The move is an effort to counter what rival ride-hailing apps are doing -- competitor Grab already offers a motorcycle option in the Thai capital, called GrabBike. 

 

It isn't Uber's first go at motorcycles. In 2012, the company launched a moto-taxi option in Paris for a few weeks as a short-term experiment. It hasn't tried another motorcycle feature until the Bangkok one, which it has designed for cities in developing countries like Thailand, according to spokesman Karun Arya. 

 

"Two-wheel transportation is a form of mobility¹ for millions and millions of people," he said. 

 

Motorbike rides can now be requested like any other Uber taxi on the app in three central Bangkok neighborhoods, and the driver will even show up with a helmet for the passenger. 

 

"Motorcycles are part of the commuting² culture in Thailand," Douglas Ma, Uber's head of Asia expansion, said in a statement. He suggested the new service would "create tens of thousands of flexible work opportunities for Thais."

 

Fares start at 10 baht, and cost an additional 3.50 baht for each kilometer and 0.85 baht per minute for every ride -- cheaper than the car service. 

 

Bangkok residents reported varying degrees of success at finding available motorcycle taxis in the city after the feature launched Wednesday, ranging from a few minutes away to none at all. Uber declined to comment on how many motorcycles are available through the app.

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