What you carry on a motorbike in Vietnam falls into two lists: things on your body, and things in the bike. The split matters more than the lists themselves, because the first list survives crashes and theft, and the second does not.

On you, always

  • Your licence (Vietnamese, or your home licence with an IDP — see documents-to-carry-motorbike-vietnam for exactly what police checks require)
  • Phone with the rental shop’s number saved, plus a little cash separate from your wallet
  • Nothing attached to your hands or around your neck — no bags slung crossbody while riding; use the compartment

The legal carry set for riders is covered in the documents article; on a rental, keep the shop’s paperwork with you as well, since the bike’s registration stays with the rental agreement arrangements your shop specified at handover.

In the bike’s storage

Small automatics have under-seat room for a rain jacket, a lock, and a small pouch. Semi-automatics and manuals give you the floor space under the seat spine or a rear rack instead — a bungee cord and a small bag solve it. Useful contents:

  • A compact rain suit during the wet months; Hanoi rain is sudden
  • A phone charging cable if your rental has a USB socket; many do not, so carry a power bank instead
  • A basic setup for a puncture situation: the shop’s number and willingness to call them — most rentals carry a toolkit with the bike; confirm what is under the seat at handover (rental-motorbike-inspection-checklist)
  • A spare tube or tyre levers only if the shop provides them and you know how they work — see punctured-tyre-on-rental-motorbike before attempting roadside repair yourself

Never leave in a parked bike

Documents, cash, laptops, and anything you would be upset to lose. Under-seat compartments are not safes, and street parking is public. This is also why you should never leave the bike’s registration papers in the bike — losing them turns a traffic stop into a complicated afternoon.

Clothing choices

Covered shoes beat flip-flops every time: hot exhausts and kickstands leave marks. A light long-sleeve layer saves you from sun and exhaust-fume grime on long rides. Helmet is legally required and rentals normally include one — see do-hanoi-rentals-include-helmets.

The one-sentence version

Carry on your body what the law and your safety require; keep in the bike only what rain and small repairs need; leave nothing in a parked bike that money or paperwork could replace.