Motorcycle Bill of Sale

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 8, 2026Facts checked against 49 CFR 580, TxDMV, California DMV, Colorado DMV and NCDMV

Motorcycles are sold privately far more often than through dealers, and the deal usually ends with a test ride, some cash and a signed title. What often goes missing is a written record of the sale itself. A motorcycle bill of sale is that record: who sold the bike, who bought it, which bike it was, what it cost and when the keys changed hands.

The template above is built for bikes rather than borrowed from a car form. It asks for the engine number, which at least one state's official form insists on for every motorcycle. It knows that off-road machines don't need an odometer statement. And it has room for the gear that tends to go with a bike, such as helmets, luggage and a cover. When you're done, the bill of sale document for motorcycle sales prints on a single page.

Motorcycle bill of sale template: step by step

1. Pick the state and date. Both print at the top. Deadlines for transferring the title usually start on the date of sale.
2. Add the seller and buyer. Names should match the title and the buyer's ID. If the title shows two owners, add the co-owner so a second signature line appears.
3. Describe the bike. Type, model year, make, model, engine size, color and plate.
4. Copy the VIN and engine number. Take them from the title and the bike itself, not from memory.
5. Set the price. Add the amount and payment method, or tick the gift box. List any gear included.
6. Odometer. If the bike needs a federal odometer statement, the section appears automatically. Enter the mileage without tenths and choose the status.
7. Get your copies. Print, save a PDF, or download a Word file. Sign two copies.

The VIN and the engine number

A motorcycle carries two identifying numbers. The VIN, sometimes called the frame number, is usually stamped on the steering head (the tube at the front of the frame the forks turn in) and printed on the title. Older paperwork sometimes spells it "motor cycle," but the bill of sale needs the same number either way. Bikes built for the U.S. market since the early 1980s have 17-character VINs, and the tool checks the ninth character, the check digit, to catch typing mistakes.

The engine number is stamped on the engine cases. It isn't always on the title, but some states want it. Colorado's official Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale, form DR 2173, has an engine ID box marked as required for all motorcycles (and for vehicles from 1953 and earlier). Filling it in costs a minute and helps prove the engine is the original or, if it was swapped, makes the swap a matter of record.

If either number looks filed, re-stamped or doesn't match the paperwork, stop. Altered numbers are a common sign of a stolen bike, and the buyer may never get it titled.

Odometer rules for motorcycles

The federal odometer rules in 49 CFR Part 580 apply to motor vehicles, and a street motorcycle is a motor vehicle. Under the current exemptions in § 580.17, the seller of a model-year 2011 or newer bike must disclose the mileage on every transfer until the bike is 20 years old. Bikes from model year 2010 and older are exempt. Colorado's DMV puts it plainly on its private-sale page: beginning with model year 2011, odometer disclosure is required for every transfer of ownership for the first 20 years of the vehicle's life.

The tool applies those rules for you. Enter a model year and the odometer section either appears or is replaced by a short note. Tick "off-road only" and it disappears too, because the federal definition of a motor vehicle covers vehicles made primarily for use on public roads.

On a titled motorcycle, the official disclosure also goes on the title, in the space provided. The statement on the bill of sale backs it up. Colorado accepts the disclosure on its secure DR 2173 form instead of the title, but that's a purchased security form, not a printout.

Dirt bike bill of sale

Off-road motorcycles live in a gray area that makes paperwork more important, not less. They can't be plated for the street, so buyers sometimes assume no paperwork is needed. In many states that's wrong. Texas requires off-highway motorcycles to be titled, even though they can't be registered. California treats trail bikes and racing motorcycles as off-highway vehicles that carry a DMV-issued ID plate or placard instead of regular registration, and it lists bills of sale among the documents that establish a chain of ownership.

So a dirt bike bill of sale protects both sides. Choose "Dirt bike (off-road)" as the type and tick "off-road only." The document then adds the seller's statement that the bike was made for off-road use and isn't equipped or registered for public roads. That sentence heads off arguments later if the buyer expected a street-legal machine. Whether your listing says dirt bike or dirtbike, the bill of sale and the template behind it are the same. A dirt bike bill of sale form also helps if the buyer ever needs to prove where the bike came from, for example when registering it for an off-highway sticker.

California adds one more warning that buyers should know: a motorcycle originally manufactured for off-highway use can't be converted for on-highway use unless it was manufactured for dual purposes. If the buyer wants to ride on the street, check that before paying.

Moped bill of sale and scooters

Mopeds and scooters sit between bicycles and motorcycles, and states treat them very differently. In Texas, the title requirements for a motorcycle, autocycle and moped are the same, and a moped must pass an inspection to be registered. North Carolina registers mopeds with an affidavit of facts (form MVR-58). Some states don't title mopeds at all.

