Procedure of selling a bike

[notbike]

So I've never sold a vehicle before and I'll be selling my R125 very soon if everything in the coming month goes to plan, so I need to know the proper procedures regarding what to do about insurance or SORNing the bike before selling it. Been reading around but it's all confusing me a little.

Say I wanted to transfer my current policy to a different bike that I'm buying a few days after selling my old bike, but to afford the other bike I need to sell my bike first, do I:

A) Cancel my policy before selling the bike, then get a new policy all together after buying a different bike (less hassle?)

Or

B) Do I keep it insured, sell it while I still have it insured so I can keep my policy, and then change the bike on my current insurance policy to the new one?

Also, do I have to SORN my bike before selling it? Is that a compulsory thing to do?

And finally, what do I do with the road tax, can the other bloke just keep the current tax until it runs out?

Thanks.

[Commuter_Tim]

This is relevant to my interests
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The above post is most likely nonsensical.

I ride a Bandit 600... badly.

[wr6133]

Your 125 policy may be with an underwriter that won't do big bikes so check that first.

You should SORN once it's uninsured, word of warning though buyers prefer a taxed bike.

If not SORN'd then yes the new buyer has that road tax

[notbike]

Thanks for the heads up about the insurance, I didn't realize that could be an issue.

So it goes un-insure, SORN the vehicle, sell it, fresh insurance on new bike.

I don't mind cancelling my insurance to sell it, I don't have any no claims bonus 'cause I haven't even been on a policy for a year yet so that's a non-issue itself, but apparently you can get charged cancellation fees or something which would be a little unpleasant.

[wr6133]

[Ben90]

I sold my 125 recently and kept the insurance going. When I bought my big bike I called them up to transfer and as said above the underwriter was not interested, but they set up a new policy and used the rebate to knock the price down.

Two benefits there; no cancellation fee - the full rebate was utilised to lower the new premium, and I didn't have to enter all my details twice when the only changes were the bike and license type.

Do a quick comparison first to see what kind of prices you can get though, it may be more cost effective to pay the fee and go with someone else.

Oh and when selling, I'd download and fill in a receipt of sale template, stating the bike is sold as seen with no warranty yadda yadda. Print off two copies and buyer and seller sign them both.
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Yamaha FZ6 S2

[grr666]

[Rogerborg]

Probably recapping but:

Road tax currently transfers with the bike. Leave it on.

I would agree with checking with your broker or underwriter that they will transfer the policy to a bigger bike. If not, cancel it as soon as it sells and suck up the cancellation fee.

If they will cover bigger bikes then keep it insured, sell it, then buy another bike ASAP and only then tell them to change it over.

There's a very small possibility of the new owner being involved in a collision in the interim that might get a in your direction but it's never bothered me.

You could contact your insurer after selling and ask them if they can keep the policy running but with no vehicle on it temporarily. I've never done it, I expect the answer will be "U wot?" but it would be the "right" thing to do.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike