khan July 23, 2019 - 11:48 am

Yes you will be able to visit all the places but it is going to be terribly cold so be prepared.

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Jeet July 17, 2019 - 1:44 pm

Bhai I am in Manali and i hired a RE 350 but someone told me that you cannot go to Rohtang on bike . If you go you have to stay for one day otherwise a Challan will be fined but aur bikes hire agency wale kehte hai ki kuch nahi hota aap jaa sakte hai . Please can you help me brother I am in confusion . I am with my wife planning to go to Rohtang . Please help

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Vargis.Khan July 17, 2019 - 2:37 pm

No such Bhai, you are free to go. Aisi koi condition nahi hai.
Bas Permit Rohtang wala lena
‘Beyond Rohtang’ naam ka Permit mat lena.

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Dhruvesh Chavda May 1, 2019 - 5:14 am

Hey man…great review though and very detailed insights are there…thank you so much..
I want to ask that if i hire bike from srinagar to reach leh.so obviously i have to leave that bike in leh but in that condition also will they take charges of single side trip ??? If yes then how can we eliminate these charges because after reaching leh from Srinagar i can’t go back the next day to return the bike.
Same scenario follows for manali to leh also…Did you get my point ??
Please give your thoughts on that

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Vargis.Khan May 1, 2019 - 1:52 pm

Yes Dhruv. They will charge you about 10-15k over and above the rental for leaving the motorcycle in Leh. There is no other way around this.

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Devesh Daksh January 11, 2019 - 12:49 pm

Sir, we are planning to visit leh and other near by places my concern Is for renting bikes In January 25-28… Or taxi will be available in this month?

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Vargis.Khan April 7, 2019 - 5:06 am

Sorry for not replying to your comment in time Devesh. I was myself traveling at that time and just noticed your comment now.

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Abhishek Kumar November 28, 2018 - 3:41 pm

awesome info and briefing . Me and 3 of my friends are traveling leh on 21st dec 2018 , we would like to know that bike riding would be good that time , if yes the where to get the bikes on rent . I have done leh circuit with my own bike 4 time but all in summer .

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Vargis.Khan November 29, 2018 - 2:00 am

It is going to be terribly cold and if you want to be riding bikes then make sure you are packing proper clothes for it. You can get bikes on rent in Leh itself but there is snow towards Khardung La right now so you should know how to handle a motorcycle really. If you aren’t sure you can manage then better not take the risk.

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Abhishek Kumar November 29, 2018 - 11:34 am

Yes I would like to take the risk, if possible then please share some contact numbers of some bike rentals

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Neeraj Shokeen November 8, 2018 - 12:08 pm

Hi Vargis
Friend can be get bike on rent after 15th November this year?? 2018
Or will shared taxis be available at this time??

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Vargis.Khan November 8, 2018 - 1:01 pm

Hi Neeraj – You can get bikes these days in Novevmber as well. Shared cabs will be available too but very few.

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Neeraj Shokeen November 12, 2018 - 11:11 am

Thank you friend

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Vargis.Khan November 12, 2018 - 6:05 pm

You are welcome !!! 🙂

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Ashish Kushwaha July 1, 2019 - 6:12 pm

@Neeraj Shokeen How was your experience in November… I am also planning for this uear in mid November

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Dieter November 5, 2018 - 11:54 pm

Thank you for all your information! Very helpfull!
My girlfriend and I are planning to visit Leh in July 2019 for the summit of the Stok Kangri. But before that we need to acclamatize a few days in Leh.
To discover the surroundings (Pangong Lake and Khardung La Pass) we want to hire a motor bike.
We both have a driving license but it is only for cars and scooters in our country (Belgium).
Do we need a driving license specifically for motor bikes?

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Vargis.Khan November 6, 2018 - 2:10 pm

You will actually need an international driving license for renting bikes in India. Your Belgium license will not be valid in any other country.

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Subha Ranjan Ghoshal October 26, 2018 - 9:02 am

Hello Vargis, thank you so much for sharing such valuable information on biking in Leh. I came to know many important things on the topic.

Me and my wife are planning a trip there in May 2019 (most probably 3rd May to 10th May). We want to cover Nubra, Pangong and Tsomoriri with night halt at each spot by a hired vehicle and the sight seeing of Leh (Magnetic Hill, Confluence, Guru Pathar Sahib etc.) by a rented bike. Can you please share your expert views on the plan? Thank you.

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Vargis.Khan October 26, 2018 - 12:37 pm

Hi Subha – Yes you can plan the trip. All the areas you mentioned will be open and bikes tooo will be available in Leh on rent.

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Subha Ranjan Ghoshal October 26, 2018 - 4:02 pm

Thank you so much for replying. Do you suggest to book the vehicle from now through a travel agent or book it directly after reaching Leh? I can understand than booking on my own will save plenty of my hard earned money but I’m concerned about availability of an unbooked vehicle when I reach Leh. Please share your views.

