Last updated 29 September 2026.
Valuing a used motorbike is harder than valuing a car. There are fewer bikes of any one model for sale, the free online tools that car dealers lean on do not cover bikes, and small things like a worn chain or an aftermarket exhaust move the price more than you would expect. This guide shows motorcycle dealers how to work out trade, retail and part-exchange values, what to check before you commit, and how to work back from a retail price to a buying price. There is also a section for owners asking “how much is my motorbike worth?“. Selling your own bike? Skip to the guide for owners.
Figures in the worked example are illustrative. The data sources and market comments are as published by the organisations linked, checked in September 2026.
How do you value a used motorbike?
Start from what the bike will retail for, then work back to what you can pay:
- Find the retail price from dealer adverts for the same model, year and mileage, and a trade guide such as CAP HPI's Green Book if you subscribe.
- Run a history check for finance, theft, write-off and mileage records, and check the MOT history.
- Inspect the bike: chain and sprockets, tyres, fork seals, corrosion and crash damage.
- Take off preparation, costs, VAT on your margin and your profit. What is left is the most you should pay.
Trade, retail and part-exchange values
A motorbike has three values, and the gap between them is where your margin lives. The retail value is what a dealer can sell a prepared bike for. The trade value is what one trader would pay another, with no margin in it. The part-exchange value is what you agree to allow a customer against a bike they buy from you. For where dealers buy bikes at trade prices, see where motorcycle dealers buy stock.
A private sale usually lands somewhere between trade and retail. The seller skips the dealer’s preparation and warranty costs, and the buyer gets no dealer comeback, so both meet in the middle. That is why customers often expect more than you offer: they have looked at dealer adverts, not trade prices.
The terms work the same way as they do for cars, which we explain in more detail in CAP clean, average and below explained.
Where to find motorbike valuations
The main sources are a paid trade guide and live adverts. Unlike cars, you cannot get an AutoTrader valuation for a bike.
CAP HPI Green Book
CAP HPI’s motorcycle guide is Green Book. CAP HPI says it gives “a clear used value, with adjustments for two trade conditions CAP Clean and Average”, plus a suggested retail price, and that it is established as the benchmark in the finance and insurance sectors (CAP HPI: Green Book). It covers motorcycle values going back up to 15 years, from a database of around 11,000 bike IDs, with monthly editorial and market commentary. You can use it through CAP HPI’s Valuation Anywhere search, its iPhone app, or built into business systems (CAP HPI: motorcycle values).
Glass’s
Glass’s also covers used motorcycles. Its motorcycle editor comments on used bike values in trade press market reports, such as British Dealer News’ monthly used bike market analysis (British Dealer News: used bike market analysis, March 2025). Ask Glass’s directly about access to its motorcycle values.
AutoTrader: adverts, not valuations
AutoTrader does not value bikes. Its help centre says it does not currently give valuations for bikes, caravans, motorhomes, trucks, plant or farm vehicles, and suggests looking at how other sellers are pricing similar vehicles instead (AutoTrader: can you give a valuation for all vehicle types?). So the retail, trade and price indicator figures described in our guide to AutoTrader valuations for dealers apply to cars and vans, not bikes.
Live and sold adverts
For retail prices, comparable adverts are your best evidence. Search AutoTrader Bikes, MCN’s bikes for sale and eBay for the same model, a similar year and similar mileage. Note which are dealer and which are private adverts, how long they have been listed, and whether they sold. Where a site shows sold or ended listings, use them, because they show what buyers paid rather than what sellers hoped for.
Instant-offer bike buying websites give you a sense of the trade floor. They quote what they would pay to buy the bike, not what it will retail for.
What moves a motorbike’s value
Age, mileage, history and condition set most of the value, with modifications and the time of year on top.
- Age. BikeSocial says age matters most in the first three years, when prices fall fastest. After about six years the depreciation curve flattens and condition becomes more important than age (BikeSocial: motorcycle price guide).
- Mileage. BikeSocial’s example is a 2016 Triumph Speed Triple: about £7,000 with 5,000 miles against around £5,600 with 15,000 miles in its 2020 guide. Check the claimed mileage against the MOT history.
- Service history. BikeSocial notes that a fully stamped service book on a ten-year-old bike is “a very different proposition” to one with no history, and it counts for more as the bike ages.
- Modifications. “Modifications are generally bad for sale prices,” says BikeSocial, although quality manufacturer accessories may add a little. Aftermarket exhausts, tail tidies and remapped engines narrow your pool of buyers. Ask whether the original parts come with the bike.
- Condition. Tyres, chain and sprockets, brakes and cosmetic damage all cost money to put right, and buyers see them straight away.
- Season. Bike demand rises in spring. See the next section.
Seasonality
Spring is the strongest time to sell a bike. BikeSocial advises selling from March to May for a quick sale at the market price, and says the market slows after that, all but grinding to a halt from September. In March 2025, Glass’s said it expected residual values to increase across most segments as seasonal activity strengthened (British Dealer News, March 2025). In 2026, AutoTrader Bikes reported used bikes selling in an average of 31 days in April, its quickest figure of the year at the time (British Dealer News, June 2026).
