Touring Croatia? Motorcycle rental tips and tricks

All about roads and rental requirements. Prepare yourself before you go and rent a motorcycle in Croatia.

Croatia is a wonderful country to visit. But as you decided on a destination, holiday planning kicks in. Questions arise and things need sorting out. To get you sorted without stress here are couple of “all you need to know” tips and tricks which might come in handy before you come to our beautiful country.

Motorcycle rental in Croatia – what you need to know before you go?

Border crossing and other information

Moto touring is all about scenery and roads. But before you go scenery gem hunting, there’s a border somewhere that you have had to cross. Should you enter Croatia on your own border crossing procedure depends on whether you are an EU citizen or not. EU citizens can enter with a valid ID and are usually just waved on entry. Motorbike papers should be recent and in line with home country laws. For non-EU citizens entry is permitted only with a valid passport. Depending on a season queuing is very likely. Have in mind that in high season ques go up to several kilometers long. So, plan your tip ahead.

Should you go border crossing with one of Rent a GS motorbikes, crossing is allowed and included in the total price with tax and insurance. Security deposit varies and it goes from 900€ up to 1500€ depending on a model. Deposit is calculated upon rental and is refundable on return. Calculated deposit is a maximum liability for you in case of any damage. We have mileage limit of 370 per day of rent but it can be extended if it’s in reasonable numbers.

Motorcycle rental requirements:

– Passport
– Driving licence
– International driving licence (for all riders living outside European Union)
– ID card
– Credit card(s)

– Helmet (required by law) (we can provide)
– Riding jacket with protectors
– Gloves (mesh or warm- both if possible)
– Riding pants with protectors
– Boots/riding shoes
– Rain gear

If you decide to rent motorcycle in Croatia with Rent-a-GS whether is it Split or Dubrovnik or some other town will be more than happy to reserve one for you and help with your planning.

It necessary to pre book the motorbike since it’s high demand period.

Croatian roads

Great highway infrastructure will usually get you faster from point A to point B, but if you’re into exploring, state and side roads are a great option as well. If using highways there’s a toll fee included depending on a route. There are two toll collection systems in Croatia: the open and the closed system. Open system is used on some bridges and tunnels and short stretches of tolled highway. In this system, there is only one toll plaza and drivers immediately pay the toll upon arriving.

For exploreres among you we highly recommend Jadranska Magistrala as one of the best roads to ride a motorbike. It stretches from Rijeka on the Kvarner Gulf to Karasovići on the border with Montenegro this road offer most scenic sea-side drive with its endless curves and unforgettable views. Sliding along the coast this route provides views on most of Croatian islands. Should you decide to hop on a ferry and explore more, you can! Jadrolinija, Croatian ferry company, has seasonal timetables and schedules, so please check the price of motorbike transportation beforehand. Bigger cities like Rijeka, Zadar and Split have more links to different islands. Should you rent a motorbike in Split we recommend Brač, Hvar, Korčula tour.

Best season to rent a motorcycle in Croatia

If you’re renting a motorbike in Dalmatia region Split or Dubrovnik best season for tour is spring time from mid April until end of June. May has average high temperature around 20 degrees and lowest is from 15 degrees Celsius and for April min.11 – max.17 degree. High season – end of June until end of August – is little bit hot but you can plan your route driving you inland where is colder climate for example you can visit National park Plitvice lakes and Gorski kotar region with most stunning nature with springs and waterfalls or you can ride and explore our islands and beaches if you sea lover like Zlatni rat beach 🙂

End of August until end of October is best time for motorcycle touring especially in South part of Croatia.

Food

When on a motorbike tour in Croatia, local gastronomy is an important part of the whole experi-ence. Restaurant or a more local eatery is a choice depending on your preference. Traditionally, Croatian food is influenced by several different cuisines depending on the region. Mainland is influ-enced by German, Austrian, Hungarian and Turkish culinary practices, while coastal parts are tied to Greek and Italian cuisine. All in all it’s a nice Mediterranean mix. As most Slavs Croats love their meat, potatoes and bread. In the coastal parts you’ll find fish and olive oil prevailing with lots of leafy greens. We recommend trying some of the Croatian specialties:

Peka – dish is put into a stone oven under a metal cover. Hot coals are then added around and put on the cover so the meat is cooked slowly in its own juices. Specialties include lamb, veal, and octopus.

Grilled fish

Brudet – fish stew – traditional dalmatian meal you can find in most fish restaurants. Several varieties of fish slowly cooked with potatoes and tomato sauce usually served with home made bread. Croatia has a stew tradition. There are many varieties, although should you travel in high season or in spring we recommend something lighter.

Brački vitalac – meat and intestines slowly cooked in a stone oven. A dish which originates on is-land Brač and is at leasta a few centuries old.

Buzara – shellfish sautéed in garlic, olive oil, parsley & white wine.

Cheese – most popular are sheep’s and goat cheeses. Paški chees is among famous. Hoping is-land of Pag is easy, should you go there don’t forget to visit cheese factories.