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Vargis.Khan October 26, 2018 - 9:06 pm

If you are booking a motorcycle then reach there, test a few and then book. If you are booking a taxi then prices will remain same in either case. Availability in May should not be a concern really.

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Shobi September 10, 2018 - 10:58 am

Asslamualaykum vargis bhai DSLR rent per mil jata leh m?????

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Vargis.Khan September 10, 2018 - 12:08 pm

Walaikum As-salam Shobi Bhai — Haan mil jaayega. Kisi bhi photographer ya kisi bike rental wale se pata karna vahan

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Shobi September 11, 2018 - 4:40 am

Thanks vargis bhai ek baat or ye time best h jaane k liye leh

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Vargis.Khan September 11, 2018 - 11:54 am

Kab ja rahe ho aap?

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Shobi September 12, 2018 - 2:39 pm

18 september ko flight hai delh se or hotel online bookoing sahi hai ya wahi jakar dekh le

Vargis.Khan September 12, 2018 - 3:09 pm

Vahin jakar dekh lena .. End of tourist season hai, mil jaayega aaram se

Shobi September 12, 2018 - 5:05 pm

Ok bhai bhut bhut shukriya or aage bhi malum karke pareshan karta rahunga

Vargis.Khan September 12, 2018 - 6:21 pm

You are welcome !!!

Nayab Chishti September 7, 2018 - 10:55 am

Helloo,
What about Four Wheeler, if am going by car of Delhi Taxi number or ZOOM Car or any personal car but the owner is not in car so can we roam in Ladakh (Nubra, Turtuk, Pangon e.t.c)

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Vargis.Khan September 7, 2018 - 12:07 pm

No. Any cab rented outside of Ladakh can only be used to reach Leh City. Once you get there, you will have to leave it parked at the hotel and rent another local cab there for visiting Nubra, Pangong etc.

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Nayab Chishti September 13, 2018 - 12:09 pm

What about self-drive car rental ? Kya rent hai per day ka aur kya LEH mein mil sakti h self-drive car rental?

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Vargis.Khan September 13, 2018 - 12:41 pm

There are no self drive rentals in Leh

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Abhishek August 15, 2018 - 7:27 am

Rental bikes available in november or not ?

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Vargis.Khan August 15, 2018 - 12:38 pm

Yes

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Abraham Cherian July 30, 2018 - 10:03 am

Hi Vargis,

First of all you have great blog man, its very informative. Thanks a lot for putting up all the updated information. Now me and my friends are planning to visit Leh in September, So my doubt is on the security amount. Is the 20,000 for every single bike or is it 20K even if we rent more than 2 bikes?

Regards
Abraham

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Vargis.Khan July 30, 2018 - 4:44 pm

Hi Abraham – Thank you for your kind words. That security amount is per bike, so if rented 2 bikes then you will pay 40k.

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Sony July 25, 2018 - 5:34 pm

Hi I am planing for a week in Leh, from August 13, and like to visit nearby places by taking a motorcycle. But i havent ride through tough terrains and no experience in repairing bike if something happens. Is it possible to join with some other team and go for the ride

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Vargis.Khan July 25, 2018 - 7:39 pm

Yes you can but I do not know of any such groups so cannot actually direct you to someone.

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Vijay Ram July 20, 2018 - 4:42 pm

hi.. we want to plan bike trip to ladakh so i have royal enfield on my cousin name… so its require to rent bike from leh? our family is joint family and bike on my cousin name. can i continue on my own bike from leh?

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Vargis.Khan July 20, 2018 - 6:18 pm

Bikes in your cousin’s name could be a problem. You will have to carry sufficient documents to prove that the owner of the bike is your cousin. And even than the locals can stop you and send back.

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Vijay July 20, 2018 - 8:12 pm

thanks… and one more question is we want to plan second week of November so this time good? I read somewhere that at that time close leh manali road.

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Vargis.Khan July 21, 2018 - 1:59 am

No, November is not a good time for a bike ride to Ladakh. And yes, Manali Leh highway by then would definitely be closed.

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Nabi July 3, 2018 - 11:34 am

Sir if i rent bike on Let to Manali one side is available (I will go on bus manali to leh)
and any bike rental agency contact number if you have please share with me sir

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Vargis.Khan July 3, 2018 - 1:51 pm

Yes bikes are available but one side rental will cost you more. I am sorry but I do not have any contacts as such.

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Ludovic Ampe July 2, 2018 - 3:51 pm

Hi, do you have any agencies that you recommend? We would like to reserve bikes as we are 6. We only have 4 days around Leh, any itineries to recommend? Thanks a lot!

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Vargis.Khan July 2, 2018 - 4:10 pm

Sorry I do not have any recommendations in this aspect. Best to test ride a few bikes before making the final call.

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Suhas June 27, 2018 - 6:49 am

Hi Vargis,
the bike which i will be travelling is in my father’s name. This wouldn’t cause any problem?
Do i have to show any ID of my father as well?
Thank you!

