Petrol | The Rentabike Guide

Finding Petrol in Vietnam

When you first arrive you may find it difficult to find petrol in Vietnam. There are many petrol stations around but sometimes you might not be sure as they are different from back home. Never fear! You can ask locals where they fill up. There is always one near your work, your house or along your travel route.

Google Maps

Another suggestion is to use Google Maps and type in the following search terms:

  • petrol
  • petrol station
  • cay xang
  • tram xang

Buying Petrol in Vietnam

Once you have found the petrol station, there could then be a problem communicating how much fuel you need. The table below outlines the amount as well as what it will sound like in Vietnamese. You simply need to pull up at a petrol pump and tell them how much you want. You can use your hands to indicate by showing 3 or 4 fingers if they are struggling to understand you. There is no big difference between 92 and 95 Octane fuel. The manufacturer will state which fuel is preferred but it isn’t greatly important to any of us.

All our bikes will run on petrol straight from the petrol station. Just pull up by the pump and tell them how much you want! Most bikes won’t cost more than 100,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND) to fill: indeed, it’ll usually be a lot less. In fact, the simplest thing to do is just say, ‘day binh’, which means full tank or fill it up. Below are the Vietnamese words for a few different numbers, anyway, just in case you find yourself short of cash!

[table id=18 /]

You will see everyone is fast and prepared.  We suggest lining up at the pump, opening the seat and the petrol cap, putting the petrol cap on the seat latch to stop the seat closing, putting my keys back the motorbike and following the cue. Once the bike has been filled and you have handed over your cash, put the fuel cap on and close the seat before getting any change. This routine helps the process for those waiting in line too.

Take Care

It’s always best to use petrol from a petrol station, rather than from someone who’s selling it at the roadside: it’s of a higher quality, and is almost always cheaper. We do understand that in extreme cases it may be necessary to buy petrol on the roadside but it is best avoided. This petrol can be mixed with other liquids and can cause damage to your bike. It could also be dirty, or have water in it which may cause the engine to have trouble firing and then cause you problems.

roadside petrol in Vietnam - buyer beware
roadside petrol in Vietnam - buyer beware

Quick Connect

BMW 1250 GS

Engine Type

air-liquid cooled, twin cylinder, DOHC, boxer engine

Displacement

1255 cc

Bore X Stroke

102.5 mm x 76 mm

Ignition

FI

Fuel System

fuel injection

Compression Ratio

12.5:1

Starter

electric

Gearbox

6-speed

Front Suspension

BMW Motorrad Telelever; stanchion diameter 37 mm

Rear Suspension

single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever

Front Brakes

dual disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 305 mm, 4-piston radial calipers

Rear Brakes

single disc brake, diameter 276 mm, double-piston floating caliper

Front Tyres

120/70 R19

Rear Tyres

170/60 R17

Wheelbase

1514 mm

Seat Height

850 mm

Ground Clearance

790 mm

Kerb Weight

249 kg

Fuel Capacity

20 litres

Dimensions

2207 mm (L) x 952.5mm (W) x 1430 mm (H)

Honda XR 150 motorcycle rental

Engine Type

air cooled, OHC, single cylinder

Displacement

149 cc

Bore X Stroke

57.3 mm x 57.8 mm

Ignition

CDI

Fuel System

20 mm piston valve carburettor

Compression Ratio

9.5:1

Starter

electric with kick starter backup

Gearbox

5-speed

Front Suspension

telescopic fork, 180 mm axle travel

Rear Suspension

single shock swing arm, 150 mm axle travel

Front Brakes

dual piston caliper, 240 mm disc

Rear Brakes

mechanical drum

Front Tyres

90/90 19

Rear Tyres

110/90 17

Wheelbase

1362 mm

Seat Height

825 mm

Ground Clearance

243 mm

Kerb Weight

129 kg

Fuel Capacity

12 litres

Dimensions

2091 mm (L) x 811 mm (W) x 1125 mm (H)

Honda CB 500X motorcycle rental

Engine Type

liquid cooled parallel-twin four stroke

Displacement

470 cc

Bore X Stroke

67 mm x 66.8 mm

Ignition

PGMI – FI

Fuel System

fuel injection

Compression Ratio

10.7:1

Starter

electric

Gearbox

6-speed

Front Suspension

41 mm SFF-BP USD Forks

Rear Suspension

Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster

Front Brakes

dual 296 mm discs with 4 piston calipers; ABS

Rear Brakes

240 mm disc; ABS

Front Tyres

110/80R19M/C (59H)

Rear Tyres

160/60R17M/C

Wheelbase

1445 mm

Seat Height

830 mm

Ground Clearance

180 mm

Kerb Weight

199 kg

Fuel Capacity

17.7 litres

Dimensions

2,155 mm (L) x 830 mm (W) x 1,410 mm (H)

Honda CRF 300 motorcycle rental

Engine Type

single cylinder, DOHC, liquid cooled

Displacement

286 cc

Bore X Stroke

76 mm x 63 mm

Ignition

Full Transistor Digital

Fuel System

PGM-FI electronic fuel injection

Compression Ratio

10.7:1

Starter

electric

Gearbox

5-speed

Front Suspension

43 mm telescopic upside down

Rear Suspension

Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster

Front Brakes

256 mm disc, 2 piston caliper

Rear Brakes

220 mm disc, single piston caliper

Front Tyres

80/100 21

Rear Tyres

120/80 18

Wheelbase

1455 mm

Seat Height

880 mm

Ground Clearance

285 mm

Kerb Weight

142 kg

Fuel Capacity

7.8 litres

Dimensions

2230 mm (L) x 820 mm (W) x 1200 mm (H)

Tourist

One-Way

Expat

Pricing

N/A

N/A

Damage Waiver

$0/day

N/A

N/A

Security Deposit

N/A

N/A

Required Docs

passport

N/A

N/A

Mileage Limit

unlimited

N/A

N/A

Touring

N/A

N/A