Motorbike History Check

Why check the history of a motorbike?

• Buy with greater transparency and reduced risk
• Avoid expensive mistakes and scams
• Get more leverage for potential negotiation
• Help to avoid purchasing a dangerous bike
• Check out a motorbike’s history before you spend time travelling, viewing and test riding a bike.
• Sell your own motorbike faster

What sources are used in a motorbike check?

The carVertical motorbike check draws on information from the DVLA, DVSA, Police, insurance, leasing companies, claims handlers, privately owned registries and other sources. In fact, it’s the largest online database of used vehicle records and contains more than a billion data points from all over the world.

In addition, carVertical store the information about a motorcycle’s history into a blockchain registry. The tamper proof nature of data in the blockchain increases transparency and trust, and ensures that the records can’t be changed, faked or manipulated.

How to check the history of a motorcycle

• Enter the motorcycle VIN or registration number
• Confirm the precheck results match the bike’s details
• Decide if you will be checking any more bikes, or just one (it's cheaper the more reports you buy)
• Pay securely online. The motorbike VIN check report will be generated. You can view this instantly online, or at a later date in your account which will be created after your first order. The report will also be emailed to you.

Should I use the VIN or the registration number?

You can check a motorcycle’s history using either the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or the registration number. The report you receive will contain the same information regardless of which option you use.

Some sellers may prefer to provide the VIN first rather than the registration number due to privacy or crime concerns, such as registration plate cloning.

Registration numbers can also change over time. For example, a vehicle may have a private plate added or removed, or a track bike may later be registered for road use. The VIN, however, remains the permanent identifier assigned to the motorbike by the manufacturer.

Because the VIN never changes, it is generally considered the most reliable way to identify a vehicle and check its history.

What’s included in the motorbike history checker?

When you run a motorbike history report, the vehicle details will be checked for:

• Financial and legal status check of the motorbike including any outstanding loans, finance or lease agreements.
• Theft records - checks to see if a bike has been reported stolen.
• Damages, including any recorded images of the damage.
• Mileage rollbacks and odometer discrepancies.
• A timeline of historical records for the bike including MOT history and changes of ownership.
• Identification & technical specifications.
• Photos of the motorcycle and how it may have looked in the past.

What motorbike checks can I perform myself?

There are some aspects of a motorcycle’s history that you can check yourself for free, either before moving onto a more in depth bike check or to rule out any more overtly problematic bikes before spending money.

Check a motorbike's MOT history

To reveal the current MOT status and past MOT history of a motorbike, simply enter your motorbike’s registration number at www.gov.uk/check-mot-status.

The Gov.uk website will display the make and colour of the bike. If the bike details are correct, you can continue to the next page where you’ll be able to see if the bike has a current MOT, when an existing one expires, and the MOT history of the motorbike. You’ll be able to see the date of each test, whether it passed or failed (including reasons for failure, defects and advisories), and also the mileage recorded at the time of the test – useful for spotting any mileage anomalies. You can also check to see if there have been any manufacturer recalls for the motorbike on this page.

See what information the DVLA holds for the bike.

You can use the free service available at vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk to check what information is held on the vehicle by the DVLA, including when the logbook was last issued, the colour of the bike, engine size, year of manufacture, road tax status, and more. You’ll need the reg number to check.

View a bike’s service history.

If possible, ask to see the service history of the motorbike. Physical motorbike service handbooks are typically now a thing of the past, but diligent owners will often keep a record of invoices evidencing any work done. You could also try contacting a relevant dealer and ask them to confirm if the bike has an age and mileage appropriate service history listed on their central manufacturer database.

Check the details on the V5 (like the VIN and engine number) match that of the bike, and the information held by the DVLA.

Check for a spare key

It can be problematic and costly to buy a used motorbike without a master and spare key. If these aren’t available, it could be an indication that the motorbike is stolen.

Free motorbike VIN history checks

Many online vehicle history checkers will offer a free motorbike VIN check. These services typically rehash the information that is available (for free) from gov.uk websites, and you’ll usually have to pay more to access important information relating to outstanding finance, insurance claims and theft.

It's probably safe to say that the primary purpose of free motorbike VIN checkers is lead generation. You won't get the important information you need on the motorbike, but you will be more likely to convert into a paying customer in the future.

Having said that, carVertical do offer a checker "lite" service...

Free motorcycle VIN check

You can check a motorbike's VIN number for free with carVertical using the link below, which Carvertical call a VIN Decoder. You'll only receive very basic information from this, but will be able to see if the VIN matches the motorbike manufacturer. You can then decide if you want to pay for a full motorbike history check later on.

How much does the carVertical motorbike check cost?

A motorbike history check with carVertical gets cheaper the more reports you purchase.

One motorcycle: £33.99 per report

Two motorcycles: £24.99 per report

Three motorcycles: £19.99 per report

Biker Insure customers qualify for a 20% discount from the above prices when using the link below:

Are there any carVertical voucher codes available?

Use code bikerinsure at the checkout for a 20% discount, or to automatically apply the voucher, click the above link.

Why use carVertical to check a motorbike's history?

• carVertical provide global vehicle history reports, covering vehicles from multiple countries – not just the UK.
• A wide variety of international data sources is used, including government registries, insurance databases and more. Blockchain technology is also used to ensure data immutability and improve transparency.
• Artificial intelligence is used to detect damage from motorcycle photos. Even if there is no official record of damage to a bike, the AI technology can alert users to potential problems.
• Discover global accident history records, odometer readings, damage photos, and maintenance records.
• Advanced checking tool - carVertical are always making improvements to the product.

Motorcycle history checking tools such as the one available from carVertical are undoubtedly an important part of the due diligence when buying a used bike, and can help to reveal a motorbike’s hidden history. However, you should always also use your own judgement, experience and discernment. If unsure, walk away or enlist the help of an expert.

Motorbike VIN check FAQ's

Ready to do a VIN check and discover the history of your motorbike for outstanding finance, theft, damage records and more?

Remember, there's 20% off for Biker Insure customers at carVertical using voucher code "bikerinsure" or click the link below for the discount to be applied automatically: