Are you considering buying a used motorbike? If so, you need to know the following five things.

The Bike Must Be Taxed Before You Can Ride it

Before you can ride your bike on the road, it must be taxed. To do that, you need the motorcycle’s reference number from the V5C registration certificate. The V5C must be in your name. You will also need to meet all other legal obligations before you are permitted to take your bike on the road. But once the bike is yours, you can spruce it up to suit your personal taste any way that you want. Perhaps you would like a respray, or maybe you would like to make it more personal by adding a private registration plate. 

The Bike Can Be Registered to You Online

When the seller of a used motorcycle has a V5C, he or she can register the vehicle to you online or by post. When the seller uses the online registration process, the DVLA will update the vehicle record immediately. The seller must then fill in the new keeper slip and give it to you. The original V5C must be destroyed. The DVLA will then send you a new V5C, in your name, within three to five days.   

The Bike Can Be Registered to You by Post

If the seller registers by post instead of online, the seller needs to complete section two of a new-style logbook, or section six if they have the older style. He or she, and you must sign the declaration in section eight of an older style logbook too. The seller must fill in the new keeper slip and give it to you, and send the V5C to the DVLA. You will receive a new V5C between two and four weeks thereafter. 

It Is Possible to Register a Bike without a Valid V5C

The DVLA advises you not to purchase a motorcycle when the seller does not have a V5C. However, if you do have a bike that does not have a V5C, you need to complete and submit form V62. You can also obtain it from any Post Office branch. Send the completed form to the DVLA with the new keeper slip that you have obtained from the motorcycle’s seller.

You Need to Check Whether the Bike Is Stolen

When you buy a used bike, it is not only important to ensure it has a valid V5C registration. It is also essential you check that the details of the bike and the seller match those on the document. Also make sure the engine and frame numbers match, and check the V5C includes a watermark to ensure it is a genuine document. Those checks will prevent you from buying a stolen bike. You can run an online check on the registration plate of a motorbike to discover whether it has been previously written off or stolen, or whether there is outstanding finance on it. 

For example, if you are considering a Kawasaki, you can use the Kawasaki VIN Decoder to access details about the bike’s history, such as theft records, accident damage, and ownership verification. Combining this with a registration check ensures you have all the information you need to make a secure and confident purchase.   

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“The Motorcycle display will showcase the best that design and engineering have given us,” said Anthony Godin, who, along with Mike Jackson, is part of the selection committee who will have the difficult task of judging The Exceptional Motorcycles and Exceptional Competition Motorcycles categories, “visitors will get to see the great Café Racers of the 1950s and ’60s, to Choppers from the 1970s and wacky racers from the 1980s.”

The experts from the International Chief Judge Advisory Group will perform their duties on a ‘virtual’ basis on 23 September, with all bikes being meticulously inspected and class awards decided upon. The class winners and runners-up are selected by the jury, while the top prize, Most Spectacular Motorbike, is chosen by the Duke of Marlborough himself.

Presided over by Ed Gilbertson (President of the Jury) and Adolfo Orsi (Chief Judge), the jury consists of specialists from different areas of the motorbike world. International restorer and collector Somer Hooker will be joined by Henry Cole – television presenter and CEO of Gladstone Motorbikes. Journalist and concours judge Dennis Frost will also be casting his expert eye over proceedings, and the four-strong panel is completed by commentator and former Grand Prix motorcycle racer Steve Parrish.

“Salon Privé is always an amazing event in an unbeatable location,” said Parrish. “This year’s line-up promises to be spectacular, and I can’t wait to meet the owners and builders so that we can have a good chat about their exquisite machines.”

The Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by AXA takes place on Wednesday, and all trophies will be presented at the Motorbike Awards Ceremony on Thursday with judges, owners, press, members of the Salon Privé team and the Duke of Marlborough present. Previous class victors have included motorcycle builder extraordinaire Allen Millyard

Concours Chairman Andrew Bagley said: “Now in our 15th year, the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by AXA has an enviable reputation for attracting best-of-breed motorcycles and motorcars. The motorcycle entrants are a particularly enthusiastic bunch who will happily regale the history and provenance of their cherished machines, and we are delighted that they continue to support the event as they do.”

Elsewhere on the lawns of Blenheim Palace, legendary Italian marque MV Agusta will be making its Salon Privé debut via UK partner Krazy Horse. The latest models will be on display, including the retro-look Superveloce and the Brutale 1000RR – the world’s most powerful ‘naked’ motorcycle. They will be joined by the Dragster SCS and the Rush concept ’bike as the manufacturer celebrates its 75th anniversary. Founded in 1945 by Count Domenico Agusta, it won its first World Championship in 1952 in the 125cc class, and by the time it withdrew from racing in 1976, it had won 270 Grands Prix and 38 World Riders’ Championships with great names such as Giacomo Agostini, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood.

A brand-new British manufacturer, Langen Motorcycles, is set to officially launch at Salon Privé and will be showing off its beautifully engineered 2 Stroke, which was inspired by the ‘ton up’ Café Racers of the 1950s. Langen will be joined by celebrated Bolton-based manufacturer CCM Motorcycles, which was founded by Alan Clews in 1971 and has gained a reputation for creating the most unique hand-crafted ’bikes in the industry.

Sales Director David Bagley said: “We’re delighted to welcome Langen and CCM to Blenheim Palace – two British manufacturers that will be showcasing unbelievable feats of engineering. With MV Agusta also attending the event for the first time, motorcycle enthusiasts are assured of a mouth-watering display of machinery. Their focus on quality is something that reflects the ethos of the whole Salon Privé week.”

