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The maintenance log in the MotoLert garage
Find your bike photo, service entries and expenses in the garage. Keep invoices in Documents and references in Parts.
- A service history attached to your bike.
- Maintenance, parts and documents together.
- An overview of service entries and expenses.
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Service figures in this guide are examples: only your bike’s owner’s manual sets its intervals.
Key takeaways
- One line per job: date, exact odometer reading with the unit, work done, references, cost and invoice.
- No law requires a log, but a warranty extension can depend on one: Honda’s requires servicing at an approved dealer, recorded in its digital service record.
- Next service due = whichever comes first, the mileage or the date.
- In France, the motorcycle roadworthiness test belongs in the log: the first one depends on the year the bike was first registered (before age 5 for bikes from 2022 on), then every 3 years.
- When selling in France, the log and invoices are recommended, not mandatory; a roadworthiness report under 6 months old is mandatory if the bike is over 5.
The 9 fields
What should a motorcycle maintenance log include?
An entry that just says “oil change” will mean nothing in three years. A useful entry answers four questions: what, when, at what mileage and with which parts. These nine fields are all you need.
| Field | Example entry | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 12 May 2026 | Time-based intervals start here |
| Odometer | 18,420 km | Mileage-based intervals start here |
| Work done | Oil and oil filter change | Separates what was done from what was advised |
| Parts and fluids | Filter part number, oil grade from the bottle | Buy the right parts next time and back up the service |
| Who did it | Dealer, independent garage or yourself | Know who did what if something goes wrong |
| Cost | Parts, labour, total | Track what the bike really costs |
| Evidence | Invoice PDF or receipt photo | Proof for warranty claims and resale |
| Advised, not done | Rear tyre due soon | Don’t forget it at the next visit |
| Next due | Mileage and date, whichever first | Plan ahead without digging out the manual |
Law and warranty
Do you legally need a motorcycle maintenance log?
No. For a private owner, the log is not a mandatory document: even when selling a vehicle in France, Service-Public lists it, along with service invoices, as recommended rather than required.
It becomes essential in two situations. First, the warranty: at Honda, for example, the standard warranty lasts 2 years, and extending it up to the sixth year requires scheduled servicing at an approved dealer or service centre, by mileage or time, whichever comes first, recorded in Honda’s digital service record. Every manufacturer sets its own terms, so read yours before the first service.
Second, resale: in France you must tell the buyer about the bike’s general condition, any faulty or worn parts and any past accidents. A dated history backed by invoices is the simplest way to do that and to justify your asking price.
Sources Honda: warranty and extension Service-Public: selling a vehicle
Free template
What does a properly filled-in service entry look like?
Fictional example: on 12 May 2026, a bike goes into the workshop at 18,420 km for an oil and filter change. Here is the entry as it should be filed, followed by the checklist to run after every visit.
- Check that the invoice shows your bike’s registration number or VIN.
- Copy the odometer reading without rounding, with the unit (km or miles).
- Attach the invoice to the entry and keep the paper original.
- List advised-but-not-done work separately.
- Work out the next due date from the manual, then back up the log.
| Field | Completed example |
|---|---|
| Work | Engine oil and oil-filter replacement |
| Date and odometer | 12 May 2026, 18,420 km |
| Parts and fluids | References copied from the invoice |
| Workshop | Garage name and invoice number |
| Cost | €148 incl. VAT (fictional amount) |
| Evidence | 2026-05-12_18420km_oil-change.pdf |
| Advised, not done | Front brake pads to check at the next visit |
| Next due | If the manual says 12,000 km or 12 months: 30,420 km or 12 May 2027 |
Step by step
How do you set up a maintenance log in 5 steps?
Allow an hour to get started, then two minutes per service. Five fields kept up to date beat a perfect spreadsheet abandoned after a month.
- Step 1: create the bike’s record with the model, year, VIN and date of first registration, both shown on the registration document, plus a photo of today’s odometer reading.
- Step 2: get the maintenance schedule from the owner’s manual. Honda, for example, publishes its manuals online by model; otherwise, ask your dealer.
- Step 3: rebuild the history from the invoices you have. If some are missing, ask the workshop that looked after the bike; if the brand keeps a digital service record, as Honda does, ask for access. Make nothing up: a gap you flag beats a guessed date.
- Step 4: set the next due point for each job, in both mileage and date, and go with whichever comes first.
- Step 5: update the log the same day, with the invoice and an odometer photo, then check that your backup actually works.
Mileage or months
How do you work out when the next service is due?
A maintenance schedule usually sets two limits for the same job: a mileage and a time period. Whichever you reach first is what counts; Honda spells this out in its extended warranty terms.
Example with fictional figures: your manual says “every 12,000 km or 12 months”, and the last oil change was on 12 May 2026 at 18,420 km. If you ride 4,000 km a year, the date comes first: oil change in May 2027, at about 22,400 km. If you ride 15,000 km a year, the odometer wins: 30,420 km, around early March 2027.
