Short answer
Usually you should not, and often you physically cannot. The fast boats from Sanur to Nusa Penida and Lembongan carry passengers only; the only vehicle route to Nusa Penida is the slow public car ferry from Padangbai. On the Gili Islands motorised vehicles are not allowed at all. With Iron Rent, taking a bike off Bali needs our permission first — ask us on WhatsApp, because without it the damage protection does not apply. For most trips it is simpler to leave the Bali bike at your accommodation and rent locally on the island.
- Updated: 10 October 2026.
- Written by Iron Rent, renting motorcycles in Bali since 2019 and in Kuta Lombok since July 2026.
- Boat routes and timetables change; check the current schedule with the operator before you travel.
- Price: scooters from 200,000 IDR per day; the longer the rental, the lower the daily rate, and a month never costs more than the monthly rate.
- Included: two helmets, a phone holder, servicing in our own workshop.
- Delivery: free within 20 km of the Kerobokan office on rentals of 3+ days; the airport costs 200,000 IDR.
- Deposit: refundable, returned in the currency it was paid in.
- Documents: a passport is enough to rent; to ride legally you need your national licence with the motorcycle category plus an IDP.
- Protection: optional damage protection for the rented bike (levels MAX and MIN).
The short answer, island by island
- Nusa Penida: possible only on the public car ferry (RoRo) from Padangbai to Sampalan. Not on the Sanur fast boats. Needs our permission first, and the roads are hard on rider and bike.
- Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan: reached by fast boat from Sanur, passengers only. The island is small; scooters and golf carts are rented locally.
- Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, Gili Air: no motorised vehicles of any kind. Bicycles, walking and cidomo horse carts only.
- Lombok: Iron Rent has its own office and fleet in Kuta Lombok, so you rent there instead of shipping a Bali bike across.
Fast boat or car ferry: what actually carries a motorbike
Most visitors go to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan by fast boat from Sanur. The crossing takes roughly 30–45 minutes, there are many departures a day, and the boats are loaded from the beach by hand. They carry people and luggage, not motorcycles. If someone tells you a fast boat will take your scooter, treat it as an exception, not a plan.
The vehicle route to Nusa Penida is the public car ferry (RoRo) from Padangbai harbour, on the east coast, to Sampalan. It is slow — count on around 1.5–2 hours on the water — runs only a few times a day, and the timetable is known to change with weather and maintenance. From Kerobokan or Canggu, add 1.5–2 hours of riding to Padangbai before you even queue. Check the departure on the day; operator websites are not always updated.
There is no practical vehicle route for a rented motorbike to the Gili Islands, and there would be nothing to do with it when you arrived.
Is it allowed by the rental?
An Iron Rent motorcycle is rented for Bali. Taking it off the island — to Nusa Penida, Lombok, Java or anywhere else — requires the company's permission in advance. Ask us on WhatsApp before you buy a ferry ticket, tell us where you are going and for how long, and wait for a clear answer.
Without that permission, the optional damage protection (MAX or MIN) does not apply, and you are responsible for the bike on the crossing and on the island. Remember that the protection covers the rented bike only, never people or third parties, and only when an accident is reported from the scene, the rider is sober and is the named rider. On Nusa Penida help is further away, our workshop is on the other side of the strait, and a breakdown means a ferry ride back.
Nusa Penida: rent locally, or hire a driver
Nusa Penida is not like the south of Bali. Many roads are steep, narrow, broken concrete or patched asphalt, with loose gravel on the descents and sharp turns into the cliff viewpoints. The roads to Kelingking, Diamond Beach and Atuh are where tourists most often come off scooters, usually on the way down. Rain makes them worse.
This is a ride for confident riders only — people who already handle steep hills, braking on gravel and a passenger on a small scooter. If that is not you, hire a car with a driver for the day; many visitors do, and it is not a sign of weakness, just a sensible choice on that island.
If you do ride, the easiest plan is to take the fast boat from Sanur and rent a scooter from a local rental near the harbour on Penida. Your Bali bike stays safe at your accommodation, you do not lose half a day on the car ferry, and if the local scooter has a problem, the local owner fixes it.
Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan
Lembongan is small: you can cross it in 15–20 minutes. People get around on scooters and golf carts rented on the island, or walk. A narrow bridge connects Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan, crossed on foot, by scooter or by bicycle. There is no reason to bring a Bali motorbike here — and no fast boat will carry it.
The Gili Islands and Lombok
Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air do not allow motorised vehicles. You walk, rent a bicycle, or take a cidomo, the local horse cart that also moves luggage and goods. A motorbike is simply not an option there, rented or otherwise.
If you want to ride on Lombok itself — the south coast around Kuta, the Mandalika area, the beaches east and west of it — rent in Lombok. Iron Rent has had its own office in Kuta Lombok since July 2026, with a separate fleet. You take the boat as a passenger and pick up a bike on the other side, and we also run track days at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. Ask us on WhatsApp which bikes are available in Lombok for your dates.
What to do with your Bali rental while you are away
Leave it at your accommodation. For a day trip or a few nights on the islands, the simplest option is to keep the bike parked at your villa or hotel in Bali, locked, with the key and documents with you or with the reception. Your rental continues as normal while you are away.
Riding to the harbour. If you ride to Sanur or Padangbai and leave the bike for a day, there is paid parking near the harbours — ask locally about the price and whether you can leave a bike overnight. Lock the steering, take the helmets or lock them to the bike, and do not leave documents under the seat. For trips of more than a day, the accommodation is a safer place than a harbour car park.
Short rental? If your trip to the islands falls at the end of your rental, return the bike before you go. Within our free zone, which includes Sanur, delivery and pickup are free on rentals of 3 days or more; we can collect the bike from your accommodation. For shorter rentals pickup is paid and the price is confirmed first.
Long trip or monthly rental? If you are away for a week or more in the middle of a monthly rental, ask us on WhatsApp what we can arrange. Do not assume the rental can be paused — ask before you go, and we will tell you what is possible for your booking.
FAQ
Can I take my rented scooter on the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida?
No. The Sanur fast boats carry passengers and luggage only. The vehicle route to Nusa Penida is the slow public car ferry from Padangbai to Sampalan.
Can I take an Iron Rent motorbike to Nusa Penida?
Only with Iron Rent's permission in advance. Ask us on WhatsApp before you travel. Without permission the damage protection does not apply and you are fully responsible for the bike.
Is it better to rent a scooter on Nusa Penida?
For most people, yes. Take the fast boat from Sanur and rent locally, or hire a car with a driver. Penida's roads are steep and broken and suit confident riders only.
Are there motorbikes on the Gili Islands?
No. Motorised vehicles are not allowed on Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno or Gili Air. People walk, cycle or use cidomo horse carts.
Should I ship my Bali motorbike to Lombok?
No need. Iron Rent has its own office and fleet in Kuta Lombok, so you travel as a passenger and rent a bike there.
Do I keep paying for my Bali rental while I am on the islands?
Yes, the rental continues while the bike is parked at your accommodation. For a long trip during a monthly rental, ask us on WhatsApp what can be arranged before you leave.
Need help choosing?
Send your dates, Bali area and riding style. We will suggest the right scooter, sport bike or big bike.