Why a motorbike needs a history check just as much as a car — in some ways more
This guide covers what a motorbike history check shows, and how write-off rules work on a bike. You'll also see which licence you need for each bike and the red flags to spot in person. It sits alongside our guide to car history checks. The same thinking applies, with a few bike-specific differences.
Bikes are an easier target for thieves than cars. They're simpler to move, easier to break up for parts, and harder to secure.
The newest official figure we could find that puts a number on that gap uses 2003 data. A Home Office bike theft index, published in 2005, put the 2003 theft rate at 37 per 1,000 registered motorcycles, against 10 per 1,000 for cars. ONS also published Crime Survey estimates of motorcycle theft, though the last of them ran only to March 2016.
No current official statistic covers either side of the sum. Police recorded crime records "theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle" across every vehicle type at once, so it separates neither bikes nor cars. And in August 2025 ONS said its survey samples aren't robust enough to measure theft rates by vehicle type at all. So treat any exact multiplier you see quoted elsewhere with plenty of caution.
Police-backed crime-prevention advice still treats bike theft as a live risk. Secured by Design says it takes seconds to steal an unprotected bike, and that stolen bikes are often broken down for parts.
Crash damage matters too. On a bike, what the frame is made of decides how frame damage gets categorised. The next chapter explains how.
How insurance write-off categories work on bikes
Bikes use the same four write-off categories as cars: Cat A, Cat B, Cat S and Cat N. They come from the ABI Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motorised Vehicle Salvage. It's the trade rulebook for both. Our guide to write-off categories walks through what each category means.
Bike-specific guidance has been part of the Code since 2017. That's the overhaul that replaced the old Cat A/B/C/D system with Cat A/B/S/N. The current edition is dated 28 May 2025. It changed the bike rules, so frame damage that's more than cosmetic no longer automatically means Cat B.
On a car, structural damage can sometimes be assessed as Cat S. That means repairable, and legal to put back on the road once it's repaired to a roadworthy condition. Until the 2025 edition, a bike could never be Cat S. Now it depends on what the frame is made of:
- An alloy or composite frame with damage that's more than cosmetic makes the bike Cat B. Cat S can't apply to it.
- A mild-steel frame may be Cat S. That's only if it can be safely repaired to the manufacturer's specification and repair method.
The frame isn't the only route to Cat B. The Code also puts a bike there where "the frame/engine Vin/identification has been tampered with". The same goes where two or more of the fork assembly, power unit and swinging arm assembly can't be safely repaired. So a bike can be Cat B without any frame damage.
So find out what the frame is made of before you read anything into frame damage. Is it alloy or composite, or mild steel? That decides whether Cat S was even possible. Then check what the report shows rather than assuming either way.
A Cat B vehicle can never be re-registered or go back on the road. Full stop.
If a bike shows as Cat S, the damage was assessed as structural but repairable. On a bike, the Code allows Cat S where the frame is mild steel and can be safely repaired "in accordance with manufacturers specification and repair method". So ask the seller for evidence that the repair followed the manufacturer's method. I'd want an independent inspection of the repair before relying on it alone.
Cat N means non-structural damage, the same as on a car. Gov.uk uses one line for Cat S and Cat N alike: "You can use the vehicle again if it's repaired to a roadworthy condition". On a bike with an alloy or composite frame, Cat N can include frame damage that's cosmetic and needs only paint. Cat A is the same too: total destruction, with no parts reusable.
What a motorbike history check shows
A check on a bike's registration covers the same ground as a car check. That means outstanding finance, write-off category, mileage discrepancy, and whether it's showing as reported stolen. Our Comprehensive check is built around exactly this data, and the sample report shows what you get. Run one before you commit to a bike, the same way you would for a car.
As with any vehicle check, treat a clean result as strong reassurance rather than an absolute guarantee. It shows what's been reported when you run it, but nothing afterwards. Not sure whether a specific registration is supported? Contact us before you rely on the result, and see the FAQ below.
Check the MOT history for free
Gov.uk's MOT history service costs nothing. It shows whether the bike passed or failed each test, the mileage recorded at each one, and when the next MOT is due. In Great Britain a motorbike needs its first MOT at three years old, so a newer bike may have no record yet. Use it as a free cross-check on the mileage, alongside the paid check.
