One in Five Stolen Vehicles Is a Motorcycle, Avoid Yours Being One of Them

In reference to an MCN article published back in January, which revealed that bikes account for more than one in five stolen vehicles, HPI today released a warning for all motorcycle buyers and advised them to get protection with the HPI Bike Check.

Buying a stolen vehicle is just one of a number of risks facing used bike buyers. Outstanding finance continues to be a problem, with 12% motorbikes checked by HPI still having finance on them.

Anyone who purchases a bike with an outstanding debt could face losing both the motorcycle and the money they paid for it as the bike still legally belongs to the finance house.  In addition, just over 7% of motorcycles checked by HPI have been written off by an insurance company and could be potential death traps if they haven’t been repaired properly.

“Unfortunately, whilst cars have become more difficult to steal, motorcycles remain an easy target for thieves,” said Nicola Johnson, Consumer Services Manager for HPI. “Bikes are smaller and less secure than cars, making them easier to steal and move on, which presents a huge risk to consumers. Buying a stolen
bike means consumers could lose the bike and the money they paid for it when it’s returned to the owner.”

“Used motorcycle buyers can avoid these risks by simply carrying out an HPI Bike Check, which will tell them if their potential purchase is registered as stolen with the Police National Computer. They can also use the HPI Check information to verify the engine number of the bike as well.”

In addition, the HPI Bike Check comes with a £30,000 guarantee in the event of the information they provide being inaccurate.