In practice, high-mileage riders hit the mileage first and bikes laid up over winter hit the date first. Record both, or you will miss one.
If your bike is registered in France, the roadworthiness test (contrôle technique) belongs in the log too. It has applied to powered two-wheelers since 15 April 2024, and its timing depends on the date the bike was first put on the road.
Explore this topic Motorcycle roadworthiness test in France: dates and retests
Sources Service-Public: roadworthiness test for two- and three-wheelers Service-Public: introduction on 15 April 2024
| First put on the road | First roadworthiness test | After that |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 to 2019 | In 2025 (transition schedule) | Every 3 years |
| 2020 or 2021 | In 2026, within 4 months after the anniversary and by 31 December 2026 | Every 3 years |
| 2022 onwards | In the 6 months before the bike’s 5th anniversary | Every 3 years |
Example: a bike first put on the road on 10 March 2022 must pass its first test from 10 September 2026 and before 10 March 2027. If a retest is required, you have 2 months to take it. Put the deadline in your log today.
Evidence
Which records should you keep, and how should you file them?
Not every document proves the same thing. A workshop invoice records the work and the parts billed; a photo mostly shows condition on a given date. If you service the bike yourself, keep the parts receipt and photograph the odometer and the parts fitted.
Start every file name with the date: your files then sort themselves in chronological order.
| Document | What it shows | Suggested file name |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop invoice | Work, parts, date, mileage | 2026-05-12_18420km_oil-change.pdf |
| Parts receipt (DIY service) | Parts and fluids bought | 2026-05-10_receipt_oil-filter.pdf |
| Odometer and parts photo | Mileage and condition on a date | 2026-05-12_18420km_odometer.jpg |
| Roadworthiness test report (France) | Result, defects, validity | 2026-09-15_roadworthiness-test.pdf |
| Manufacturer recall or campaign | Work requested by the brand | 2026-03-02_manufacturer-recall.pdf |
| Accessories fitted | What was added, and by whom | 2026-04-20_top-box_invoice.pdf |
Before importing a document, black out anything that doesn’t belong there: bank details, card numbers, and your address if you plan to share the history.
Pick your tool
Paper, spreadsheet or app: which log should you use?
The best format is the one you will actually fill in, ideally the same day, on your way out of the workshop.
Explore this topic Explore the MotoLert app for iPhone
| Format | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Paper maintenance log | Simple, can be stamped by the workshop | Gets lost or wet, no copy |
| Spreadsheet | Free, works out due dates | Invoices stored elsewhere, needs a computer |
| Manufacturer digital record | Filled in by the workshop, required for some warranties | Brand-specific; DIY work may not appear |
| Garage app | Photos, invoices and history in one place | Check the export option before committing |
That is the job of the MotoLert garage, coming soon to iPhone: your bike’s photo, mileage, maintenance, parts and documents in one place, ready to update from the workshop car park.
Selling
What should you hand over when selling a motorcycle in France?
For the history, prepare a chronological export, remove sensitive documents and be upfront about periods with no paperwork. You have to tell the buyer about the bike’s condition, parts to replace and any accidents anyway.
The table below lists the documents Service-Public sets out for a sale to a private buyer in France.
Explore this topic Buying a used motorcycle in France: what to check
| Document | Status | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Registration certificate (carte grise), crossed out | Mandatory | Write “vendu le” with the date, time and your signature |
| Certificate of transfer (cerfa no. 15776) | Mandatory | Completed and signed in 2 copies |
| Transfer code | Mandatory | Issued on the ANTS website when you declare the sale |
| Certificate of administrative status | Mandatory | Less than 15 days old |
| Roadworthiness test report | Mandatory if the bike is over 5 years old | Less than 6 months old when the new registration is requested |
| Maintenance log and invoices | Recommended | Shows how the bike was really looked after |
After the sale: declare it on the ANTS website within 15 days, with the date, time and odometer reading.
References
The information cited was checked on 21 October 2026. Rules and services may change after this date.
- Honda Motorcycles France: digital service recordA manufacturer example of a service history you can check online.
- Honda Motorcycles France: owner’s manualsManuals downloadable by model, including the maintenance schedule.
- Honda Motorcycles France: Honda warranty2-year standard warranty; extension tied to servicing at approved dealers, recorded in the digital service record.
- Service-Public: roadworthiness test for category L vehiclesFirst test schedule, 3-year validity and retest deadline in France.
- Service-Public: roadworthiness test for two-wheelers from 15 April 2024News of 2 April 2024: roadworthiness testing for category L vehicles in France from 15 April 2024.
- Service-Public: selling or giving away a vehicleDocuments to hand over, roadworthiness test, declaration of sale and disclosure duty in France.