how hard to get a title for a bike?

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froldt · #1 Unread post by **froldt** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:39 pm

I ran across an 87ish Suzuki GS750 the other day. The guy says it runs great, but needs the battery charged (who hasn't heard that?). It has no paperwork, though.

He's a mechanic, so I figure I'll trust his judgement a little bit, but still wanna check it out myself. He bought it to help a buddy out, financially. If he can't sell it, he said he's going ot chop it and make it a pit bike.

I'm sorta interested in it, but would like to get it legal-ized. How hard is it (monetarily and time) to get the paperwork for it?

Also, I've got a legal, tagged and insured, 82 GS750. The engine parts aren't interchangeable (shame, as mine's in the shop getting a valve job), so that doesn't help me any. However, could I just swap out the tags and ride till mine gets fixed?

mgdavis · #2 Unread post by **mgdavis** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:54 pm

Swapping the tags would work fine till you got pulled over, then it would probably be good for a quick trip to jail or a sizeable fine. Where you you live, I'm sure it varies.

revcbl · #3 Unread post by **revcbl** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:56 pm

I don't know what state (or country) you're in, but I called the motor vehicle folks here in Maryland a few weeks ago to ask about this, and there is a legal procedure for getting a bike titled. I haven't done it yet, because the bike I want to title doesn't run, but my guess is your state has one, too. It seems to start with getting a notarized bill of sale, and running the vin past the police to check for a stolen bike. Both probably good ideas anyway.
There are also services out there that will do this for you for a few hundred bucks or so, but I've never used them.
And yeah, running the wrong plate's a big gamble, even though it would take a cop who knew his bikes and years pretty well to catch ya.

jonnythan · #4 Unread post by **jonnythan** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:02 pm

When I registered my 1987 bike, it was so old it didn't require a title.

They just issued one when I registered it. I had to provide a signed bill of sale and a printed photo of the VIN, along with a signed statement of ownership and some nominal fee ($5 or so).

This was New York State.

-Holiday · #5 Unread post by **-Holiday** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:46 am

first get the VIN number and take it to your local Police station. Tell them you're considering buying this "for parts" and wanted to make sure its not stolen. They'll tell you in a few minutes if it is or not.
If it is, well obviously move on.

If it isnt, once you get the bike, try to get a bill of sale from the seller. Then you can use the service from www.its-titles.com or Broadwaytitles.com or there might be a few more.
Basically, for $100-$200 they get the bike titles for you in a state with more lenient titling laws , then they send you that title in your name. With that you can then title the bike in your home state.

good luck

jonnythan · #6 Unread post by **jonnythan** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:05 am

-Holiday wrote:first get the VIN number and take it to your local Police station. Tell them you're considering buying this "for parts" and wanted to make sure its not stolen. They'll tell you in a few minutes if it is or not.
If it is, well obviously move on.

If it isnt, once you get the bike, try to get a bill of sale from the seller. Then you can use the service from www.its-titles.com or Broadwaytitles.com or there might be a few more.
Basically, for $100-$200 they get the bike titles for you in a state with more lenient titling laws , then they send you that title in your name. With that you can then title the bike in your home state.

good luck

Something sounds a bit shady about that.

In any case, I recommend checking with your local DMV service first. I saved $95 by using my local DMV instead of ITS Titles

-Holiday · #7 Unread post by **-Holiday** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:10 am

jonnythan wrote:
-Holiday wrote:first get the VIN number and take it to your local Police station. Tell them you're considering buying this "for parts" and wanted to make sure its not stolen. They'll tell you in a few minutes if it is or not.
If it is, well obviously move on.

If it isnt, once you get the bike, try to get a bill of sale from the seller. Then you can use the service from www.its-titles.com or Broadwaytitles.com or there might be a few more.
Basically, for $100-$200 they get the bike titles for you in a state with more lenient titling laws , then they send you that title in your name. With that you can then title the bike in your home state.

good luck
Something sounds a bit shady about that.

In any case, I recommend checking with your local DMV service first. I saved $95 by using my local DMV instead of ITS Titles

i agree, but it works, and in some states (like mine) its the only choice unless you can track down the owner who has the original title.

jonnythan · #8 Unread post by **jonnythan** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:21 am

-Holiday wrote:
jonnythan wrote:
-Holiday wrote:first get the VIN number and take it to your local Police station. Tell them you're considering buying this "for parts" and wanted to make sure its not stolen. They'll tell you in a few minutes if it is or not.
If it is, well obviously move on.

If it isnt, once you get the bike, try to get a bill of sale from the seller. Then you can use the service from www.its-titles.com or Broadwaytitles.com or there might be a few more.
Basically, for $100-$200 they get the bike titles for you in a state with more lenient titling laws , then they send you that title in your name. With that you can then title the bike in your home state.

good luck
Something sounds a bit shady about that.

In any case, I recommend checking with your local DMV service first. I saved $95 by using my local DMV instead of ITS Titles
i agree, but it works, and in some states (like mine) its the only choice unless you can track down the owner who has the original title.

Yes, it does sound awfully handy in a pinch!

froldt · #9 Unread post by **froldt** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:27 pm

-Holiday wrote:first get the VIN number and take it to your local Police station. Tell them you're considering buying this "for parts" and wanted to make sure its not stolen. They'll tell you in a few minutes if it is or not.
If it is, well obviously move on.

I called the County Clerk today, and was told to get the VIN number. Then they can do a search to see if there is a title floating around somewhere. We'd have to go from there, depending on what they find.

I have to agree about calling the police first, that sounds even better!

Hopefully I can catch the guy on the phone tomorrow, and get all of these "errands" run over the phone tomorrow while I'm at work (seeing as I am at work all of the few hours that the courthouse is open).

Oh yeah, I live in Kentucky.

Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:29 pm

In Virginia if they don't have a guy registered as being a current owner, you have to contact the last known owner and say

"I bought this bike and it's at this location and I intend to apply for an abandoned title under the Va motor vehicles act [ready for the kicker] If you want it back you have 30 days to claim it"

You also need a statement from every state touching VA (WV,MD,NC,DE,TN, KN) saying that they don't have it registered in their state with a current owner. It's a moot point in a few of them b/c they don't disclose that information. Needless to say, you still need them to send you a form which is a pain in the "O Ring".

All that costs a little more than the titling companies, but those methods seemed a bit on the shady side to me with too many ways for it to go wrong.