carVertical presents motorcycle history checks!

Used car scams are nothing new – hidden damage, rolled-back mileage, and incomplete histories have been a problem for years. carVertical was founded with the vision of bringing transparency to this market, helping buyers spot problems before they turn into costly mistakes. But motorcycles haven’t kept up.

Since launch, our clients were constantly asking for an opportunity to check the history of two-wheeled beasts. However, we introduce our products to the market only when we have sufficient data.

In 2022, we’ve finally reached that mark, and we’re proud to present motorcycle history checks!

Why should you get a motorcycle history check?

A motorcycle history report is a key to finding important information about the bike's past that the seller is not always willing to reveal. As such, there are at least a few good reasons to check a motorcycle’s history before buying.

• Getting a better price. Learning the motorcycle’s history provides drivers with a bargaining chip and helps them to negotiate a better price.
• Avoiding scammers. A 10 or 20 years old motorcycle may have had multiple owners, several damages, and various hidden problems. A motorcycle history report mitigates the risk of getting scammed and paying for junk.
• Identifying motorcycles in bad condition. A bike that’s been in a serious accident may no longer be safe to ride – even if it’s been repaired. Damaged motorcycles are often restored and sold in another country, making their past harder to trace. A history report can reveal where the bike was registered and help you avoid a risky purchase.

Used motorcycle scams – how bad is it out there?

According to our data, which is based on thousands of checked motorcycles, there’s plenty of reasons to be suspicious when buying a used bike.

For example, 50.38% of all motorcycles our customers checked on our platform had been damaged. Granted, not all accidents should scare you away from a motorcycle, but the serious ones can really have a huge impact on safety, not to mention their greatly diminished market value.

The average value of damages we’ve discovered stands at 6,249 EUR (~5,412 GBP), implying a significant proportion of these motorcycles have structural damage, making them less safe to ride.

Additionally, 16.73% of all checked motorcycles had a clocked mileage – that’s almost every 5th vehicle you’re seeing on the streets and on marketplaces! Getting a motorcycle with mileage fraud without knowing it simply means you’re overpaying in the best cases. In the worst, it means getting a half-dead bike that may be unsafe to ride.

The average number of kilometers rolled back is 16,479 (10,240 miles), but in some countries it reaches 30,000 (48,280 miles) or more! These may not be huge numbers for cars, but they are very significant for motorcycles, which have lower mileage readings in general.

Damages and clocking are just the most common scams on the motorcycle market, but a carVertical report may also help you avoid stolen motorcycles, or ones that have recently failed an MOT inspection.

Used motorcycles vs. used cars – what are the differences?

At first glance, used motorcycles and used cars have more than enough similarities. Although they become the primary means of transportation, they are often sold by dishonest sellers who take advantage of buyers. Yet there are also crucial differences.

• Hidden damages. Very common both when buying cars and motorcycles, but there’s an important difference – safety. Sure, driving a structurally-damaged car can be risky, but riding a shoddily repaired motorcycle can be downright suicidal.
• Falsified mileage. A bit more widespread on the car market, but still highly relevant for motorcycles. The difference is in the numbers – motorcycles are typically clocked for fewer kilometers, but every single kilometer on the clock is a lot more impactful on a bike.
• Forgery of documents. This method is used by fraudsters to hide stolen vehicles or other title issues. Yet motorcycles are stolen a lot more often than cars (simply because they’re much easier to steal).
• VIN cloning. This scam involves removing the VIN plate or etching from a salvaged vehicle and replacing it with one from a legally registered vehicle with the same features.

What a carVertical motorcycle history report can tell you

A history report is one of the easiest ways to ensure that a motorcycle you’re interested in has the characteristics indicated by the seller and help you decide whether it’s worth your money.

Motorcycle reports may provide a comprehensive history of activities that took place throughout the bike's lifetime, including ownership history, MOTs, and damages, together with their dates and locations.

Falsified mileage is a common scam in the used motorcycle market. Our report will help you determine which bikes have a real mileage, and which don’t.

Even though no recipe can prevent a crash, entries in an accident history report should be taken seriously. In many cases, it will not only tell you an accident has occurred, but also how much money the damages were valued at. This will help you decide whether the deal is worth it.

Frequent ownership changes don’t automatically mean something is wrong, but they’re worth a closer look. A motorcycle that’s been bought and sold multiple times in a short period may hide problems you don't want to inherit.

A carVertical report can show how many times the bike changed hands, when those changes happened, and its ownership timeline, giving you useful context to judge whether the deal feels right.

According to MAG, motorcycle theft remained a significant issue in the UK in 2021, with approximately 20 motorcycles reported stolen for every 1,000 registered, making them 11 times more likely to be stolen than cars.

As the statistics show, there's a decently-high risk of encountering a stolen bike. A motorcycle history report can flag whether the one you’re considering has been reported stolen.