For health and decency, police urge against driving motorbikes shirtless in Bali

Police ticketing a shirtless motorcyclist for not wearing a helmet. Photo: Handout by Bali Police
Police ticketing a shirtless motorcyclist for not wearing a helmet. Photo: Handout by Bali Police

As much as you may love flaunting your chiseled beach bod, you may want to consider putting on a top when driving a motorbike in Bali, police say.

Ni Putu Utariani, who heads the traffic division at the Denpasar Police, said she has noticed that many foreign tourists ride their motorcycles shirtless in Bali.

“At least put on a top, like a t-shirt,” Utariani told Detik Bali today, adding that motorists are obliged to observe values related to public decency. 

“The best option is for them to wear a jacket to shield them from wind, rain, and the sun’s rays.”

Utariani implored motorbike rentals to communicate to renters the health and decency aspects of driving in Bali in addition to safety regulations.

Police in Bali recently launched a crackdown on traffic violations, with special focus on foreign motorists after they were called out online for various offenses like installing custom license plates, driving without a helmet, and driving without a license.

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From Saturday to Sunday, police ticketed 147 motorists, the majority of whom were foreigners. 

It doesn’t appear that any of them were stopped for driving shirtless, as that is technically not a violation of Indonesia’s traffic laws. Outside of laidback Bali, however, we wouldn’t be surprised if shirtless motorcyclists get charged with public indecency.



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Comments

  1. Put the onus back on the place hiring the bike to check if the hirer has a valid licence and International Permit.
    Caught with no valid licence – fine the rider, confiscate the bike and make the hirer pay a retrieval fee and fine.

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