A motorcycle bill of sale is a signed record of a private motorcycle sale: who sold it, who bought it, the VIN, the mileage, the price and the date. Bikes change hands more casually than cars, often for cash in a driveway, and this is the paper that keeps that sale from turning into a he-said, she-said later. Our free motorcycle bill of sale template is in Word and PDF, and it adds fields a car form doesn’t have, like the engine number and a list of aftermarket parts.
Why not just use a car bill of sale?
You can, and our vehicle bill of sale works for motorcycles in a pinch. The motorcycle version exists because bike sales raise questions car sales rarely do. Is that the original exhaust? Are the stock parts in the box coming too? Does the engine number match the frame? Which helmets and jackets are part of the price?
Federal safety rules define a motorcycle as a motor vehicle with a seat or saddle for the rider, designed to travel on no more than three wheels. So this template also works for most three-wheelers and trikes. For off-road-only machines like dirt bikes and quads that aren’t street-registered, the ATV bill of sale is closer to what you need.
Does the federal odometer rule apply to your motorcycle?
Probably, if the bike is model year 2011 or newer. NHTSA explains that federal law requires the seller to give the buyer a written disclosure of the odometer mileage, on the title, when ownership transfers. Motorcycles aren’t excluded as a class; the exemptions in 49 CFR 580.17 are based on weight, age and a few special cases.
The age exemption currently works in two tiers:
- Model year 2010 and older: exempt once transferred at least 10 years after January 1 of the model year. Every 2010-or-older bike is already past that line.
- Model year 2011 and newer: exempt only once transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of the model year. A 2011 bike reaches that point on January 1, 2031.
In practice, that means a 2014 sport bike sold in 2026 needs a mileage disclosure, and a 2008 cruiser doesn’t. The regulation spells this out with its own examples: in 2031, model year 2011 and older vehicles are exempt. Rules like this do get amended, so read the current text on eCFR in the year you sell rather than trusting a number from an old forum post.
Even when the bike is exempt, write the mileage down. It costs nothing, and the buyer will want it.
What’s on our motorcycle bill of sale?
Identification numbers
The VIN from the frame (usually stamped on the steering head) and the engine number from the cases. Compare the VIN with the title. On older bikes the engine may have been swapped at some point, which isn’t necessarily a problem, but the bill of sale should say so if you know.
Engine size and odometer
Displacement in cc, the odometer reading, whether it reads in miles or kilometers (imported bikes sometimes read in km), and the three standard mileage statements: actual, over the mechanical limit, or not actual.
Modifications and parts
A short list of aftermarket parts, and whether the original parts come with the bike. Say a hypothetical rider in Orlando sells a 2017 naked bike with a slip-on exhaust and a tail tidy for $6,800, and the stock exhaust is in the garage. Writing “stock exhaust included” avoids a very annoying text two weeks later.
Gear
Helmets, jackets, covers, locks and chargers change hands with bikes all the time. List what’s included in the price. Used helmets are a personal-safety call, so the buyer should decide whether to use one.
As-is terms, seller’s statements and title
As-is or specific promises, ownership and liens, title brands, and who does what with the title and plate.
Does your state have its own motorcycle bill of sale form?
Some states do, and some want the form notarized. Your state also decides how motorcycle titles transfer and whether the plate stays with the bike. Use USA.gov’s list of state motor vehicle agencies to find yours. The state form, if there is one, comes first; this template can sit alongside it for the details the state form leaves out.
How do you fill it in and get it signed?
- Pull the title and confirm the name on it matches the seller’s ID.
- Check the VIN on the frame against the title, and note the engine number.
- Fill in mileage, parts and gear, and pick as-is or written promises.
- Take payment you can verify. For larger amounts, meet at the buyer’s bank.
- Sign the bill of sale, then sign over the title and complete the odometer statement on it if the bike isn’t exempt.
- Follow your state’s rules on plates and any notice of sale.
The bill of sale can generally be signed electronically; the federal ESIGN Act says a contract can’t be denied legal effect only because it’s electronic. The title and odometer statement follow your state’s process. Our guide to how to sign a PDF online shows the practical options.
Download it, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (This is the job we’re building SignWren to do; you can join the waitlist.)
This page is general information, not legal advice. For a specific sale or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where you are.