A bike bought in autumn may sit longer, so build the holding time into what you pay.
History checks: the motorbike HPI check
Run a history check on every bike before you pay for it. A bike history check tells you whether it is recorded as stolen, written off, scrapped or subject to outstanding finance. HPI’s bike check covers those, plus the number of previous owners, a logbook check, mileage discrepancies, number plate changes and import or export records. HPI says 1 in 14 motorbikes it checks turns out to be an insurance write-off, and 1 in 11 has a mileage discrepancy (HPI: bike check).
Two free GOV.UK checks help too:
- The MOT history service covers motorcycles from 2005 and shows whether each test passed or failed, the mileage recorded at each test and, in England, Scotland and Wales, the failures and minor problems noted. A mileage that goes backwards between tests needs explaining.
- DVLA’s vehicle enquiry service shows the bike’s registered details and when the latest V5C was issued, so you can check the log book you are shown is the current one.
Write-off categories for bikes
The insurers’ salvage code applies to motorcycles as well as cars, and the 2025 update brought in improved wording for motorcycles (Insurance Edge: new salvage code from the ABI). According to a comparison of the 2019 and 2025 versions, a bike with a mild steel frame can be Category S if it can be safely repaired to the manufacturer’s specification, but a damaged alloy or composite frame goes to Category B, and cosmetic paint-only frame damage can be Category N (WriteOffCars: salvage code V11 vs V12). A Cat S or Cat N bike is worth less than a clean-history equivalent, and you should tell your buyer about it. Our guide to Cat S and Cat N write-offs covers what that means in practice.
Condition appraisal checklist for motorbikes
Inspect the bike on a stand, cold, in daylight. The MOT inspection manual for motorcycles is a useful reference for what counts as worn: it lists a chain, sprocket or belt that is excessively loose or worn as a major defect, and requires motorcycles over 50cc to have at least 1.0mm of tread across a continuous band of at least three-quarters of the tread breadth (GOV.UK: MOT inspection manual for motorcycles).
| Area | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Chain and sprockets | Slack, tight spots and rust on the chain. Hooked or pointed sprocket teeth. Chain and sprockets are usually replaced as a set. |
| Tyres | Tread depth across the whole width, squared-off rear tyres on high-mileage commuters, cracking, and the four-digit date code on the sidewall. |
| Forks and suspension | Oil on the fork legs or seals, pitting or rust on the stanchions, and leaking rear shocks. The MOT manual treats a shock absorber leaking severely as a major defect. |
| Corrosion | Frame, swinging arm, suspension components and brackets. The MOT manual singles these out as the load-bearing parts where corrosion matters most. |
| Crash damage | Scuffed bar ends, levers, footpegs, mirrors and engine covers. Bent levers or replacement non-standard parts on one side only. Fresh paint on the frame. |
| Brakes | Disc wear and lips, pad thickness, spongy levers and old brake fluid. |
| Electrics | Every light and switch, the starter, and any warning lights. Look for spliced wiring behind accessories. |
| Modifications | Aftermarket exhausts, indicators and tail tidies. Whether the original parts come with the bike. |
| Paperwork and keys | V5C matching the bike and the seller, the frame number matching the V5C, service history, MOT history and both keys. |
Price each item as you go. Our vehicle inspection checklist gives you a printable list to work from, and our vehicle appraisal best practices cover how to turn what you find into an offer.
Worked example: working retail back to a buying price
Work out the most you can pay by starting at the retail price and taking off every cost. All figures below are illustrative. Use your own costs and live evidence for the bike in front of you.
Say you are offered a five-year-old middleweight naked bike. Dealer adverts for similar bikes with similar mileage suggest you can retail it at £6,500. It needs a chain and sprocket kit and a rear tyre, and it is due a service.
| Retail price you expect to achieve | £6,500 |
| Less preparation (chain and sprockets, rear tyre, service, valet) | −£700 |
| Less warranty, transport and advertising | −£250 |
| Less VAT on the margin (one-sixth of £2,100) | −£350 |
| Less your target profit | −£800 |
| Maximum you should pay | £4,400 |
The VAT line assumes you are VAT registered and sell under the margin scheme. HMRC says VAT is worked out by multiplying the margin (selling price less purchase price) by 1/6, and that the purchase price does not include preparation, repairs, accessories or overheads (GOV.UK: using the VAT margin scheme for second-hand vehicles). Here the margin is £6,500 less £4,400, which is £2,100, so the VAT is £350. Our VAT margin calculator and vehicle profit calculator do the sums for you.
Then sense-check £4,400 against the trade value. If Green Book shows, say, £4,600 clean and £4,200 average, this bike’s worn chain and tyre put it nearer average. Paying around £4,200 leaves room in your numbers. If the seller wants £5,000, you would be paying well above trade for a bike that has to earn its margin going into the quieter months.