Whatever your state does, a moped bill of sale is cheap insurance. It's the buyer's proof of ownership where there's no title, and the seller's proof of the sale date where there is one. Choose "Moped" or "Scooter" as the type; the engine size field matters here, because many states define a moped partly by engine displacement. Searching for a moped bill of sale full template free of charge? The one above is complete and costs nothing.

Electric scooters and e-bikes often fall outside motor vehicle rules altogether. A bill of sale is still a sensible receipt for a valuable one: write the serial number in the VIN field.

Motorcycle bill of sale rules in a few states

For a Texas motorcycle bill of sale, include the price, since the buyer's application to the county tax office (Form 130-U) asks for it. Want a Texas motorcycle bill of sale PDF? Choose Texas, fill in the form and save it from the print window. In California, you can use this document or the DMV's REG 135; both record the same basics. In Colorado, remember the engine ID, and if you're using the bill of sale for the odometer disclosure, it has to be on the state's secure DR 2173.

How to get a motorcycle title with a bill of sale

This is one of the most searched questions about bike paperwork, and the answer depends on whether a title already exists.

• The bike has a title. The buyer needs that title, signed over by the owner shown on it. A bill of sale supports the title transfer but doesn't replace it. If the seller has lost the title, the seller should apply for a duplicate before the sale. California, for example, uses its REG 227 form for a duplicate or transfer of title.
• The bike was never titled. Some older bikes, off-road machines and mopeds in some states were never titled. Here the bill of sale, often together with other proof such as the manufacturer's certificate of origin, is the ownership evidence the state starts from.
• The paperwork is missing and the seller can't be found. States have special processes, such as bonded titles or inspections. They take time, so a buyer should think hard before paying for a bike with no title.

In short: the bill of sale is half of the paperwork. For a titled bike, the other half is the title.

For the whole process, from title to plates, see our guide to how to get a motorcycle title.

A missing or lost motorcycle title

If you own the bike and the title is missing, apply for a duplicate from the state that issued it; motorcycles use the same replacement process as cars, and our title transfer guide links to each state's form and fee. Do it before you advertise. A buyer looking at a motorcycle without its title has no way to register it, and the lost paper only becomes harder to replace once the bike has changed hands.

Buying a motorcycle that has no title

When a seller offers a motorcycle with no title for sale, ask why. A machine that was never titled, like some older bikes or off-road models in certain states, can be fine with a bill of sale and the old registration. A road motorcycle that should have one is different: the seller has to replace it first. Getting a title for a motorcycle you bought without one usually means a bonded title, an inspection or a court process, so the cheap price rarely makes up for the paperwork.

Titling a motorcycle in your name

To title a motorcycle after a private sale, take the signed-over title, the bill of sale, your ID and proof of insurance to the state agency, along with any odometer statement your state requires. Most states treat the title for a motorcycle exactly like a car title, with the same fees and deadlines.

Motorcycle bill of sale example

Here's a bill of sale example for motorcycle sales between two private people, written the way the tool lays it out:

That motorcycle bill of sale example covers the price, the date, the parties, the bike's identity two ways, the mileage and the condition terms. A second, shorter sample bill of sale for motorcycle gifts would drop the price and say the bike was given with no payment, keeping everything else.

How to write a bill of sale for a motorcycle by hand

If you'd rather write it out, include the same parts in the same order: a heading, the date and place, both parties with addresses, the bike's year, make, model, VIN and engine number, the price and payment, an as-is line, the odometer statement if one is required, and two signatures. Use ink, write the price in words as well as numbers, and make a copy for each side. Or print the blank copy from this page and fill in the lines by hand: you get the structure without typing anything.

Free motorcycle bill of sale: print, PDF or Word

Everything on this page is free: no account, no trial, no watermark, and the template stays free however many times you use it. Once you've filled in the form you can print the document, save it as a PDF from the print dialog, download an editable Word file, or print an empty copy. The free motorcycle bill of sale prints on letter paper and works for any bike, bill of sale for bike sales of any size included.

Before you hand over the money

• Check the title. The seller's name should match their ID, and there should be no unreleased lienholder.
• Match the numbers. VIN on the steering head, VIN on the title, VIN on the bill of sale.
• Ride it, or have it inspected. Listen for cold-start noises, check the chain, brakes and tires.
• Agree on the plate. In many states the plate stays with the seller; in others it goes with the bike.
• Insurance. The buyer should arrange coverage before riding away.

Selling a car instead? Our vehicle bill of sale is set up for cars, trucks and SUVs. For quads, side-by-sides and snowmobiles, use the ATV bill of sale.

Motorcycle bill of sale FAQ