What paperwork should a used motorcycle have?

The V5C logbook showing the seller as the registered keeper, an MOT certificate if the bike is over three years old, and ideally a documented service history - receipts, a stamped book, or a digital record.

Is a free HPI-style check enough, or should I pay for one?

A free registration lookup shows official MOT and tax history, which is a genuinely useful first check. It won’t tell you about outstanding finance, a stolen marker, or a write-off record - for those you need a paid vehicle-history check.

What are the biggest red flags when buying a used motorcycle?

A seller who won’t let you inspect the bike in daylight or won’t start it from cold, a VIN/frame number that doesn’t match the V5C, mismatched paint or gaps around the tank and fairings suggesting crash repair, and any pressure to pay a deposit before you’ve seen the bike in person.

What to Check Before Buying a Used Motorcycle

Buying a used motorcycle privately means there's no dealer warranty and no cooling-off period once you've paid - what you check before handing over money is the only real protection you have. This is the checklist worth actually going through, not a generic list of "check the tyres."

The paperwork, first

Before looking at the bike itself, check the documents match it:

The V5C logbook. The registration, make, model, colour, and VIN/frame number on the V5C must match the bike in front of you exactly. The seller's name and address should be the current registered keeper - if it isn't, ask why, since a private seller who isn't the registered keeper is a genuine red flag, not just an inconvenience.
MOT history. Any bike over three years old needs a valid MOT. Beyond just checking it's current, the full test history (free to look up by registration) shows advisories and past mileage readings - a pattern of the same advisory repeated test after test suggests something that's been ignored, not fixed.
Service history. Receipts, a stamped service book, or a digital record all count. No history at all isn't automatically disqualifying on an older, cheaper bike, but it does mean you're buying on the bike's current condition alone, with nothing to fall back on if something goes wrong soon after.

Checking the bike itself

VIN/frame number. Confirm it matches the V5C and hasn't been tampered with - stamped digits that look re-punched, uneven, or sit in a panel that looks disturbed are worth walking away over, not negotiating past.
Frame and fairing alignment. Stand back and sight down the bike from front and rear - a frame that's been straightened after a crash often shows as panels or the tank not sitting quite square, even when everything looks fine up close.
Tyres. Check the date code (a four-digit code on the sidewall, week and year of manufacture) as well as tread depth - a tyre with plenty of tread but that's eight years old has perished rubber, whatever the depth gauge says.
Chain and sprockets. A dry, rusty, or badly worn chain and hooked (shark-fin shaped) sprocket teeth point to a bike that's been neglected mechanically, not just cosmetically - worth checking even on a bike that otherwise looks immaculate.
Forks and shock. Look for oil weeping down the fork legs, and press down on the bars to check the suspension returns smoothly rather than clunking or staying compressed.
Starting from cold. Ask to start the bike before it's been warmed up - a bike that's suspiciously already warm when you arrive may be hiding a cold-start problem.
Mileage versus condition. Worn pegs, a shiny worn patch on the seat, and a tank that's dulled from years of boot contact should roughly match the claimed mileage - a low reading on a visibly well-used bike is worth questioning directly.

Questions worth asking the seller directly

Why are you selling it?
Has it ever been dropped, crashed, or had bodywork replaced?
Is there any outstanding finance on it?
Has it always been kept undercover, or often left outside?
Do you have the original keys, and how many?

A seller who answers these quickly and consistently, with paperwork to back it up, is a much better sign than the price alone.

The last-mile check

A visual inspection can't tell you about outstanding finance, a stolen marker, or whether the bike's been written off and repaired - those need a real records check, not a walk-around. Run the registration through RoadVerdict's free Buying Guide first for the MOT history and an AI-written briefing, then add the full Independent Vehicle Check if anything above made you want the deeper certainty before you pay.

General buying guidance, not a substitute for a professional pre-purchase inspection - especially for anything safety-critical like brakes, forks, or frame condition.