Why Indonesia is Scooter Crazy (and You Should Be Too)

Why Indonesia is Scooter Crazy (and You Should Be Too)

Indonesia is not just barley. It’s 7,000 islands, volcanoes, jungles, fairies, and endless roads. 8 years ago, I crossed Vietnam on a scooter. A trip that changed everything for me. But now it’s time for the next lever. From Madan, I will ride across Indonesia, island to island, all the way to team west. And this is where it begins. This is Thor’s world and every mile’s a new I flew down from Puket to Midan, just a 1 and a half hour flight. Before arriving, I applied online for the 30-day electronic visa on arrival. And that was it. Quick and simple. Wow, that was the fastest immigration ever. So, I made the electronic visa and the passport was also automatically scanned. You just go to this gate was open. So, no issue at all. On arrival in Madan, you can catch the train from the airport directly to the city center. It’s super convenient and very cheap. Just 55,000 rupiah. Midan, the capital of North Sumatra, is a true gateway city with almost 2.5 million people living within the city city limits and nearly 5 million in the wider metro area. It’s a bustling multicultural metropolis and a major economic hub outside Yava, meaning good roads, markets, and infrastructure to get started on this journey. First food in Indonesia for sure is Nazi Gorang. Looks amazing. Very good. And spicy. I ordered spicy. Perfect. After a night in a very cheap hotel, honestly, one of the worst I’ve ever stayed in and where they even tried to cheat me, I decided it was time to move forward. Then in the morning, I ordered a It’s like the Indonesian version of Uber. Cheap and super convenient. My driver picked me up right in front of the hotel and took me straight across Midan’s chaotic street to 86 Motors. This is where I plan to finally get my scooter, the bike that will take me all the way across Indonesia. So, which papers do you actually need to ride a bike in Indonesia? First, the SDNK. That’s the vehicle registration. It proves the scooter is legal. Second, the BPKB. That’s the ownership book. Basically, the title of the bike. As a foreigner, you also supposed to have an international driving permit. Sometimes police don’t care, but checkpoints can be strict. Insurance is not obligatory. You can get it if you want, but I don’t have any. And finally, make sure that the number plate matches the SDNK and that the yearly road tax has been paid. Otherwise, you could run into problems, especially when taking fairies between islands. So, prepaid scooter now and Juliani is the seller here from 86 Motors. Very good service. Yeah, she’s very nice and they have a plenty of options here. I took the cheapest one and the oldest one, but it’s running. It’s that’s the most important thing. So, look this bunch of money. Now, she’s writing the contract. And here is the scooter. Yamaha Valentino Rosi on tour. They changed the oil for me and a new tire and front tire. It was already very bad. And the tax is paid until February 2026. So, let’s ride the scooter in Indonesia. After I bought the scooter, I spent the afternoon riding around Midan, picking up some spare parts and a few things I still needed for the journey. Thank you. So, now I bought also new mirrors and a cell phone holder for 75,000 rupia. That’s less than 5. Good price. Now I bought in Homes Smart some straps. Not easy to find here. And uh water jacket, waterproof jacket in case the rain is coming. I don’t have any jacket with me. So I’m done. Tomorrow I can leave Madan. This evening I will just go to the city center, explore it a bit. Now I go back to the room. It’s very hot. As the day came to an end, I explored the the city a little more and started to feel ready for what lies ahead. If you want to follow my adventure all the way across Indonesia, make sure to subscribe to the channel. And if you have any questions or tips, just drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you. This is only the beginning. Stay tuned. Just every turn beun 5,000

How to buy a scooter in Indonesia as a tourist? 🇮🇩
In this video, I show you exactly how it works – papers, process, and pitfalls – as I start my roadtrip across all of Indonesia.

On Day 1 in Medan, North Sumatra, I buy a Yamaha Mio scooter 🛵 – yes, really, that tiny scooter will (hopefully) carry me across 7,000 islands, jungles, ferries, and endless roads… all the way to Timor Leste. 🚀

Who is so stupid to attempt this on a Yamaha Mio? 👉 Apparently me. 😅

📍 Day 1 Highlights
✈️ Flight Phuket → Medan (1.5 hours)
🛂 30-day E-Visa on Arrival – fast & easy
🏨 Budget hotel & first culture shock
🛵 Buying a Yamaha Mio at 86 Motors Medan → Google Maps