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How Do You Value a Motorcycle for Probate, Divorce or Insurance?

Published 5 October 2026 · 5 min read

The rule is the same as for a car: the price the bike might reasonably fetch if sold on the open market on the date that matters. What changes is the form. HMRC's IHT407 names motorcycles outright, Form E lists only cars, and the Financial Ombudsman Service handles write-off complaints for bikes as well.

Most of what is written about valuing a vehicle for probate or divorce is written about cars. The questions are the same for a motorcycle, but the forms word them differently, so it is worth seeing what each one actually says.

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What does HMRC ask for on a motorbike in probate?

Form IHT407, the schedule for household and personal goods, has a box headed "Vehicles, boats and aircraft". It asks you to enter details of cars, "including vintage and classic", and "motorcycles and other vehicles". For each vehicle it asks for the manufacturer, model, year of manufacture, the registration number or first registration where appropriate, the condition at the date of death, and the open market value at the date of death. If you have a professional valuation, the form says to enclose a copy.

The test is the one in section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984: the value of property is "the price which the property might reasonably be expected to fetch if sold in the open market at that time". For a bike that means its value on the date of death, in the condition it was in on that date, not the sale price months later and not today's price. Our guide to open market value in probate goes through the same test for cars.

If the bike has already been sold, IHT407 has a place for the date of sale and the gross sale proceeds, next to the open market value at the date of death. Our guide on a car sold after the death explains why the two figures can differ, and the same logic applies to a motorcycle.

Does a motorcycle go on Form E in a divorce?

Section 2.8 of Form E asks for "Details of personal belongings individually worth more than £500", and the instruction underneath says to include "Cars (gross value)" alongside collections, pictures, jewellery and house contents. Motorcycles are not named. The heading, though, is any personal belonging worth more than £500, and a motorbike above that figure fits it, so the usual way to disclose one is in the same section. If you are unsure, ask your solicitor.

The same wording applies as for a car: the form gives no basis for the value, so the figure is yours to explain. Our guide to the Form E car value sets out why stating the basis (trade, private sale or retail) matters, and it works the same way for a bike. Finance outstanding on the bike is a liability, not a deduction from the gross value.

What if an insurer writes off your motorbike?

The Financial Ombudsman Service has a page for people whose car or motorcycle has been written off. It says insurers mainly use specialist motor valuation guides to value a vehicle, and that if the guides give a similar value and the insurer's figure is in line with them and the evidence, it is likely to agree with it. It says it may look at independent engineer or expert reports, copies of valuations, evidence of pre-existing damage and the vehicle history, and that adverts for comparable vehicles can help, but differences in mileage or year of registration can have a big effect on the value.

That is the case for having the bike's specific details written down: year, mileage, condition, modifications, history. Our guide on what to do if a write-off offer is too low covers the steps, and the one on keeping a written-off vehicle covers what comes off the payout if you want the bike back.

What does a valuer need to know about the bike?

The columns on IHT407 are a good checklist for any purpose: manufacturer, model, year, registration number (or first registration date), mileage and condition on the date that matters, plus photographs. Add anything that moves the value away from an ordinary example, such as modifications, an import, a restoration or a documented service history. For a retrospective figure, say which date you need the value at, as the date decides which comparable sales are relevant.

We ask for the same details for a motorcycle as for any other vehicle: make, model, VIN, mileage, condition and photos, along with the date the value is needed for. A written valuation then sets out the comparable bikes used and the adjustments made for the specific one, so the figure can be checked rather than just accepted.

Frequently asked questions

Does a motorcycle go on the IHT407 form?

Yes. The box headed Vehicles, boats and aircraft on IHT407 asks for details of cars, including vintage and classic, and motorcycles and other vehicles, with the open market value at the date of death. The form says to enclose a copy of any professional valuation.

Is a motorbike included in Form E section 2.8?

Section 2.8 asks for personal belongings individually worth more than £500 and names cars, not motorcycles. A bike worth more than £500 fits the heading, so it is usually disclosed there. If you are unsure, ask your solicitor.

What value do I use for a motorbike sold after the death?

The value that counts for inheritance tax is the open market value at the date of death. IHT407 has separate boxes for the sale date and gross sale proceeds and for the date of death value, so you give both.

Can I challenge an insurer's write-off figure for a motorcycle?

Yes. The Financial Ombudsman Service handles complaints about written-off cars and motorcycles. It says it mainly relies on motor valuation guides and may look at independent reports, valuations, pre-existing damage and the vehicle history.

Sources: HMRC, form IHT407; Inheritance Tax Act 1984, section 160; Financial Ombudsman Service, motor valuations and write-offs; Form E (01.23), section 2.8, as quoted in our Form E guide. All read on 5 October 2026.