Should You Rent a Motorbike in Oaxaca?

Uh… maybe!

For the last few days, I’ve been staying in a hotel that’s a bit on the outskirts, so I decide that some wheels would be useful. The good folks at Renta de Carra hooked me up with this Honda “Twistar” CBF125.

I shall call you Zoro, and you shall be my Zoro.

At first I was wondering why they gave me something so sporty. But, as soon as I got outside the city center, I found out why.

Even without the occasional offroading, motorbiking in Oaxaca is not for the faint of heart. The main roads have intimidating traffic, and speed bumps at regular intervals. Lane splitting is encouraged and expected. Further into the mountains, you get steep, twisty roads, often with giant curbs and potholes. You have to bring your bike inside at night so it doesn’t get stolen. At my lowest point, a pack of loose dogs started chasing and barking at me.

On the other hand, you’ve got absolutely perfect riding weather, paired with views like these:

In addition to using the bike to commute into town – always an adventure – I took a couple of short trips into the mountains for the views. There’s actually a national park right outside Oaxaca City that you can visit for 20 pesos.

Overall I would say: these are not good riding conditions for a beginner. But if you’re already comfortable on a bike, it’s certainly a thrilling way to get around Oaxaca.

Here’s Zoro all tucked in for the night.