AN OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE APRILIA RACING TEAM IN THE MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Performance, reliability, and power, but also advanced research, a love of a challenge and competition at the highest technological level. These are the values shared by FPT Industrial and Aprilia Racing, which have led the CNH Industrial brand to become an official partner of the racing department of the Noale company in the MotoGP World Championship - the championship that represents the technological pinnacle of motorcycle racing.

The FPT Industrial logo will debut on the track, displayed on the new Aprilia RS-GP ridden by Aleix Espargarò and Bradley Smith, starting on July 19th with the Spanish Grand Prix held at the Jerez circuit. It will accompany the bikes, riders, and the entire Aprilia Racing Team at all the stages of the world championship season that promises to be very close-run and hard-fought, right up until the last chequered flag.

As part of the Piaggio Group, Aprilia has 54 world titles to its name, and with 294 Grands Prix wins in the Motorcycle World Championship, it holds the record for victories amongst all the European manufacturers in the history of the greatest motorcycle competition. Before the start of the season, the many Aprilia fans and motor enthusiasts that are part of the FPT Industrial world had the opportunity to "virtually" test the new Aprilia MotoGP in the Powered by FPT version, riding it on ‘discovery’ laps of the Mugello racetrack.

From May 23rd-30th, aspiring Grand Prix riders were able to challenge the famous e-gamer eleghost555, in a specially prepared video game, trying to beat his lap time at the prestigious and challenging Tuscan track. The fact that thousands of gamers participated in the challenge and the evident enthusiasm it inspired across all social media networks are testament to the rousing emotions to be experienced on track with FPT Industrial and Aprilia.

“At FPT Industrial we also feel at home at the MotoGP circuits. We look forward to the start of the World Championship to see Aprilia Racing take to the track as well as to celebrate ‘Made in Italy’, especially after such a difficult period. Together we want to be the engines of the restart” - confirms Carlo Moroni, Communications Manager for FPT Industrial.

The Brand loves challenges. In the past, it achieved record speed on water with its Cursor 16 marine engine, which reached 277.5 km/h and got on the podium of the historic Dakar race with its Cursor 13. It also equipped a grape harvester with its N67 engine, which harvested 197.6 tons of grapes in Australia in eight hours, corresponding to about 200,000 bottles of Shiraz.

“The partnership with FPT Industrial takes on a special character precisely because it has come into being in such a difficult year, not only for Motorsport and the MotoGP but also for the entire industry, domestic and worldwide” - says Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing’s CEO. “It is, therefore, more than just a strong sign of restarting; it is proof of the strength and determination of two Italian brands who are collaborating to compete at the most difficult of moments in a championship at the highest level, united by their love of a challenge”.

At the Ace Cafe London our guest safety has always been our first priority ! During the month of June our ACE team has completed a series of training courses specific to Covid-19. We have followed Government guidelines at all times and we have set the highest possible standards. As the government is cautiously releasing the lock-down we are ready to welcome you back.

During the month of July our opening times will ONLY be from 8.00am to 5.00pm every day. This will obviously affect our scheduled meets which will NOT take  place for  the month of July.

Parking for motorcycles and cars will still be available, during opening times.

Thank you for your continued support.

See you at the Ace!

• After the temporary closure caused by the health emergency, the Ducati Museum will gradually reopen to the public starting on Saturday 4 July
• Factory visits are suspended for safety reasons. The new virtual tour of the production lines will be soon available on the Ducati website
• New and exciting experiences, to be tackled by motorbike or on Ducati’s range of e-bikes, offered to visitors to encourage the discovery of the territory and its cultural, tourist and motoring traditions

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 30 June 2020 - On Saturday 4 July, on the same date that Ducati was founded 94 years ago, the Ducati Museum and the Fisica in Moto educational laboratory of the Borgo Panigale factory will reopen their doors to visitors, after the forced stop due to the health emergency.

The reopening will be gradual. Until 30 September the visit to the Ducati Museum and the educational laboratory will be limited to Saturday and Sunday, with the exception of the weeks from 3 to 9 August and from 17 to 23 August, when visits on weekdays will also be possible.

A single ticket will be available for visitors at the special price of € 25, which includes admission to the Museum and a guided tour of the Fisica in Moto Laboratory , a truly unique opportunity to discover the history of the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer and the laws of physics applied to the world of motors. Visits to the factory remain suspended for safety reasons, but a new virtual tour will be soon available on the Ducati.com website which allows visitors to go inside the production lines.

In line with the safety regulations against the spread of Covid-19, access to the facilities will be allowed for a maximum of 7 people per turn and after booking and purchasing the ticket on the website https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/borgo-panigale-experience. Visits are scheduled every 15 minutes from 9.00 am to 18.00.

For the entire period of stay within the company area it will be necessary to always keep social distancing of at least 1 metre and it is mandatory to wear a surgical mask . In the event that the visitor does not have one, it will be provided by the Museum staff.

In order to ensure greater availability for visitors and avoid gatherings, the maximum duration of the visit is one and a half hours (45 minutes at the Museum and 45 minutes at the Fisica in Moto Laboratory).

New experiences to discover the territory
It will also be possible to combine a visit to the Ducati Museum and the educational laboratory with the new “experiences” that the Ducati Museum staff offers visitors. These are options, in any case related to the visit of the Museum and of Fisica in Moto, which are divided into two types of proposals that aim to discover the history, tradition and beauty of the Emilia-Romagna area of which Ducati is one of the most representative brands. The proposed itineraries can be done in one day, visiting Bologna riding one of the new Ducati e-bikes, accompanied by E-xplora guides certified by the National MTB Academy. Or by motorbike, divided over several days, independently but with the possibility of following an expressly designed itinerary, renting a Ducati to travel in the beauty of the Apennine landscape or experience the Romagna Riviera, reaching it through alternative roads and routes that can be enjoyed on the bike.