Which licence do you need? CBT, A1, A2 and full Category A
It's the one check a car buyer never has to think about. It's easy to buy a bike you can't legally ride on your current licence. Sort it out before you fall in love with a bike, not after.
UK bike licences work in stages, as gov.uk explains:
- CBT, or Compulsory Basic Training, is a course you usually have to take before you ride a moped or motorbike on the road. After it, you can ride on L-plates: a moped from 16, or a motorbike up to 125cc and 11kW from 17. You then have two years to pass your full test, or you have to take CBT again or stop riding. Gov.uk's CBT page lists the exemptions, such as upgrading from a full motorbike licence in one category to another. It also sets out separate moped rules for car licence holders.
- AM covers mopeds with a top speed between 25 and 45 km/h. That upper limit is about 28mph. Minimum age 16.
- A1 covers light motorbikes up to 125cc and 11kW. Minimum age 17.
- A2 covers motorbikes up to 35kW, roughly 47bhp, with a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.2kW per kg. Minimum age 19.
- Category A, the full unrestricted licence, covers any motorbike with no power limit. Minimum age 24 via direct access, or 21 if you've held an A2 licence for at least two years (progressive access).
One A2 condition matters when you're buying. Gov.uk says an A2 bike "must not be derived from vehicle more than twice its power". So a bike restricted down to 35kW only counts if the unrestricted version makes no more than 70kW. Check the original model's power figure, not just the restricted one.
These are the Great Britain rules. Driver licensing is devolved in Northern Ireland and run separately by the DVA, as our guide to new driver rules explains.
Before you buy, check the bike's power output against what your current licence allows. Don't count on a dealer or private seller to check that for you. Riding above your licence category is an offence, and it has insurance consequences too.
Buying checklist — beyond the history check
A history check and a licence check cover the paperwork risk. In person, a handful of quick checks catch most mechanical problems:
- Frame and forks: look for ripples, fresh paint in odd places, or misaligned panels. Those are all signs of a crash nobody declared.
- Chain and sprockets: lots of slack or worn and hooked teeth mean you'll be paying to replace them soon.
- VIN and frame number: check that it matches the V5C, the logbook, and isn't scratched, re-stamped or ground smooth. It's the same red flag as a car's chassis plate.
- Service history and paperwork: look for a logbook and a service record from a reputable source. Be wary if the seller can't produce a V5C at all.
- Cold start: ask to see the bike start from cold. An engine that's suspiciously warm already can be masking a starting problem.
Enthusiast guides go deeper on the mechanical checks than we do here. This page sticks to the history-check and licence side.
FAQs
Do I need a history check before buying a used motorbike?
Yes. The reasons are the same as for a car. Outstanding finance, write-off status, stolen reports and mileage discrepancies don't announce themselves on a test ride. None of it shows on the bike itself.
What does a motorbike history check show?
A check covers outstanding finance and write-off category. It also covers mileage discrepancies and whether the bike is showing as reported stolen. It runs from the bike's registration number. That's the same data a car check uses.
Are motorbikes more likely to be stolen than cars?
The last official figures we could find said yes. A Home Office index put the 2003 theft rate at 37 per 1,000 registered motorcycles, against 10 per 1,000 for cars. No current official statistic compares the two. So be wary of any exact multiplier you see quoted.
What licence do I need to ride a used motorbike I'm buying?
It depends on two things. One is the bike's power output. The other is your current licence stage: CBT, A1, A2 or full Category A. Check the bike's power against gov.uk's licence categories before you commit. Riding above your category is an offence.
Can a Cat S motorbike be ridden safely after repair?
A Cat S bike can legally go back on the road once it's repaired to a roadworthy condition. Since the 2025 edition of the Code, a bike can only be Cat S if its frame is mild steel and can be safely repaired to the manufacturer's method. Damage that's more than cosmetic to an alloy or composite frame means Cat B. A Cat B bike never goes back on the road. So ask the seller for proof of how the repair was done.
Does a car history check work for a motorbike registration?
Our check uses the registration number for UK-registered vehicles. If you're unsure a specific check covers your bike, contact us before you rely on the result.