Selling a quad bike: questions answered

Fill in our 2-minute offer form, or send photos on WhatsApp. Ringing works too. Tell us what the machine is, roughly how many hours or miles it's done, what state it's in, which paperwork you've got and where it's kept. A real figure comes back within 24 hours, sometimes with a question about anything the photos don't show.

It starts with the make and model, and the year. Hours or mileage come next. Then condition and paperwork, all checked against what similar machines are selling for right now. A service history can push the figure up. So can spare keys or a fitted winch.

It isn't compulsory, but it helps. Four sides of the machine, the dash with the hours showing, the frame number and a close-up of any damage is plenty. Good photos make the offer firmer and less likely to move when we see the machine.

Not on you. It's a genuine price you can take or leave, with no charge either way. Once agreed, we stick to it on the day as long as the machine is as you described.

You'll see exactly what's different and how it changes the figure. The decision is yours. Walking away costs nothing, and we don't charge for the wasted trip.

Right up until the money has been sent. There's no fee and no hard feelings.

If we think so, yes. A popular machine in tidy condition can often do better privately than any trade offer, as long as the seller has the time to answer messages and show people round, and we'd rather tell you that than buy it cheap. Our side-by-side comparison lays out the pros and cons.

By bank transfer on collection day, before loading. You see the money arrive, then the machine goes on the trailer. People call it a cash offer because we buy outright, but payment is always a bank transfer.

Nothing comes off. The offer and collection are free, and there's no admin fee or commission.

Most people can. Get a settlement figure from your lender and tell us who they are. We clear the finance directly and send you the balance. Our guide to clearing outstanding finance when you sell walks through each step.

On hire purchase or PCP the lender owns the machine until it's paid off, so the shortfall has to be covered before we can buy it. Send us the settlement figure and we'll talk you through the options.

Then the machine is already yours and the loan is a matter between you and your bank. We buy it as normal and pay you the full amount.

Only for a registered machine. An unregistered one needs the original invoice or some other proof of purchase, and we check the frame number either way. More in our no-logbook selling guide.

For a registered machine, the V5C. Otherwise the original invoice or dealer receipt. If those are gone, a finance settlement letter can help, and so can insurance paperwork or the supplying dealer's records. We list the alternatives in our ownership evidence guide.

A driving licence or passport. If the paperwork is in a different name from yours, tell us before collection and we'll explain what extra we need.

It depends on the make. Usually it's stamped into the frame near the front or under the seat, though some makes put it on a plate. See where each make hides its frame number.

For a registered machine, the registered keeper notifies the DVLA of the sale. The steps are in our DVLA notification guide. Unregistered machines have nothing to report.

They can. We'll need proof that the business owns the machine, and confirmation that you're allowed to sell it for them.

Happily. A seized engine or a dead battery is fine. So is a quad that's been in a barn for years. The offer reflects what's wrong, and collection is still free. See how we buy non-runners.

A write-off lowers the price but doesn't stop us making an offer. Just tell us about it, or about any insurance claim, up front.

Let us know. Missing keys don't always rule a machine out, though they affect the price, and we still need proof it's yours.

Most farm quads have never carried a number plate, and neither have most off-road e-bikes. The original invoice or another proof of purchase takes the place of a V5C.

If they go with the machine, include them. A cab or a winch adds to the figure. So can a plough or sprayer that's part of the deal. List them when you ask for an offer.

Sur-Rons and Talarias mostly. We also buy the Stark Varg and E Ride Pro, and other off-road electric motorbikes like the KTM Freeride E or Segway's X160 and X260. They don't have to run, and modified bikes are welcome.

Mostly not.

Most Sur-Ron, Talaria, Stark Varg and E Ride Pro models are not road legal. They're for private land with the landowner's permission, and tracks. We never suggest riding a non-road-legal bike on public roads.

The detail is in our Sur-Ron legality guide.

An electric bike only counts as an ordinary bicycle if it meets the GOV.UK electric bike rules. It needs working pedals and a motor of 250 watts or less, and the assistance has to cut out at 15.5mph. Anything beyond that is treated as a motorcycle or moped.

That's fine. List exactly what's been changed, from the controller to the gearing. It affects the price, so detail helps. Hang on to any original parts you still have.

A lot. Send the cycle count or the battery health figure if you know them, and say whether the charger is included. A healthy pack is worth noticeably more and we price it that way.

You can. We collect it, so it never needs to go near a road, and the bank transfer reaches you before we load. Our guide to current police seizure powers explains the law.

It is. Anywhere in Kent or London is free, and so is the wider South East. Longer trips are by arrangement, and nothing comes off the offer for it.

Wherever it's kept. A barn, a lock-up, a storage unit, a field gate miles from the house: all fine. Mention access when we book, such as a narrow lane or a soft field, so we bring the right kit.

Beyond Kent we go into Sussex and Surrey. Essex and Greater London are covered too. Enter your postcode on the offer form and your price will say whether we can collect.

Once you accept, we book a day that suits you. See what happens on collection day for the full picture.

It's best if you are, because we match the ID and ownership documents to the person selling. If you can't be there, say so when you accept and we'll explain what we'd need.

No problem. We bring a trailer and a winch, so a non-runner is fine as long as we can get near it.

We use them to make and follow up your offer, and hold them for 12 months if you don't sell to us. We never sell them on. Our privacy policy has the full picture.

Not unless you agree. They're stored privately and used only to price your machine.

Of course. Get in touch and we'll delete your enquiry and photos, unless the law requires us to keep a record of a completed sale.