1. TRUST YOU INSTINCTS IF IT LOOKS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE BEWARE!
2. ALARM BELLS SHOULD RING IF YOU ARE ASKED TO MEET IN A PUBLIC PLACE, CAR PARK OR SELLERS WORK PLACE. HAVING AN ADDRESS TO GO BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE SURE THE SELLER RESIDES IS GENERALLY A GOOD SIGN THAT THEY ARE GENUINE. (WORK PLACE CAR PARKS DON'T ALWAYS MEAN THE PERSON ACTUALLY WORKS IN THE BUILDING YOU PARKED OUTSIDE) .IF ITS AT PUB OR A LAY-BY WALK AWAY!!
3. CHECK THE LOG BOOK IF IT DOES IT LOOK GENUINE OR NO LOG BOOK BEWARE OR BETTER JUST WALK AWAY!
4. CHECK ENGINE AND CHASSIS NUMBERS ON LOG BOOK TO THOSE ON THE BIKE. TAKE A TORCH WITH YOU AND CHECK THOROUGHLY.
5. DO THE NUMBERS ALL LOOK CLEAN AND TIDY NO FILING OR TAMPERING EVIDENT ( THERE ARE MANY VARIABLES TO THE FONTS USED BY EACH MANUFACTURER TO HELP PREVENT FRAUD - THESE CAN BE STUDIED IN MORE DETAIL AND ARE VERY SPECIFIC AND THERE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES ON LINE THAT GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS.
6. CHECK THE SELLERS ID DOES THE NAME MATCH TO THAT ON THE LOG BOOK OR V5 IF NOT BEWARE!
7. ASK FOR OLD MOTS SERVICE DOCUMENT ANYTHING RELATING TO THE BIKE THE MORE PAPERWORK THE SELLER HAS THE BETTER ESPECIALLY IF ADDRESS AND NAMES TIE UP WITH ID AND LOG BOOK.
8. DO AN HPI CHECK THIS WILL GENERALLY GIVE YOU THE HISTORY OF THE BIKE TO SEE IF IT HAS BEEN STOLEN, WRITTEN OFF OR FINANCE IS STILL OWED.
9. TRUST YOU GUT IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT WALK AWAY ... WALK AWAY! !!
10 . THERE IS A BIKE STOLEN EVERY SEVEN MINUTES AND 120 000 ARE STILL MISSING AT ANY ONE TIME MAKE SURE YOU DON'T ONE OF THEM!!
This is just a quick guide to give you a basis to go on but is not foolproof and there are many more pitfalls not mentioned . There are numerous more detailed guides on line and the more information you have about stolen and cloned bikes the better you judgement. Search Metropolitan Police Stolen Vehicle Unit and MCN guides .
2. ALARM BELLS SHOULD RING IF YOU ARE ASKED TO MEET IN A PUBLIC PLACE, CAR PARK OR SELLERS WORK PLACE. HAVING AN ADDRESS TO GO BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE SURE THE SELLER RESIDES IS GENERALLY A GOOD SIGN THAT THEY ARE GENUINE. (WORK PLACE CAR PARKS DON'T ALWAYS MEAN THE PERSON ACTUALLY WORKS IN THE BUILDING YOU PARKED OUTSIDE) .IF ITS AT PUB OR A LAY-BY WALK AWAY!!
3. CHECK THE LOG BOOK IF IT DOES IT LOOK GENUINE OR NO LOG BOOK BEWARE OR BETTER JUST WALK AWAY!
4. CHECK ENGINE AND CHASSIS NUMBERS ON LOG BOOK TO THOSE ON THE BIKE. TAKE A TORCH WITH YOU AND CHECK THOROUGHLY.
5. DO THE NUMBERS ALL LOOK CLEAN AND TIDY NO FILING OR TAMPERING EVIDENT ( THERE ARE MANY VARIABLES TO THE FONTS USED BY EACH MANUFACTURER TO HELP PREVENT FRAUD - THESE CAN BE STUDIED IN MORE DETAIL AND ARE VERY SPECIFIC AND THERE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES ON LINE THAT GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS.
6. CHECK THE SELLERS ID DOES THE NAME MATCH TO THAT ON THE LOG BOOK OR V5 IF NOT BEWARE!
7. ASK FOR OLD MOTS SERVICE DOCUMENT ANYTHING RELATING TO THE BIKE THE MORE PAPERWORK THE SELLER HAS THE BETTER ESPECIALLY IF ADDRESS AND NAMES TIE UP WITH ID AND LOG BOOK.
8. DO AN HPI CHECK THIS WILL GENERALLY GIVE YOU THE HISTORY OF THE BIKE TO SEE IF IT HAS BEEN STOLEN, WRITTEN OFF OR FINANCE IS STILL OWED.
9. TRUST YOU GUT IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT WALK AWAY ... WALK AWAY! !!
10 . THERE IS A BIKE STOLEN EVERY SEVEN MINUTES AND 120 000 ARE STILL MISSING AT ANY ONE TIME MAKE SURE YOU DON'T ONE OF THEM!!
This is just a quick guide to give you a basis to go on but is not foolproof and there are many more pitfalls not mentioned . There are numerous more detailed guides on line and the more information you have about stolen and cloned bikes the better you judgement. Search Metropolitan Police Stolen Vehicle Unit and MCN guides .