Avoiding fraud when buying a second hand bike

If you’re about to buy a used motorcycle, you need to be cautious. Making sure the bike you have your eye on isn’t recorded as stolen, has finance against it or has previously been written off by insurers should be high on your priority list.

This may sound obvious, but if you’re buying from the internet or a classified ad, don’t exchange money without seeing the motorcycle first. Finding the bike of your dreams at a knock-down price may sound like the bargain of the century but anything that sounds too good to be true probably is. At best, it could be in worse condition than advertised. At worst, the bike might not even exist.

Most savvy sellers won’t part with the goods until funds have cleared, so make sure you have some kind of contract in place to protect both parties. At the very least, the terms of the deal should be expressed in writing and signed by buyer and seller.

If you have the registration, the AA or RAC will check if the bike is stolen, was an insurance write-off or has outstanding finance. The RAC charges £15.50 and the AA £20.50.

Websites are www.rac.co.uk and www.theaa.com. See also www.motorcyclecheck.co.uk for a budget alternative.

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