Picking up a bike from a private seller - advice

Hi everyone. This is my first post on the forum, so hiya how you doing?!

I passed my CBT last week and I've been eyeing up a couple of bikes since. I've spotted one about 35 miles away and have agreed a price with the private seller. Being my first bike, I was hoping you might have some advice on what to check/avoiding pitfalls etc.

I've had a full hpi check done which has come back clear. I won't have any insurance or tax but the seller seems to think I can still ride it away. I'm not sure about this and can't seem to find a clear answer online. I've seen something called temporary insurance which I can use for the day, but the tax thing... surely I can't ride the bike without tax? Also, can you get insurance without tax?

And if there's anything else I should be thinking about/checking, I would be grateful for any advice you could give to ensure I'm buying responsibly.

cheers!

Squibb

Alwite Squibb.

If you know what date and time you'll be picking it up then you can arrange your insurance policy to start then.

Theoretically, you should be able to tax it once the insurance has started so if you've got internet access you can do it on your phone and you can merrily ride home or wherever.

Do yourself a favour and get the seller to write a receipt - nothing fancy, just something with both your names, date, time and sale amount.

You can't tax a vehicle until you have insurance on it so it's not uncommon to buy a vehicle and tax it when you get it home. However that relies on the vehicle being currently taxed by the owner - what people refer to as 'get you home tax'. You send of part of the V5 to arrange the tax which you usually won't have from a private sale until you've done the deal. Obviously you must have insurance in place to ride it home - but if you're buying it then you'd need insurance anyway so not sure why you'd bother with one day insurance (unless you intend to lay the bike up for a while).

If it is declared SORN then you can't ride it home until you have taxed it - so you'd need to pay for it, exchange documents, sort the insurance and then tax it before collecting it.

Bear in mind that any vehicle taxed must have continuous insurance so if you tax it then you have to keep insurance going.

You can't tax a vehicle until you have insurance on it so it's not uncommon to buy a vehicle and tax it when you get it home. However that relies on the vehicle being currently taxed by the owner - what people refer to as 'get you home tax'.

"Get you home tax"?

as far as Im aware.. the only way to get a bike home that YOU have bought and not taxed is for it to be delivered.

You can't tax a vehicle until you have insurance on it so it's not uncommon to buy a vehicle and tax it when you get it home. However that relies on the vehicle being currently taxed by the owner - what people refer to as 'get you home tax'.

 

"Get you home tax"?

as far as Im aware.. the only way to get a bike home that YOU have bought and not taxed is for it to be delivered.

it's the unofficial space between the current owner cancelling the tax by sending the V5 off and you taxing it. the only fully legal above board way is for you to tax it the second you buy it, this is the sketchy it's still legally taxed by the previous owner grey area until the post arrives, although now you can do everything online in theory the previous owner could immediately cancel it and then you're screwed.

Also as already said NEVER EVER take a vehicle you are not insured for on public road. If you get caught you're fooked

Check it starts from cold, all the lights and switches work and there aren't any dents or scratches that weren't mentioned in the Ad.

You can either take out insurance to start at the relevant date/time or get everything set up in advance as a quotation and ring the insurance company once you have the bike. Regarding road tax, you can do that online so should be possible from your mobile phone? You just need the green part of the V5C.

Some very simple tips for checking over the new bike.

Brakes - check the condition of the discs and pads. If the discs are rusty or pitted it suggests the bike hasn't been ridden much lately. Check the front and rear brake fluid - it should be clear, if it's not then it needs changing and potentially the bike has not been properly serviced.

Oil - check that it's at the right level and also the condition. Thick black stuff suggests no recent oil change - when does the owner say the last service was carried out? If they are saying a couple of thousand miles ago but the oil is black then something doesn't add up. Ideally the oil should be brown and drip easily.

Lights & electrics - check every switch and bulb, don't assume that things will work. If the bike is fitted with an alarm make sure it goes off when it should.

Tyres - check the tread depth but also fully rotate both tyres looking for cuts, cracks, or anything stuck in the tyre. Run your finger from side to side on the front tyre to feel for ridges - this is called 'squaring off' and means new tyres are needed, even if the tread looks okay. Check both wheels for any dents, cracks, or bubbling.

Steering - make sure you can move the bars smoothly from side to side without any wierd noises or anything catching.

Suspension - check the front forks for any signs of leaking oil. If either front or rear suspension is adjustable make sure the tool for adjusting the suspension is included and also check each adjuster is not seized (just remember to put the setting back after you have checked). Check the chain, it should be clean with a smooth coating of oil. Chain tension is also a good indication if maintenance has been kept up. Check the rear sprocket and make sure the teeth are nicely triangular and not worn.

(Those of a certain age will remember this as the BOLTSS checklist.)

Beyond that it's a general check over the bike. Is there any corrosion where you weren't expecting it? Any scuffs or scrapes that suggest the bike has been dropped or, worse, thrown down the road? If you are in any doubt be ready to walk away - all too often we turn up having already bought the bike in our heads and the checks are just a formality.

Good luck!

Don't trust this private seller... if he offers you tea and biscuits don't trust him even more he's trying to come across as a nice bloke to make you think he would never try to work a lemon into you .. follow the advice on the above post you should be ok and remember trust no one , especially where money is involved , except me .. you can trust me .

Make sure the address you are collecting it from is the address on the documentation go into the house dont just stand outside. Don't exchange cash in a petrol station etc

All really useful advise, thanks guys. Picking up the bike tomorrow (assuming all goes well). So if you see a guy on a black Van Van around the Cardiff/Vale of Glamorgan area... steer a wide birth

Thanks again