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Getting around Bonaire: Scooter rental
Bonaire Talk: Getting around Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2007- 2008: Archives - 2007-06-01 to 2008-12-31: Scooter rental
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Velda Hammerbacher (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 11:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

My husband and I will be visiting Bonaire for a day next month off a cruise ship. I've researched a number of sites to visit and wonder which is the better way to get to them: scooter or car? I've read through some of the archives detailing bad car rental experiences. Yikes! Makes me a little leery about renting a car. On the other hand, not much has been said about scooter rentals. Can anyone share their scooter experiences?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mickey McCarthy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #490) on Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 2:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Velda
Unless you ride scooters a lot rent a car. You won't read about scooter accident's because nobody is proud of them. Besides, in a car you can talk about things you see. By the way, I had motorcycles for about 20 years so it's not that I hate them.
Mick

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Antony Bond (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #224) on Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 2:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

For a day, a scooter is great. It will cost you about USD 25 inc insurance for a two person machine.

It is true that accidents do happen but as someone who worked on the island repairing them, it was usually due to inexperience.

Some didn't like to admit that they couldn't ride a scooter then promptly shot across the road into another vehicle.

One piece of advice is to pre-book before setting off. There are not that many hire vehicles on the island compared with visitors, only the first off the boats are lucky.

I have seen many a visitor spend their time on Bonaire wandering around aimlessly through not reserving a vehicle or pre-booking a trip.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Velda Hammerbacher (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 9:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mickey and Antony,

Thanks for the advice. Some things I never considered: being able to talk in a car as opposed to yelling to my husband in the scooter beside me; my inexperience with scooters causing me to crash into something.

So I think renting a car may be the way to go. Thanks again for your insights.

Velda

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Fortune (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 10:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I would go with a scooter. We rent them every year even though we have a truck too. Great way to tour the island. Saves on the fuel cost too. I would talk to the Harley Shop, we have rented from them every year, very fair and attentive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Velda Hammerbacher (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Monday, January 21, 2008 - 6:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Rick,

I'm having trouble renting a car online; most places either are sold out or will only allow me to reserve online with a minimum 3-day rental. We may go with scooters after all. So I'll keep your Harley Shop in mind. Thanks.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Antony Bond (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #239) on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 6:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Velda.

If Bonaire Motorcycles can not accommodate, try:www.rentofun.com or: http://freewieler.bonaire.tk/

Both of these rent out scooters.

Antony (without the "H")

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Deborah Bennett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #114) on Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 10:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is is safe (for the scooters) to leave them parked and snorkel around the island?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Antony Bond (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #248) on Monday, January 28, 2008 - 5:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Deborah.

To be honest, scooters are more likely to be stolen than trucks because it is easy to chop them and use the parts.

Rentofun are renting out 4 stroke scooters which are less attractive to the speed freaks to steal as they can't be so easily tuned.

All companies will supply you with a heavy duty chain and padlock and you will be advised to secure it around the back wheel and around a post.

Antony (without the H)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Little (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 10:42 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A strong warning to anyone renting scooters on Bonaire…we rented two 100cc Yamaha’s from Rental Fun Drive, same ownership as the Harley rental place. Despite both of them being locked up, they were stolen. The cable was cut in the middle of the night. Then to make matters worse, the negotiation with the owner was one of the worst experiences I have ever had, he yelled, swore profoundly, and made several threats that he will not let us off the island if we did not pay him in cash and in full for the scooters. Despite the scooters being 2002 models and being in less then poor condition, he wanted full replacement cost for new 2008 scooters. He demanded $5,000 US each and finally settled for $600 each which is still more then they were worth according to ebay and Kelly Blue Book. He also said the $300 deposit taken has nothing to do with damage or loss and is only for internal insurance. Return your scooter at the end of the day to avoid any problems.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bette ( BC from you know where) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1067) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 8:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi James, sorry you had to experience that :-(
Did you have an insurance? If "yes", what was the "Own Risk"? If "No", than I am afraid you are responsible.
Did you call the police and did they draw up a report?
Did you read the "Rules and Regulations" of the rental contract?

In any case, it looks like the owner overreacted quite a bit and that is totally uncalled for.

One last thing I want you to take into consideration, Ebay and Kelly Blue Book are great tools to determine what things are worth but keep in mind that to get things like, cars, motobikes and scooters are very costly to transport and import to Bonaire. So that should be added to the replacement value.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Little (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 12:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bette...sorry to say that the insurance the rental place sells for $5 has a $500 deductable, more then the scooter is worth. Yes, I met with the police and filed a report, they never even asked for either a tag number or serial number of the scooters, so it seems they do not take this so seriously or have any way to identify it in the event it’s found. Yes, I read the contract before signing it. Frankly the only issue I had was the way we were treated by the owner of the rental shop. I admitted that I had liability and was willing to pay, but when he started out asking for a new replacement for a very old and poor condition one I was shocked. His terrible behavior and threat to “hold us on the island” made it even worse.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seb (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3448) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 12:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

James, you may not be aware that duty fees on Bonaire are quite high. I have been told that if you are brining over a Harley, for instance, that you would pay 100% duty on the cost of the bike, and 100% duty on the shipping.

Also, would you please be so kind as to send a copy of your police report to the moderators, so we can verify your post.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Little (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 1:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The duty on a scooter according to the owner was 32%. Not sure about a Harley. I have a copy of the report and will send it to the mod tomorrow.

 


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