Almost everything I write about at Vehiso is geared towards car dealers. That makes sense - cars are the bulk of the UK used vehicle market, and most of our customers are independent car dealerships. But we also work with motorbike dealers, and they face a lot of the same challenges with one big difference: hardly anyone is writing content for them.
If you search for "car dealer website" you'll find dozens of providers, comparison articles, and guides. Search for "motorbike dealer website" and you'll get very little. The bike trade gets overlooked, which is frustrating if you're running a motorbike dealership and trying to figure out your next move online.
I built Vehiso to work for any vehicle dealer - cars, bikes, vans, whatever you sell. So this article is specifically for motorbike dealers. I want to cover why a website matters for your business, what it should include, and where the bike trade differs from the car trade when it comes to being online.
The UK motorbike market is bigger than people think
There are thousands of businesses across the UK that sell, service, or repair motorbikes. Some are dedicated bike dealerships. Others are mixed operations that sell both cars and bikes. Many are small, family-run businesses that have been around for decades.
What surprises me is how many of them still don't have a proper website. I'm not talking about a Facebook page or a listing on AutoTrader - I mean an actual website where customers can browse your stock, check your services, and get in touch.
The MCIA (Motorcycle Industry Association) reports over 100,000 new motorcycle and scooter registrations in the UK each year. The used market is significantly larger. That's a lot of buyers looking for bikes, and most of them are starting their search on Google.
Why a website matters specifically for motorbike dealers
You might think the arguments for having a website are the same whether you sell cars or bikes. There's a lot of overlap, but there are some things that make a website even more important for a motorbike dealership.
Buyers research online before visiting
This is true across the board, but it's especially true for younger riders. Someone buying their first 125cc bike is almost certainly going to search online first. They'll compare prices, read reviews, and look at what's available locally before they visit a single dealer.
If you're not showing up in that research phase, you're not in the conversation. It doesn't matter how good your stock is or how competitive your prices are if nobody knows you exist.
Your catchment area is wider than a car dealer's
Here's something that car dealer website advice rarely covers. Motorcycles are often bought as second vehicles, weekend bikes, or enthusiast purchases. Buyers aren't just looking at what's nearby - they're willing to travel much further for the right bike.
A car buyer in Birmingham will probably stick to dealers within 20 or 30 miles. A bike buyer looking for a specific Triumph Speed Triple or a clean Ducati Monster might drive two hours each way without thinking twice. Your potential customer base is geographically much wider than a typical car dealer's, and a website is the only way to reach those people.
Your website works during quiet months
The motorbike trade is seasonal. Spring and summer are busy. Autumn slows down. Winter can be quiet. Every bike dealer knows this pattern.
Your website doesn't take time off. During the months when footfall drops, your website is still there - listing your stock, taking enquiries, and showing up in search results. A buyer who spots a bike on your site in January might come and buy it in March. Without a website, that buyer would never have found you.
Displaying your full stock online saves everyone time
If you've got 30 bikes on the floor, a customer walking in can see them all. But someone who hasn't visited yet has no idea what you've got. Listing your full inventory online means potential buyers can browse everything before making the trip.
This saves time for both sides. The buyer already knows what they're interested in when they arrive, and you're not spending time with tyre-kickers who wanted something you don't stock.
What a motorbike dealer website should include
Not all dealer websites are created equal. Here's what I think a motorbike dealer website needs to be genuinely useful rather than just a digital brochure.
Stock listings with proper filters
This is the core of any dealer website, but the filters matter more than you might think. For bikes, you need:
- Make and model - the basics
- Engine size (cc) - a 125cc commuter and a 1200cc adventure bike are completely different products for completely different buyers
- Year - standard across any vehicle type
- Price - obvious, but some dealers still don't list prices online, which just annoys people
- Bike type - sportsbike, tourer, adventure, naked, cruiser, scooter, trail, supermoto. This is where bikes differ most from cars. A car buyer might filter by body type (hatchback, saloon, SUV), but bike categories are more varied and more important to the buying decision
If your website doesn't let buyers filter by bike type and engine size, you're making it harder for them to find what they want.
Finance calculator
Motorbike finance works the same way as car finance. HP, PCP, and personal loans are all available for bikes. But a lot of bike dealers don't offer finance online because they assume it's only a car thing, or their website doesn't support it.
Adding a finance calculator to your stock pages lets buyers see what the monthly payments would look like. This removes a barrier and makes bikes feel more affordable, especially for younger riders buying their first proper machine.
If you're working with a finance provider like CarFinance 247 or Close Brothers, your website should integrate with them so applications can be submitted online. Vehiso supports this - the same finance integrations we offer for car dealers work for bike dealers too.
Enquiry forms and test ride booking
Every stock page should have an enquiry form. Make it simple - name, email, phone number, message. Don't make people hunt for a "contact us" page.
Test rides are a bigger deal for bikes than for cars. Most car buyers are happy to sit in a car and go for a short drive. Bike buyers often want a proper test ride, and some dealers require a booking. Having a test ride booking form on your website makes this easy and shows that you take your business seriously.
