How To Check If A Motorbike Is Stolen
It would be reasonable to expect that when you buy something, like a motorcycle, it is legally yours and yours to keep. Regrettably, many people do not live like this and feel they have the right to steal motorcycles from unsuspecting owners, stripping them of their pride and joy and often their sole mode of transport, potentially costing them wages and time.
Unfortunately, stealing a motorcycle is sometimes a simpler operation than stealing a car. Thieves can cut through chained locks, break steering locks, and simply push them away if left unsecured or if the security has been compromised. Furthermore, if they are not secured to something immovable, groups of thieves can simply pick them up and load them into the back of a vehicle.
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The motorcycles may then either be stripped down for parts and sold individually, shipped across the world, or have broken parts such as steering locks and key barrels changed, then resold to unsuspecting buyers.
This can make it difficult for prospective buyers to determine if the motorcycle being purchased by then was previously stolen.
Fortunately, in this day and age, there are numerous ways to check and determine whether the motorcycle you are looking at buying is genuine or stolen.
Places that will check a motorbike for you
There are various websites that allow you to enter the registration of a motorcycle and any other information you may have to determine if it has been stolen. Additionally, if you know of a motorcycle that has been stolen, there are databases where users can input stolen motorcycle registration numbers to aid others in avoiding purchasing a stolen vehicle.
Thieves may attempt to get around these buyer protections by faking registration plate numbers, scratching the VIN number off the frame, and fabricating fake V5 paperwork that matches up with a duplicate registration plate and VIN number.
Here are some websites that can be used to check if a vehicle has been stolen:
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There's also a lot to be said for common sense and gut feeling. If the seller is trying to sell you something which appears incredibly cheap, they may be trying to offload a stolen vehicle quickly and therefore be willing to take a much lower offer on the bike than its true market value. If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't worth taking the risk.
Does the owner look and sound like a genuine biker? Real owners will know their bike's history, when they bought it, what it's like to ride, why they're selling it, what bike they're buying next etc. If they're not able to talk confidently about these things or appear edgy, nervous or even don't know the first thing about motorbikes or riding, trust your instincts and walk away.
What to do if you find you have bought a stolen bike
If you purchase a stolen motorcycle, even unintentionally, you may have to surrender it back to the prior owner and could lose your money if the authorities or rightful owner approach you. You are not legally permitted to keep the motorcycle if it has been stolen.
You may be able to pursue the person who sold you the stolen bike through the legal system, but if they knew what they were selling you was stolen, getting in contact with them could prove difficult and risky. In this situation, you should speak to the police and get their advice before doing anything.
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How to protect your motorcycle from theft
Motorcycles, no matter how well protected, can be stolen. Thieves will go to any length to obtain the items they desire, even cutting through garage doors and walls, as the British Superbike MotoRapido Team discovered to their cost.
There are at least some deterrents to scare away thieves looking for a quick steal, making it unprofitable for them to waste their time and move on to another target. Here are a few:
- Chain the motorcycle to an immovable object such as a railing or properly installed ground anchor
- Use multiple locks, padlocks and disk locks to deter thieves from trying
- If possible, use a motorcycle cover to disguise the motorcycle, and create extra work for a potential thief.
- Install an immobiliser and tracker, stopping the motorcycle from working, or allowing authorities to track down the motorcycle if stolen.
- Park in well-lit areas, under street lamps, and in brightly lit car parks
- Park in view of CCTV. Often this will be enough of a deterrent to ward thieves off
