Can a motorcycle be sold privately without transferring ownership?
3 Answers
Motorcycles cannot be sold privately without transferring ownership. Article 49: When the owner and the user of a motor vehicle are not the same person due to circumstances such as leasing or borrowing, and a traffic accident occurs for which the motor vehicle is at fault, the insurance company shall compensate within the mandatory motor vehicle insurance liability limit. Any insufficient amount shall be borne by the user of the motor vehicle; if the owner of the motor vehicle is at fault for the occurrence of the damage, they shall bear corresponding compensation liability. Article 50: If the parties have transferred the motor vehicle through sale or other means and delivered it but have not completed the ownership transfer registration, and a traffic accident occurs for which the motor vehicle is at fault, the insurance company shall compensate within the mandatory motor vehicle insurance liability limit. Any insufficient amount shall be borne by the transferee. Article 31: If a motor vehicle driver is temporarily unable to compensate, the driver's employer or the owner of the motor vehicle shall be responsible for advancing the payment.
I personally think the risks of privately trading a motorcycle without transferring ownership are too great. The law clearly requires that vehicle sales must undergo ownership transfer; otherwise, the ownership remains under your name. If the buyer violates traffic rules or gets into an accident, the police will come after you first. In case of a liability accident, you could end up paying compensation or even facing legal trouble. The transfer process is very simple—just bring your ID card and vehicle license to the DMV, pay a small fee (a few dozen yuan), and it's done. Many people skip this step for convenience, only to regret it later when they lose their vehicle or get implicated. I know a friend who deeply regrets it. Don’t risk your well-being for minor convenience—this is a basic protective measure. Timely ownership transfer can save you a lot of trouble, and obeying traffic rules is about taking responsibility for others' safety.
I remember when I was young and bought a car, I went for a cheap private deal and didn’t transfer the ownership in time. Three months later, the buyer got into a high-speed accident, and the police found the records still under my name. I ended up paying tens of thousands in compensation and was reprimanded multiple times. That lesson was painfully clear—now I always go to the DMV to transfer ownership on the same day of any vehicle transaction. The process isn’t complicated: both parties sign the contract in person and confirm identities to avoid future disputes. These days, such incidents are common, and the police are cracking down on unregistered vehicles. If you don’t transfer ownership, your motorcycle could be impounded, affecting annual inspections and insurance. Get it done quickly—don’t be lazy. Safety comes first.
