If you own a motorbike or are thinking of buying one you may want to take a look at some new Freedom of Information data that reveals which motorbike models are most likely to get stolen here in the UK and which regions have the highest number of thefts.
Between June 2025 and May 2026 some 16,585 motorbikes were reported stolen to the DVLA which is a 3.5% drop from the previous year.
Digging a little deeper into the data, what is interesting is the fact that the 10 most-stolen bikes were all lightweight commuter scooters, and from just two manufacturers – Honda and Yamaha – for the second year running,
As you would expect London tops the theft league table, however, it’s not even in the top eight when you look at thefts per capita. In fact, it’s one rather surprising East of England city that actually ranks among the worst places in Britain to own a bike per capita.
So, how many bikes were actually reported stolen across the UK over the last 12 months?
Inquests submitted by bike, car and business van finance broker Anglo Scottish highlight that, between 1st June 2025 and 31st May 2026, 16,585 vehicles with a motorcycle body type description were reported to the DVLA as stolen by the police. This is a 3.5% decrease from last year, when 17,178 vehicles were reported stolen.
When we look at which bike makes and models were most at-risk of being stolen, the dataset revealed that, just like the previous year, the top 10 most-stolen models were all lightweight commuter scooters manufactured by either Honda or Yamaha.
Both the Honda WW 125-A and Yamaha GPD125-A NMAX 125 ABS top the list as being the most-stolen bikes. Their popularity is down to their nimbleness and manoeuvrability, which makes them ideal for city use as well as travelling further afield.
So, where is the worst place in the country to own one of these bikes?
London topped the list with 2,603 bikes reported stolen during the time period, which is more than five times the next-highest city, Bristol, which recorded 413 bike thefts in the same period, with Birmingham in third place with 412 thefts.
However, when you look at the rankings per capita, it was not London at the top of the list but rather Nottingham taking the prize as the UK’s hotspot for per-capita bike thefts. Bristol comes in second, followed by Cambridge of all places, in third.
When you take a look at data aggregation site Plumplot, you can see that Nottingham’s annual overall crime rate is 12% higher than the national average, however, vehicle crime in general ranks at 92% of the national average, suggesting that although bike theft numbers are very high, theft of other types of vehicles as well as theft from a vehicle, such as items left in cars or parts like catalytic converters, might actually be lower in Nottingham than the national average.
So, if you currently own or are thinking of buying a motorcycle or motorbike and don’t keep it in a secure place, then now is the time to invest in some improved security for your cherished machine, especially if it’s a Honda or Yamaha!
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Be the first to comment