From the concrete jungle to the real jungle, from cultural beauty to natural beauty, Medellín is an endless expanse of unique places to explore. Without question, I’ve found that the best way to see everything the city has to offer is on the back of a motorcycle. That’s why I always head straight for Medellin Sport Rentals whenever I arrive in Medellín.
Why You Should Rent a Motorcycle in Medellín
Whether you just need to get around the city or want to tour the countryside, motorcycles offer a lot of advantages over other forms of transportation:
- Beat the traffic: Traffic in Medellín is brutal, but because lane splitting and lane filtering are perfectly legal in Colombia, you can get around all the cars and cruise to the front of the line. As a result, Google maps even lists separate trip times for motorcycles and cars. The motorcycle time is always faster!
- Park more easily: Finding a parking spot in Medellín can be a battle, but it’s much easier to find a spot for a motorcycle.
- Save money: Motorcycle rentals are usually less expensive than car rentals, and they use less gas.
- Go where cars can’t: Since they’re small and more compact, motorcycles can get to places cars can’t. This is especially true around Medellín where worn-down and rural roads can become impassable for larger cars.
- Have more fun: Have you ever seen someone frowning on a motorcycle? Of course not! When you explore Medellín on a motorcycle, you enjoy the journey just as much as the destination.
How to Rent a Motorcycle in Medellín
Renting a motorcycle in Medellín is easy and straightforward, especially at Medellín Sport Rentals. You can even do it right from the website and have the motorcycle delivered to your hotel. There’s a ton of flexibility, though, and you can also pick the bike up at the shop and make reservations by phone if you prefer. You can add on equipment rentals for a jacket and other gear too as well as insurance.
Keep in mind that most motorcycles require a security deposit authorization in case of damage.
Motorcycle Available for Rental in Medellín
I also like Medellín Sport Rentals for the huge variety of motorcycles they offer, from small scooters to powerful sport bikes.
- Cam Am Spyder: A tricycle with a 998cc V-twin engine, this is a good choice if you want to tour around Antioquia for several days and are a bit worried about the chaotic nature of Colombian driving. It’s more stable, obviously, the V-twin is easy to handle in stop-and-go traffic.
- Ducati Monster 803: If you’re more of a daredevil, this sport bike churns out an insane 111 hp for the middleweight 803cc engine. I’d recommend having some experience if you want to ride this one in the city, but it’s still a V-twin (or “L-twin” as Ducati calls it) and not terribly peaky.
- BMW F-700 GS: This is an ideal adventure bike if you’re looking to take on Antioquia’s rural roads. It’s tall, lightweight and has plenty of suspension travel.
- Royal Enfield Himalayan 400: This bike is the go-to for motorcycle tours around Medellín. It’s lightweight with super easy handling. Even if you’re used to heavier bikes back home, Medellín demands a more agile design. At the same time, it’s tough and sturdy, making it a good choice to explore the city’s periphery.
- Apache RTR 200: The RTR 200 is a great introduction to the up-and-coming Apache motorcycle brand. The small 200cc motor is zippy and fun without overdoing it, so it’s a good way to enjoy the city streets or take a tour.
- TTR Enduro 200: This adventure bike is your best bet if you’re going to hit any dirt or gravel roads—which means mud in Medellín. It’s a lot lighter than the F-700, so it doesn’t take quite as much skill to keep upright.
- Cafe Racer 200: This is my favorite model that Medellín Sport Rentals has on hand. If you’re an enthusiast, it’s a fun, stylish ride. Just make sure to reserve in advance as it’s in high demand.
- SYM CRO-X 150: This is an automatic scooter that’s lightweight but still reaches high enough speeds to tour around the countryside. Because Medellín is so hilly—mountainous, really—the automatic transmission is a good idea if you have minimal experience riding manual motorcycles.
- Hero Eco 100: Even smaller than the automatic scooter, this 100cc bike is an inexpensive and safe way to check out Medellín or visit nearby towns like La Ceja.
- TVS Sport 100: A bit sportier than the Hero Eco 100, this is another low-price option for a lightweight motorcycle ride.
Motorcycle Tours in and Around Medellín
Renting a bike is a good way to see the city, and you can use it as transportation too. However, if you want to explore Antioquia, I recommend taking a tour.
Medellin Sport Rentals offers a number of different tours of varying lengths and intensities. The tours include gear, insurance, gas and food, depending on the length of the tour. More importantly, they include a professional and local guide who knows all the hidden gems and provides notes and details about the sites you can’t get anywhere else.
Half Day Loop Tour
If your time in Medellín is packed with activities, this short tour doesn’t take up too much time but still introduces you to some of the most beautiful places around the city like Rionegro, El Retiro and La Ceja. When I did the tour, the mountain views of the city alone made it more than worth it.
The entire tour is on paved roads, and you leave the dense urban streets pretty quickly. You don’t need a lot of skill, though you might ask to use an automatic scooter if you don’t have much experience with manual transmissions.
1 Day Guatape Tour
You can’t visit Medellín without checking out Guatapé, and what better way to do it than with the wind on your face. In fact, this tour zips you right over to the small town where you can even enjoy a boat tour on the lake. Then you can be back to your hotel in time for bed.
1 Day Cattle Country Tour
The draw of this tour is the included entry into an Antioquian dairy farm. The dairy industry is an important but lesser-known part of the local culture, so this gives you an authentic but rare glimpse into it.
1 Day Cerro Tusa Natural Spring tour
I love Cerro Tusa. The unique luscious mountain beauty is unparalleled the world round, not to mention the natural pyramid of Cerro Tusa itself. This tour takes you farther outside of the city, and you do occasionally take on some dirt roads. While the locals shrug these roads off no problem, I can tell you from personal experience that they can be intimidating! Luckily, the tour includes a Himalayan 400, so it’s a breeze.
1 Day Santa Fe Antioquia
This is another fully paved tour that takes you to a quaint town in the west of Antioquia. You also get up close and personal with the Cauca River, one of the major waterways that the region is known for.
2 Day Rio Claro & Hacienda Nápoles
Medellin Sport Rentals also offers overnight tours like this one that take you to Pabla Escobar’s famous estate. The price includes a hotel room for a night as well as entrance fees to Rio Claro and Hacienda Nápoles.
4 Day Volcano & Hot Springs Tour
This is an advanced tour that involves considerable off-roading. However, that lets you get down and dirty with the incredible nature surrounding Medellín. You see numerous waterfalls and hot springs, snow-capped mountains, and several small towns, not to mention Pablo Escobar’s Hacienda Nápoles.
6 Day South Colombia Tour
The list of cool places to see in Antioquia is endless, so if you have the time for a six-day tour, I highly recommend it. This one sees you through some of the most beautiful towns in the region, including Jardín, Guatapé and Doradal. You’ll see the grandeur of the Andes mountains, the history of the Antioquia department and the amazing local culture of Colombia.
Make Your Own Tour!
Medellin Sport Rentals is highly flexible, and you can actually add on a professional guide to any motorcycle rental. This gives you the ability to explore the parts of the city or surrounding region you’re interested in. Take a motorcycle to the coffee fields, flower gardens or bird-watching areas. Enjoy the journey just as much as the destination.
