Anyone from CA Reg a WR450 in VT

[creator8]

I'm getting a 2003 Yamaha WR450. I live in California. I want to be able to street register it. I understand that it is impossible to get a CA plate with all the current CARB restrictions. I've heard that you can get a Vermont plate so the bike is street legal. I have a couple of questions:

1. Is getting the Vermont plate relatively easy? Are there any tricks to the process other than following what they ask on the site.

2. I know that technically if you are a CA resident your vehicles are supposed to be registered here. Have you had any experience of what happens when you encounter the CHP or Rangers with the Vermont plate? What is the best and worst case scenario?

3. Once the bike is a "used" street bike from Vermont can it be "imported" to California at some point?

4. As far as you know is it really impossible to get a CA plate on a 2003 WR. I was thinking of buying one out of state and just trying to push it through the DMV.

[erg01426]

creator8,

I street reged my 01 yz 426 last year through VT. I didn't have any problems. I've heard throught TT that it may now be a problem if your title says off road or dirtbike but if yours doesn't you should be ok.

Just follow the reg form from the VT DMV website and send in a check, your title, and a VIN verification from the california DMV and in a few weeks they will send you a plate and a temporary registration. A few more weeks later and your new title and reg will come.

Take that to the DMV here and just ask to transfer your registration.

They will inspect it to match the VIN and POSSIBLY look for emissions compliance stickers. The guy at my DMV didn't look for the stickers, just signed the paper and sent me inside to pay about $85. I got my plate and I've been street reged since.

As far as your second question, I believe that if you werer to get pulled over for out of state plates you can be told to transfer your reg with a possible ticket but they cannot take your plates. People drive here with out of state plates all the time. Rarely do they get pulled over let alone have their vehicles impounded. Same situation with bikes. If you are told the transfer your reg, just go to the DMV and try and comply.-But this shouldn't happen because the VT to CA route works.

Where in L..A. do you live? I ride with guys from TT and So Cal all the time. We should link up.

Good luck,

James

[Brian_in_Long_Beach]

I have been pulled over & cited twice for out of state plates on my truck - went to court and was dismissed both times. BUT in my case my dad was the title and he was a resident of the state the truck was registered in. If the DA/traffic court judge wanted to be hard ass they could get you on fraud and the penalities can get rather ugly. I spoke with a ranger at Gorman several years ago and I got the impression that he really enjoyed turning the screws on guys with AZ or NH registered bikes but had CA drivers licenses. He was a really nice guy just didn't like folks skirting the rules - if you're gonna play you better be able to pay kind of attitude.

Brian