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I was recently given a 1977 XS400 with 9100km on it by my brother in law after it sat in his barn for 20+ years. I would like to restore it but the only document he had was signed ownership in Quebec from a previous owner long since gone. It does have a 1984 Ontario Plate on it but I have no document to support that the bike was ever registered in Ontario or by whom. I tried to move the ownership to me but the license office will not do that without a bill of sale from the owner that signed the Quebec ownership.

In your experience of restoring bikes have your run into this and how did you handle it. I would really rather not have this bike go to the junkyard as it deserves better – particularly because of the low km’s.

I got a Maine title for a bike once.

Would a salvage title work?
Do they have those in Canada?

kwconnection wrote:me but the license office will not do that without a bill of sale from the owner that signed the Quebec ownership.

In your experience of restoring bikes have your run into this and how did you handle it. I would really rather not have this bike go to the junkyard as it deserves better – particularly because of the low km’s.

They got their $30....

From my dad in law, this took place several years ago mind you, and might be BC only.

Send a letter to the address of the last known registered owner. The letter should say something alongs the line of
"Hello, I'm blah, I'm looking for blah, if you are blah, I have your bike, if you are not blah, please reply to the return address that you are not blah"

That shows that you tried to contact the previous owner, but cannot, and thusly, the bike defaults to belonging to you. There will be a problem if the case is "I am blah, and I want my bike back"

Hope this is helpful.