Bike impound help.

Your mate hasn't been telling you the right info, or the plod are being fussy prats about the whole issue.

To get the bike released, approach you local friendly bike mechanic who will have a "trade" policy allowing him/her to ride ANY bike fully comp. You might have to slip them a few quid, but that and a letter of authority from the bike's owner stating that Mr/Mrs so and so is collecting it should be more than enough evidence for plod to release it from the impound yard. My mate is a car and bike mechanic with his own garage, and regularly rides or drives any vehicle he wants. They just take the trade insurance policy with them, their licence, the letter and the bikes V5. As long as the police is satisfied the vehicle is insured, and the rider is licenced, that's all they care about.

"The V5 has to be in your name and also the insurance" - Never heard such police beuracracy before. Must be a Met thing

That's what I'd be trying like hell to do..

Or just get the insurance sorted (it easy...) and not tell them it's been impounded. You then get the bike back no problems. Why he told them it had been impounded tells me one thing - he didn't get proper advice first, and is now paying the price. Lost his bike now for good, and will still be paying the bike up for the next 2 years...... idiot..

Personally I'm of the opinion that he's not been telling us the whole truth. Just about everything that's been mentioned in this thread is what we've told him, and every time he's had a "conversation with the police" and they've said that he can't have it.

If I'm being 100% honest, I think he couldn't afford the impound charges, and rather than ask for money from someone has lost his bike. Stupid, but the guy's got no sense of priorities when it comes to money.

On a side-note, he'll be paying off the bike for the next 3 years, not 2. Sucks to be him.

[timwilky]

Which police force has impounded it? I note your location is Warrington so I would assume it is Cheshire. They are normally quite reasonable. So like you say something does not ring true here

paying for 3years for a bike you don't have= bummer.

good luck getting it off cheshire police force they dont give bike back(claimed by west mid police bikers).

My local police biker mate said go to the dealer/garage hand him the V5 doc, fill it out in him name, he goes gets the bike, sends the v5 to dvla, and then transfers it back into your mates name. the garage should do this for the labour fees of having to ride it home for him, and sort all the paper work out. The police cant refuse change of ownership. Im guessing you dont know any local police bikers, they can sort the paperwork out to show it to be released and return his bike to him, because thats always a good choice. The other choice he said was get an old nail off a van drive it through there gates, and collect the bike and sort the paperwork when they catch you

If that doesnt work buy it off them because its too new to crush.

[Red Herring]

If he doesn't claim it the bike will be sold at auction, the police/yard then deduct the recovery fee, the storage charges and an administration fee before sending the balance to your mate. He won't be completely out of pocket but it's not exactly a good way of selling your bike...

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Most forces have a policy not to allow the vehicle to be taken away on a low loader/van, but not sure about the Mets. Like I said, there's some vital info missing here.....

That seems well out of order too. Any decent reason?

if the bike is on hire purchase i dont think they can sell it as it belongs to the finance company till its paid
ie if he stops the payments they can just take it from the new owner

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Davie

if the bike is on hire purchase i dont think they can sell it as it belongs to the finance company till its paid
ie if he stops the payments they can just take it from the new owner

Has he told the HP company?

[ethariel]

Does anyone actually 'use' HP any more?

Suzuki finance is in the form of a Personal Loan - unsecured, not an HP Agreement on the bike.

HP is bad, miss one payment and loose it, thats positivley 1980's!