-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001044321-08-000210.txt : 20080711
<SEC-HEADER>0001044321-08-000210.hdr.sgml : 20080711
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080711162147
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001044321-08-000210
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080710
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080711
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080711

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MOTIVE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001112422
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		9211 WATERFORD CTR BLVD
		STREET 2:		STE 100
		CITY:			AUSTIN
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78758
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5123398335

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		12515 RESEARCH BLVD BLDG 5
		CITY:			AUSTIN
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			787592220

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MOTIVE COMMUNICATIONS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000419

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MARXE AUSTIN W & GREENHOUSE DAVID M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001044321

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-31409
		FILM NUMBER:		08949208

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS
		STREET 2:		527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10022
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2122076500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS
		STREET 2:		527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10022
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001112422</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MOTIVE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MOTV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>531000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.12</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2534546</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) and David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P. (QP), Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. (Cayman), Special Situations Technology Fund, L.P. (Tech) and Special Situations Technology II, L.P. (Tech II), respectively 1,285,063 shares of Common Stock are held by QP, 579,366 shares of Common Stock are held by Cayman, 111,658 shares of Common Stock are held by Tech and 558,459 shares of Common Stock are held by Tech II. The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Common Stock owned by QP, Cayman, Tech, and Tech II is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin W. Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David M. Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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