Buyer Safety Tips

MotoBi shows you listings. Everything after that — inspecting the bike, agreeing a price, paying, transferring the registration — happens between you and the seller, away from us.

MotoBi is not part of the sale. We do not inspect bikes, we do not hold your money, and we cannot recover a payment for you. So the care you take is what protects you.

Most sellers are honest. These tips are for the few who aren't.

1. Before you go

• Call first. Confirm the bike is still available and the details match the listing.
• Ask questions on the phone — year, mileage, accident history, whether the book is in the seller's name, whether there is an outstanding lease or loan. A seller who avoids these questions is telling you something.
• Agree where to meet. A public place, in daylight. Not a quiet lane, not after dark.
• Take someone with you if you can — ideally someone who knows bikes.

2. Warning signs before you even meet

Be careful if:

• The price is far below what similar bikes cost. There is usually a reason.
• The seller will not meet in person, or keeps changing the location.
• They want money in advance — a “deposit to hold it”, a booking fee, anything before you have seen the bike.
• They are rushing you — “three other people are coming today”.
• They will not show the registration book before you meet.
• The listing photos look like a showroom or a brochure rather than a real bike in a real place.
• The seller's story keeps changing.

3. Check the documents — this is the most important step

Before any money changes hands:

• The registration book must be in the seller's name. If it is not, ask why. If they are selling on behalf of someone else, that person needs to be there, or you need proper written authority.
• Check the seller's NIC against the name in the book.
• Match the engine number and chassis number on the bike against the book. Do this yourself. Do not accept “it's the same, don't worry”.
• Check for an outstanding lease or loan. A bike still under finance cannot be transferred to you cleanly, and you can end up paying for a bike you do not legally own. Ask directly, and ask for proof it is settled.
• Check the registration is current and the revenue licence is valid.
• Look at the date of first registration — it should match the year in the listing.

4. Inspect the bike

• See it in daylight. Damage and paintwork hide well under artificial light.
• Start it from cold. A warmed-up engine can hide starting problems — be suspicious if the seller has it running when you arrive.
• Check the odometer against the condition. Worn grips, pedals and seat on a low-mileage bike do not match. Ask for service records.
• Look for accident repair: uneven panel gaps, mismatched paint, a bent frame, replaced parts.
• Check tyres, brakes, chain, suspension and look for oil leaks.
• Test ride it if the seller allows. If they refuse entirely, ask why.
• If you are not confident, take a mechanic with you or ask to have it checked at a garage. A small fee now is cheaper than a bad bike.

5. Paying

• Never pay before you have seen the bike. No deposit, no booking fee, no advance.
• Never send money to someone you have not met.
• Pay only when you have the bike, the keys and the documents in your hands.
• Count cash carefully, and do not let anyone rush you.
• If you pay by transfer, keep the record.
• Get a written receipt with both names, both NIC numbers, the registration number, the price and the date. Both of you sign it.

6. Transfer the registration properly

This is where buyers get caught.

• Complete the transfer of ownership with the Department of Motor Traffic. Do not leave it “for later”.
• Until the transfer is done, the bike is still legally the seller's — and any fine, offence or liability may still attach to them, or to you in dispute.
• Make sure the seller signs the transfer documents at the time of sale, while you are together. Chasing a signature afterwards is very hard.

7. If something feels wrong

• Stop. You are not obliged to buy anything.
• Do not let embarrassment or pressure push you into a deal you are unsure about.
• Report the listing in the app — a stolen bike, a fake listing, false details, a seller demanding advance payment. Our staff read every report.
• If you believe a bike is stolen, tell the Police as well as us.

8. What MotoBi does, and does not do

We do:

• Check that shops are real businesses before listing them
• Detect the same photograph being reused across listings
• Review reports and remove listings that break our rules
• Tell a seller the reason when we remove their listing

We do not:

• Inspect any bike
• Verify what a private seller writes in their listing
• Hold your money or process the payment
• Guarantee any bike, any seller, or any price
• Recover money you have already paid

We remove sellers who repeatedly cheat buyers. But we cannot undo a bad deal for you, which is why the checks above matter.

9. Questions or a problem

Email info@thulinexis.com, or report the listing in the app.

ThuliNexis Digital (Pvt) Ltd
57 Upcot Road, Maskeliya, Sri Lanka