Bikes
Vans
Motorhomes
Run a free bike check online with My Car Reg Check and get the essential details back in seconds. Our free motorbike check UK service lets you enter a UK number plate to start a bike reg check that helps you confirm the basics before you go any further. If you have used a car reg checker before, our bike check works in a similar way, but with data points that matter specifically for motorcycles.
When you enter the registration, we check trusted data sources, including DVLA records, the Police National Computer, and the Motor Insurance Database, to help you spot issues early. That means your motorbike check can reveal key details linked to identity, tax and MOT status, while supporting a wider bike history check or vehicle history check if you want deeper results.
Buying, selling, or checking a bike? Enter the registration below and start your check now for extra peace of mind.
Why You Need a Motorbike Check Before You Buy
19% of used vehicle sales were financed in 2024
Hidden finance is still a real used-vehicle risk. According to the FCA, regulated motor finance was used in 19% of used car sales in 2024, which shows how common finance is in the used vehicle market.
Over 14,000 MOT mileage corrections are requested every year
That is a strong reminder that mileage records need checking carefully, especially when a seller’s story and the recorded history do not line up.
Category S and Category N write-offs can go back on the road
According to the GOV.UK, Cat S and Cat N vehicles can legally return to the road after repair, which is why you should always check the damage history rather than rely on the seller’s word.
Motorcycles have been stolen at far higher rates than cars
Home Office data shows that motorcycles face a much higher theft risk than cars, with 37 thefts per 1,000 registered motorcycles compared with 10 per 1,000 cars. The risk is even higher for lower-powered bikes under five years old, at 85 per 1,000.
What a Full Motorbike History Check Covers
Our full check goes beyond the basics and gives you the details that matter when money is on the line. If you are comparing motorcycle history checks, this is the level of information that helps you spot risk before you commit.
- Stolen check. We look for police stolen markers linked to the bike. This matters because buying a stolen motorbike can mean losing both the bike and the money you paid for it.
- Outstanding finance. We look for active hire purchase, PCP, or loan agreements secured against the bike. If the loan is still active, the lender may have the right to repossess it.
- Insurance write-off history. We show whether the bike has been recorded as an insurance write-off and, where available, which category applies: Cat A, Cat B, Cat S, or Cat N. This helps you understand how serious the damage was and whether the bike should ever have returned to the road.
- Mileage verification. We compare mileage recorded from multiple sources, including MOT tests, to identify mileage discrepancies. This can help uncover a clocked bike being advertised with artificially lower mileage.
- Scrapped status. We check whether a Certificate of Destruction has been issued. A scrapped bike should not be sold as a normal road-going vehicle.
- Plate change history. Previous registration plates can be useful for tracing a bike’s past and spotting identity concerns.
- Import and export status. We flag whether the bike has been imported or exported, which may affect specification, history records, and resale value.
- Previous keepers. A high turnover of owners in a short period can be a warning sign worth asking about.
- Document and identity checks. We support checks against the V5C logbook and help you cross-reference key identity details with a VIN check and MOT check, so the bike’s paperwork and physical identity line up properly.
Free motorbike check vs Premium Report
Our free bike check is designed to help you verify the essentials before you spend any money. You can see core DVLA registration details, make, model and colour, insurance group, export status, bike age, registration area, mileage, plus current MOT and tax information.
Our premium report goes further by checking the risk data that is not usually available in a free search. That includes stolen records, outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, scrapped status, plate changes, keeper history, and deeper identity checks. In simple terms, the free check helps you confirm the bike; the premium report helps you judge whether it is safe to buy.
£30,000 Data Guarantee
Our premium reports come with a £30,000 data guarantee for added confidence when you buy. If recorded stolen or outstanding finance data should have appeared in your report but did not, you have financial protection in place.
Fraud Protection: Verifying the VIN
After you run your report, take one extra step before you buy: physically match the VIN number on the bike’s frame to the VIN shown on the V5C logbook. This is one of the simplest ways to spot a cloned or “ringer” bike using a false identity.
If the stamped number looks altered, hard to read, or does not match the paperwork, walk away. A history check helps, but the final fraud check should always happen in person.
