I’m looking at a bike but the HPI isn’t clear as it’s got finance. Anyone know how to buy bikes with finance outstanding? I know the finance company own it so if I pay them first before I pay the balance to the owner could be a way around it? Don’t want to find out 6 months down the road the bike isn’t mine and have to pay again.
Any advice/tips?
No, the other way round if you must.
You pay the registered keeper the balance then you pay off the finance. Although you must make sure the balance and the finance tally before parting with any hard earned and the balance should reflect that you need to do a little extra.
Me, I’d walk away.
I had a 2003 Mini Cooper S and i had it on Finance, when i Sold it the buyer asked for me to obtain a letter from the Finance company with the outstanding balance on a dates/headed letter. he then wrote me a cheque for the outstanding ammount to the finance company and gave me cash for the Balance. i then had to post the cheque off once the car was gone.
This was 10 years ago and things have changed since then, you could just get him to ring the finance company when you go there and you pay the outstanding ammount over the phone on your card and ask for a letter stating the Bike is now clear of finance and they have no interest in the bike, then pay im the balance outstanding.
Taking a risk there - what if his cheque bounced?
Easiest way is to view the bike and agree your price with the seller.
Seller then requests the current settlement figure from the finance company - either over the phone or by email or letter (you just need to watch for the dodge of him phoning a mate or producing a fake email or letter).
You then pay the settlement figure directly to the finance company over the phone, and the remaining balance to the seller (seller will ring finance co. to check it’s been cleared).
It’s an unwanted hoop to jump through when buying a bike, but is often a bargaining tool as some buyers don’t want to get involved in buying a bike with finance owing, so haggle hard and get a couple hundred £ off the price compared to a straight-forward sale 
