Motorbike MOT check by reg
Whether you're buying a commuter scooter or a sports bike, the MOT history is the quickest way to see how a motorbike has been looked after. Enter the registration above and PlateWise shows the bike's MOT status and expiry date, every test since 2005 with any advisories and failures, recorded mileage on a chart, tax status from the DVLA, and the bike's specification, including engine size and likely MOT class.
It works for motorcycles, mopeds, scooters and three-wheelers registered in Great Britain, and it's free.
Motorbike MOT classes
Motorbikes are tested in their own classes, depending on engine size:
| Vehicle | MOT class |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles and scooters up to 200cc | Class 1 |
| Motorcycles over 200cc, including with a sidecar | Class 2 |
| Three-wheeled vehicles up to 450 kg unladen | Class 3 |
The report shows the likely class, worked out from the engine size the DVLA holds. Not every garage tests motorbikes, so look for a test centre that lists Class 1 and 2. The maximum fee is lower than for a car; see our MOT cost calculator.
When does a motorbike need an MOT?
In Great Britain, a motorbike needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, then every year. In Northern Ireland, the first test is at four years. If a bike is too new to have been tested, our report shows the date its first MOT is due instead of an empty history, and you can add that date to your calendar.
Bikes built or first registered more than 40 years ago can be exempt, provided they haven't been substantially changed. The report flags bikes in that age range. See our guide to MOT-exempt vehicles for the details.
What's checked on a motorbike MOT
A motorbike test covers the parts that keep a rider safe: brakes, tyres and wheels, steering and suspension, lights, the horn, the frame, the exhaust and emissions, the fuel system, the chain or belt and sprockets, the registration plate, and the rider's view of the road through the mirrors. It doesn't cover the engine, clutch or gearbox.
Common advisories on motorbikes include tyres close to the legal limit, worn brake pads, a slack or worn drive chain, and corroded or pitted fork stanchions. Most are cheap to put right, but the same item appearing at test after test suggests a bike that has been ridden rather than maintained. Our report groups these under recurring issues.
Tyres matter more on two wheels
Checking a used motorbike before you buy
Low mileage is common, so look at the pattern
Many bikes are leisure vehicles that cover only a couple of thousand miles a year, and some spend whole winters in a garage. Low mileage on its own isn't suspicious. What you're looking for is a reading that goes down between tests. The mileage chart flags it automatically. Instrument clusters on bikes are sometimes replaced after a fall, which can also explain a change, so ask for paperwork.
Gaps in the history
A bike that was laid up and declared SORN for a couple of years will have a gap in its MOT history. That's usually innocent, but a bike that sat for a long time may need fresh tyres, brake fluid and fork seals. Ask the seller how it was stored.
Signs of a fall
The MOT history won't record accidents, but a sudden cluster of advisories for bent levers, damaged indicators, a scuffed exhaust or misaligned forks can hint at one. Look closely at the bike for scrapes on the bar ends, footpegs and engine cases.
Laying a bike up for winter
Lots of riders put their bike away from November to March. If you do, think about where the MOT expiry date falls. A bike whose MOT runs out in January can't be ridden on the first dry day of spring until it has passed a new test, and garages that test motorbikes get busy as soon as the weather turns.
There are a few ways to make life easier:
- Test before you lay it up. You can take the MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it expires and keep the same renewal date. Testing in autumn means the bike is ready to go in spring.
- Move the date on purpose. Testing more than a month early resets the expiry to a year from the test. Some riders do this once to shift the date to March or April for good.
- Declare it SORN if it's off the road. A bike kept off public roads and declared SORN doesn't need tax or an MOT while it's stored. When you want to ride it again, you can ride it to a pre-booked MOT, then tax it once it passes.
- Set a reminder. Add the due date to your calendar from the bike's report, or sign up for DVSA's free MOT reminder, so a bike tucked away under a cover isn't forgotten.
If you're buying a bike that has been stored, the MOT history will often show a gap. Check the tyres' date codes as well as the tread: rubber hardens with age even when a bike hasn't moved, and old tyres can fail on cracking long before they wear out.
Motorbike tax and ULEZ
The report shows whether the bike is taxed, untaxed or SORN, with the due date. Tax doesn't pass to a new keeper, so you'll need to tax the bike before riding it home. Electric motorbikes are zero rated, but still need to be taxed.
In London's Ultra Low Emission Zone, motorcycles, mopeds and scooters generally need to meet Euro 3, which usually means bikes registered from July 2007 onwards. Our report uses the bike's DVLA Euro status where it's recorded and estimates from the registration date where it isn't. Confirm with Transport for London's vehicle checker before you ride in the zone.
Riding without an MOT
Without a valid MOT, a motorbike can only be ridden to a pre-booked test or to a garage for repairs needed to pass. You risk a fine of up to £1,000, and your insurance may not pay out. A bike with a dangerous defect can mean a fine of up to £2,500 and penalty points.
What the free check doesn't include
Motorbikes are stolen more often than cars, so for a bike you're about to buy it's worth paying for a full history check that covers theft, outstanding finance and insurance write-offs. Government records don't include those. Check the frame and engine numbers match the V5C logbook as well.