Accessories and gear
Many motorbike dealers sell helmets, jackets, gloves, boots, and other riding gear alongside bikes. If you do, your website should reflect that. Even if you can't list every item individually, having a page that shows the brands you carry and the types of gear you stock is better than nothing.
Some dealers also sell parts and accessories for specific bikes. If that's a meaningful part of your revenue, it deserves space on your website.
Workshop and service booking
A lot of bike dealers are also workshops. They do servicing, MOTs, repairs, tyre fitting, and diagnostics. If that's you, your website should make it easy for customers to book a service or request a quote.
This is a revenue stream that many dealers underuse online. Someone searching "motorbike MOT near me" or "Honda CB500 service Birmingham" should be able to find your workshop and book directly. If your website doesn't mention your workshop services, those customers will go to someone whose does.
Google Business Profile and reviews
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business by name or searches for motorbike dealers in your area. It shows your address, phone number, opening hours, photos, and reviews.
Your website and your Google Business Profile should be connected. Make sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across both. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews - they make a real difference when someone is deciding between two dealers.
If you want more detail on this, my SEO guide for dealers covers local SEO in depth. The principles apply equally to bike dealers.
How motorbike dealer websites differ from car dealer websites
If you've looked at car dealer website providers, you might wonder whether they'll work for a bike dealership. Most of the core features are the same, but there are a few important differences.
Categories and filters need to fit bikes
Car dealer websites are built around body types (hatchback, saloon, estate, SUV), fuel types, and transmission. Bike dealer websites need engine size in cc, bike type (sportsbike, adventure, naked, etc.), and often don't need a transmission filter at all since the vast majority of bikes are manual.
If a website provider only offers car-style categories, your stock will be poorly organised and hard to browse. Make sure the platform you choose lets you set up categories that make sense for motorcycles.
Bike buyers care more about specs
Car buyers care about specs, but bike buyers are often proper enthusiasts. They want to know the exact engine configuration (inline-four, V-twin, single), the wet weight, the seat height, the type of suspension, and whether it has ABS, traction control, or riding modes.
Your vehicle listings should be detailed. A one-line description and three photos won't cut it for someone who's deciding between a Yamaha MT-07 and a Kawasaki Z650. The more information you provide, the more confident the buyer feels - and the more likely they are to get in touch.
Seasonal traffic patterns
Car dealer websites see relatively steady traffic year-round. Motorbike dealer websites tend to spike in spring and drop in winter. This doesn't mean your website is less useful in winter - it means you should plan for it.
Use the quieter months to improve your site. Add content, update your stock, and work on your SEO so that when spring arrives and people start searching, your site is in the best possible shape.
Marketplace feeds work for bikes too
If you're listing your bikes on AutoTrader, you already know that AutoTrader has a dedicated motorbike section. What you might not know is that your website platform can often feed your stock automatically to these marketplaces.
With Vehiso, your stock is uploaded to your website and can be fed directly to AutoTrader and other listing sites. You manage everything from one place, which means no duplicating data entry and no risk of your website showing a bike that you've already sold on AutoTrader.
Vehiso works for motorbike dealers
I want to be straightforward about this. Vehiso isn't a "car-only" platform. When I built it, I designed the stock management system to handle any type of vehicle. You can set your stock categories to motorbikes, configure your filters for cc and bike type, and everything else - finance calculators, enquiry forms, SEO tools, stock feeds - works exactly the same.
The pricing is the same too. Plans start from GBP 49 per month, which includes your website, stock management, and CRM. There's no extra charge for being a bike dealer rather than a car dealer.
If you're currently running your bike dealership without a website, or you're stuck on a platform that wasn't designed for motorbikes, have a look at what Vehiso offers. I'm always happy to have a chat about what would work for your business.
FAQ
Do I really need a website if I'm already on AutoTrader?
AutoTrader is a marketplace - it's great for visibility, but you're competing directly with every other dealer on the same page. Your own website is your space. You control the branding, the layout, the customer experience, and - crucially - you're not paying per lead. A website and AutoTrader work best together, not as alternatives.
Can I use a car dealer website provider for my motorbike dealership?
You can, but check that the platform supports motorbike-specific categories and filters. If the system only lets you choose "hatchback" or "saloon" as a vehicle type, it's not going to work for bikes. Vehiso supports motorbike categories out of the box.
How much does a motorbike dealer website cost?
It varies widely. Some providers charge hundreds of pounds per month. With Vehiso, plans start from GBP 49 per month, and that includes your website, stock management, and CRM tools. There are no setup fees or long-term contracts.
Should I offer finance on motorbikes through my website?
Yes. Motorbike finance is available from the same lenders that provide car finance, and buyers expect to see monthly payment options. Adding a finance calculator to your stock pages makes bikes more accessible, especially at higher price points. Our guide on car finance for dealers explains how dealer finance works - the process is identical for bikes.
What if I sell both cars and motorbikes?
That's fine. Vehiso handles mixed stock. You can list cars and bikes on the same website with separate categories and filters for each. Buyers can filter by vehicle type to see only what they're interested in.