If the bike is a part exchange, the same sum tells you what you can allow for it. Any extra you give the customer on top is a discount on the bike they are buying, and our part exchange guide explains why that split matters for your margin and VAT.
How much is my motorbike worth? A guide for owners
Your bike is worth what a buyer will pay for it, and that depends on who the buyer is. Here is how to get a realistic figure:
- Find comparable bikes. Search AutoTrader Bikes, MCN and eBay for the same model, a similar year and similar mileage. Dealer adverts show the top of the range. Private adverts are closer to what you will get selling privately.
- Be honest about condition. Worn tyres, a tired chain, scuffs from a drop or overdue servicing all come off the price. A buyer or dealer will spot them.
- Allow for modifications. Most add little or nothing, and some reduce the value. Refit the original parts if you have them.
- Expect a lower offer from a dealer. A dealer or bike buying service pays a trade price, because they have to prepare the bike, warranty it and sell it at a profit. AutoTrader does not give bike valuations, so you will not get a free trade figure the way car owners can.
- Pick your moment. Spring is when bikes sell fastest.
Have the V5C, service book and both keys ready. Buyers pay more for a bike whose history they can see.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Pricing from one advert | Look at several comparable bikes, dealer and private, and check how long they have been listed. |
| Expecting an AutoTrader valuation | AutoTrader does not value bikes. Use comparable adverts and a trade guide such as Green Book. |
| Paying extra for modifications | Value the bike as standard. Most aftermarket parts do not add value. |
| Skipping the history check | Check finance, theft, write-off and mileage records on every bike, plus the MOT history. |
| Ignoring the season | Allow for a longer sale on bikes bought in autumn and winter. |
How Haswent helps
Haswent handles bikes alongside cars and vans. Motorbikes sit in the same stock management system, where you can record condition, service records and costs, view MOT history, and track days in stock. Bikes can be advertised on AutoTrader through our AutoTrader connection, and go out in feeds to marketplaces such as eBay Motors Pro and CarsVansAndBikes.com. Online appraisals let customers send photos, video and answers to your questions before they bring a part exchange in.
Contact us for a demo.Sources
- CAP HPI: Green Book
- CAP HPI: motorcycle values, Green Book
- AutoTrader: can you give a valuation for all vehicle types?
- BikeSocial: motorcycle price guide
- British Dealer News: used bike market analysis, March 2025
- British Dealer News: used bike market analysis, June 2026
- HPI: bike check
- GOV.UK: check the MOT history of a vehicle
- GOV.UK: check vehicle details from DVLA
- GOV.UK: MOT inspection manual for motorcycles
- GOV.UK: using the VAT margin scheme for second-hand vehicles
- Insurance Edge: new salvage code of conduct from the ABI (29 May 2025)
- WriteOffCars: ABI salvage code V11 vs V12
Frequently asked questions
How much is my motorbike worth?
It depends on who is buying. Look at dealer and private adverts for the same model, year and mileage on sites such as AutoTrader Bikes, MCN and eBay. A private buyer will usually pay less than the dealer asking price, and a dealer or bike buying service will offer a trade price, which is lower again because they have to prepare, warranty and resell the bike.
Does AutoTrader value motorbikes?
No. AutoTrader's help centre says it does not currently give valuations for bikes, caravans, motorhomes, trucks, plant or farm vehicles. It suggests looking at how other sellers are pricing similar vehicles on AutoTrader instead.
Is there a trade price guide for motorbikes?
Yes. CAP HPI publishes Green Book for motorcycles, which gives a suggested retail price and a used value with adjustments for two trade conditions, CAP clean and average. Glass's also covers the used motorcycle market and has a motorcycle specialist who comments on values. Both are paid trade products.
What does a motorbike HPI check show?
A bike history check tells you whether the bike is recorded as stolen, written off or scrapped, whether it has outstanding finance, and whether there are mileage discrepancies, number plate changes or import and export records. HPI's bike check also shows the number of previous owners and a logbook check.
Do modifications add value to a motorbike?
Usually not. BikeSocial says modifications are generally bad for sale prices, although quality manufacturer accessories may add a little. Keep the original parts if you can, because many buyers want a bike close to standard.
When is the best time to sell a motorbike?
Spring. BikeSocial advises selling from March to May for a quick sale at the market price, and Glass's has said it expects values to rise across most segments as seasonal activity strengthens in March. AutoTrader Bikes reported that used bikes sold in an average of 31 days in April 2026, its quickest figure of the year at the time.
Can a Cat S motorbike be put back on the road?
Yes. A Cat S or Cat N bike can be repaired and used again, but it will usually be worth less than an equivalent bike with no write-off record, and you should tell buyers about it. The insurers' salvage code covers motorcycles, and under the 2025 version a bike with a damaged alloy or composite frame is expected to go to Category B, which can never go back on the road.