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Vargis.Khan June 27, 2018 - 4:35 pm

Hi Suhas – Just carry all the vehicle’s paperwork and your identity card that can prove that the owner of the vehicle is your father; and that you are not renting it from someone.

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menon June 13, 2019 - 5:06 am

Thank you so much for the detail and effort put into each of your peices.

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Vargis.Khan June 13, 2019 - 12:59 pm

Thanks Menon

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lauradelee June 24, 2018 - 2:39 pm

Hi Vargis, your website is absolutely fantastic!

We know that Manali bikes can only go as far as Leh, but how about the other way around? Are Leh bikes allowed all the way to Manali via the Leh-Manali highway?

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Vargis.Khan June 24, 2018 - 4:59 pm

Hi Lauradelee – Yes you can rent a bike in Leh and bring it to Manali city.

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Sudhanshu June 18, 2018 - 2:19 am

Hi Vargis
This Is sudhanshu…can I rent a bike on the basis of learning license in leh??

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Vargis.Khan June 18, 2018 - 1:58 pm

Hi Sudhansu – No, they will ask for a permanent license.

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Modi007 May 20, 2018 - 9:32 am

Hello, Thanks for article. I am planning leh-ladakh trip with my brother this july so is it ok if we do bike trip without any tour agency?. can you please suggest?

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Vargis.Khan May 20, 2018 - 6:28 pm

Yes, absolutely. No need for any tour agencies. Go and travel on your own, majority of the people do it.

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idrish nagori May 10, 2018 - 6:16 pm

will i get bike on rent on around 18 june ?
or
should i rent it online now?

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Vargis.Khan May 10, 2018 - 7:55 pm

You will get it easily. No need to book in advance.

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Deepesh May 5, 2018 - 10:52 am

hello sir
Can you please provide with some information regarding relieble bike rentals in leh ??

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Vargis.Khan May 6, 2018 - 2:48 am

Hi Deepesh, I do not have any contacts at such but there are so many in Leh these days. Just take a walk through the town and try out a few before you decide on a motorcycle.

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Darshan July 22, 2019 - 5:55 pm

Hi Vargis,
Is it possible to get pulsar 180 in Leh. I could not find anything online.

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Vargis.Khan July 23, 2019 - 11:49 am

Hi Darshan – Try talking to Azhar in Leh @ 9906990020. Give my reference and see if he can arrange a Pulsar for you.

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Maharshi Mehta April 13, 2018 - 4:14 am

Hi Vargis,

Thanks for sharinf the information. I visited leh last year and I rented bullet 350 and it seems it had both self stary AMD disc brake on fromt tyre. Are you sure they are missing from 350 bullet?

Also, I would be visiting leh this year around too and would be having a pillion rider as well. Can you provide me mpre information about carrier luggage? Do this bike rental company fit their own thing or I should bring it along with me and they will fit it. We would be having one backpack which i wish to fit at the carrier luggage abobe the headlight (if possible)

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Vargis.Khan April 13, 2018 - 7:02 pm

Hi Maharshi – Thank you for sharing the quick tip but I am guessing you must have rented 350 Electra and not standard, correct?

Bike rental companies would provide a luggage carrier at a cost of Rs. 100 per day additional.

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Maharshi Mehta April 14, 2018 - 3:55 am

Yeah, it was 350 Electra. So that’s why it had self start and disc brake. Anyways, do you think i should go with 350 electra again or should go with 500 since i will have pillion rider and luggage this time?

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Vargis.Khan April 15, 2018 - 9:57 am

If you have a pillion then definitely go for a 500 just to be on a safer side.

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vasista April 5, 2018 - 4:17 pm

hiii..this is vasista…is there any issues with yellow coloured number plate bikes during the trip from delhi-srinager-leh-numbra vally-pagnong tso-manali-delhi

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Vargis.Khan April 7, 2018 - 10:11 pm

Non-local bikes are not allowed in Ladakh. If you rented a bike from Srinagar or Manali, you can use it to get to Leh but after you reach there, you will have to rent another bike for visiting Nubra, Pangong etc.

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Arun March 29, 2018 - 1:17 pm

Thank you Bro !.
1.Are there any rental agencies or associations where I can opt for the bike directly ?
2. About the security deposit money – can I trust the agency and get back the money without any issues ?

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Vargis.Khan March 29, 2018 - 8:54 pm

Arun Bhai, There are numerous bike rental agencies in Ladakh these days. It is a big business there right now. And yes, you will definitely get the security deposit back, do not worry about that.

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SUKESH Shah September 30, 2019 - 4:47 pm

Hi Vargis Bhai, I have heard that now rules are changed in Leh Ladakh . You cannot use out side vehicle in LL. Can u help me to plan Manali – LL- Kargil- Srinagar or Jammu.

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Vargis.Khan September 30, 2019 - 4:49 pm

Hi Sukesh Bhai, As long as the bike is registered in your name and you have all the papers, you are free to use it anywhere in Ladakh.

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