Outstanding Finance Check for Motorcycles
Our premium finance check helps you find out whether a motorcycle still has money owed on it through hire purchase, PCP, or another lending agreement. This matters because if finance is attached to the bike, the lender may have the right to repossess it, even after you have paid the seller. A full check report helps you spot this risk before you buy, so you can question the seller, renegotiate, or walk away with confidence.
How do I check if a bike is stolen?
Enter the bike’s registration on our bike checker and choose a Standard or Full Check. We then check the bike against the Police National Computer stolen records, so you can see whether it has been reported stolen before you buy.
If a stolen marker is found, your report will show the stolen status and any supporting details available to us. That is one of the most important checks you can run before handing over any money.
Motorbike Write-Off Categories Explained
Since October 2017, motorbikes have used the same write-off categories as cars. When you see one of these markers on a report, it tells you how serious the damage was and whether the bike should ever have gone back on the road.
Category A
This is the most serious category. The bike is scrap only, and no parts should be reused or sold. If a Category A motorbike is being offered for sale, that is a major red flag.
Category B
With Category B, the frame must be crushed, so the bike itself cannot legally return to the road. Some parts may be removed and reused, but the motorcycle as a whole should never be back in normal use.
Category S
Category S means the bike had structural damage but has been repaired. It can go back on the road, but you should check the quality of the repair carefully and expect the bike’s value to be lower than that of an equivalent clean model.
Category N
Category N means non-structural damage, such as cosmetic or electrical issues. These bikes can still be worth buying, but only if the repairs have been done properly and the asking price takes that history into account.
A write-off marker does not always mean “do not buy.” It means “slow down and check properly.” We always recommend looking at the damage category, asking for repair evidence, and matching the bike’s condition to the report before making a decision.
- Insurance and resale: Cat S and Cat N bikes can sometimes cost more to insure, and some insurers may require additional checks, such as an engineer’s report, before offering cover. The write-off marker also stays on the vehicle record, which can affect future resale value even if the bike has been repaired well.
FAQs
How can I find out if a bike has been reported as stolen?
Enter the registration into My Car Reg Check and choose a Standard or Full Check. We search stolen records linked to the bike, so you can see whether it has been flagged before you buy. If a marker is found, the report will show the details available to help you take the next step.
How can I check a motorcycle’s accident and damage history?
Run a paid history check to look for recorded damage and insurance write markers. This can show whether the bike has been written off in the past and, where available, which category applies. It is a simple way to avoid paying full market price for a bike with serious previous damage.
How to check if a motorcycle is registered?
Start with the registration number to confirm core DVLA-linked details such as make, model, tax, and MOT status. Then match the VIN number on the bike to the V5C logbook and the report, so you know the registration and the bike’s identity line up properly.
How do I check a bike’s road tax status and MOT records?
Enter the registration into My Car Reg Check and start with a free check. You can view the current tax status and MOT information linked to the bike, which helps you confirm whether it is taxed, when the MOT expires, and whether the history matches what the seller has told you.
How can I confirm whether a motorcycle has any outstanding finance?
You will need a paid history check for that. Our premium report can show whether the bike is linked to active finance, such as hire purchase or PCP, so you can avoid buying a motorcycle that could still be repossessed by the lender.
Can I see how many owners a motorbike has had before?
Yes, a full report can show the number of previous keepers recorded for the bike. That can be useful when you are judging the bike overall, because a motorbike that has changed hands again and again in a short space of time can sometimes point to underlying problems.
Many people look for a DVLA owner check, but private owner details are not available in that way. What you can do instead is use the report to review the number of previous keepers, confirm the registration details, and check that the V5C logbook matches the bike.
Are damage classifications for motorcycles similar to those used for cars?
Yes. Motorcycles use the same main insurance write-off categories as cars, including Cat A, Cat B, Cat S, and Cat N. The key difference is not the label itself, but what it means for the bike in front of you, so it is always worth checking how serious the damage was and whether the repair work was done properly.
Is it really worth getting a motorcycle history report?
In our view, yes, especially if you are buying used from someone you do not know. A history report can help you spot problems that are easy to miss in person, such as stolen records, outstanding finance, previous write-off history, mileage issues, or identity concerns. It is a small cost compared with buying the wrong bike.
