Safety tips
Buying or selling a motorcycle in Kenya involves real money and real risk. Follow these rules and you'll avoid 99% of problems.
Before you buy
- Always view the motorcycle in person. Never send money before seeing it.
- Verify the logbook. Ask the seller to show the original logbook. Cross-check the engine number, chassis number, and plate against what's printed on it.
- Confirm ownership. Use NTSA's online e-Citizen portal to confirm the logbook is real and that the seller is the registered owner.
- Check for outstanding loans. A motorcycle can be financed. If the loan isn't cleared, the logbook may still be held by the lender.
- Meet in a public place. During daylight. Police station forecourts are actually a good spot — many are used for exactly this.
- Bring someone with you. Ideally someone who knows motorcycles.
- Test ride in a safe area. Not on a public road until you're sure.
- Insist on a written receipt. Include the sale price, date, engine number, plate, and both names.
When you're selling
- Meet in public. Same rules apply to you.
- Verify the buyer's payment. If using M-Pesa, confirm the money is actually in your account before handing over the bike. Screenshots can be faked.
- Don't accept partial payment without a written agreement.
- Transfer the logbook properly. Use NTSA's TIMS portal to transfer ownership. An untransferred bike can come back to haunt you.
- Keep a copy of the sale agreement.
Red flags
- Price is way below market value.
- Seller refuses to meet in person or insists on a deposit first.
- Seller can't produce a logbook or says it's "with a friend".
- Engine number or plate looks tampered with.
- Seller is in a hurry and pressures you.
- Seller wants payment via a third-party phone number.
If something goes wrong
- Report the listing using the report button on any listing page.
- Call 999 or 112 if you believe a crime has occurred.
- Contact us at our contact page — we can hide the listing, ban the seller, and provide records to police if needed.
Senke Fiti does not take part in the transaction between buyer and seller. We connect you, but the deal is between you. Take these precautions seriously — they work.