No Title Doh!

[kamikazi dr rider]

So I drive about two hours away to go look at a clapped out old bike for a project, I get there, look at the bike, make an offer and then find out that the guy "lost" the title. His ad specifically says that he has a title, and when I talked on the phone with him he said he had a title, then $50 dollars in gas later here I am at home with no bike.(I'm sure it wasn't stolen, and he was the owner of said bike, and he had documentation to prove he has owned it for awhile, but damn it sucks to spend a chunk of change and most of a day for nothing.)?

Just wanted to rant a little, and see if anyone has had a similar experience.

I guess he is suppose to call me if/when he can get a replacement title for the bike.

[BowHunter2400]

Had a guy tell me they stopped making titles for dirtbikes in 07 thats why he didn't have one for his..up for sell... 08 yz250f

I just laughed over the phone and told him good luck with that

[Dirt-rich]

I went to look at a crf250 about 2 hours from me got there checked it out and then foUnd out there was no title I called in the vin and it wasn't stolen but probably had a lien on it I'm sure he had a bunch of paperwork and receipts in his name so the negotiated price of $2200 went to me re-offering $500 and he took it. Worked out ok but in Oregon you don't need a title but is still good to have it.

[kamikazi dr rider]

Just wish he could have checked before I made the drive. Gas isn't so cheap, and four hours on the road could have been spent doing other much needed things.

[Miller618]

Had a guy tell me they stopped making titles for dirtbikes in 07 thats why he didn't have one for his..up for sell... 08 yz250f

I just laughed over the phone and told him good luck with that

He might have been telling you the truth. In Pennsylvania, and i believe in New York too, we dont get titles when we buy brand new bikes anymore. You only need a title if the bike is "road registered" now they just give us kind of like a registration and thats it.

[Mephistophiles]

That sucks man. Tomorrow I'm driving from Harco MD to Ashburn VA to pick up a bike, exactly 2 hrs each way. This guy had a title and I got him to scan it and send me a copy to make sure it was clean and there was no lien on it. I know here in MD unless you bought your new "recreational vehicle" after 2010 it doesn't need to be titled.

Good luck dewd, sucks people ares so goofy. Half the times people get confused as to "do you have the title" means.

[01cr80]

i thought everything with a vin had a title at some point

[kamikazi dr rider]

He might have been telling you the truth. In Pennsylvania, and i believe in New York too, we dont get titles when we buy brand new bikes anymore. You only need a title if the bike is "road registered" now they just give us kind of like a registration and thats it.

So is that the only thing you have to prove you're the owner of the bike?

And what if you want to sell it to someone who's state requires a title? Then what??

[BowHunter2400]

He might have been telling you the truth. In Pennsylvania, and i believe in New York too, we dont get titles when we buy brand new bikes anymore. You only need a title if the bike is "road registered" now they just give us kind of like a registration and thats it.

Good point.... this was a local ad and Va still does title..as far as I know....my 07 KX came with a title. He didn't say anything about buying out of state and he claimed to be the Original Owner.... seemed fishy to me

[kamikazi dr rider]

That sucks man. Tomorrow I'm driving from Harco MD to Ashburn VA to pick up a bike, exactly 2 hrs each way. This guy had a title and I got him to scan it and send me a copy to make sure it was clean and there was no lien on it. I know here in MD unless you bought your new "recreational vehicle" after 2010 it doesn't need to be titled.

Good luck dewd, sucks people ares so goofy. Half the times people get confused as to "do you have the title" means.

I guess I shouldn't trust what the guy tells me next time. I'm not P.O. about not bringing the bike home, I'm P.O. about ("yes I have the title, it's clean and clear in my name") get there and, Oh I can't find the title. But I have this, this, and this. I wouldn't have driven all the way there if he had said "the bike has a clean title, but it's lost at the moment."

I guess the moral of the story is; if you advertise your bike for sale with title, and tell an interested party that you do have the title, please actually have a title. Don't waste my day and gas.

[AdamW21]

my race bike dosent have a title just simpley a bill of sale that is signed and dated by both parties....but then again i know the guy who bought it brand new.....but to some why are titles so important...i know ama requires you to have the bike registerd right? for other then that and the lein deals whats the big deal. get a correct bill of sale and ride...

[ekulb14]

unless you plan on plating the bike why dose it matter. ive sold and bought plenty of bikes with no title. Luck if you get a bill of sale really.

[kamikazi dr rider]

my race bike dosent have a title just simpley a bill of sale that is signed and dated by both parties....but then again i know the guy who bought it brand new.....but to some why are titles so important...i know ama requires you to have the bike registerd right? for other then that and the lein deals whats the big deal. get a correct bill of sale and ride...

My state requires a title, (bill of sale will not suffice) to get an offroad sticker. pretty much makes the bike worthless unless I want to be an outlaw. Or only ride it around my land or another private parcel.

[AdamW21]

cant you still race it tho? i bought a 03 cr250r from ca that was green stickerd.

[Miller618]

So is that the only thing you have to prove you're the owner of the bike?

And what if you want to sell it to someone who's state requires a title? Then what??

Well with my bike that i have now i have a title because its an 06. But a previous bike i bought was an 07 and had no title. I was just given the bill of sale that the owner received when he bought it brand new, and he wrote me out a bill of sale and we had it notarized, same as i did when i sold the bike to the next owner. As far as selling it to someone out of state..to be honest, i have no idea! And never really thought about it. But i do know that the bill of sale that comes with the bikes have a title number on them. So maybe if someone out of state buys them they can receive the title somehow, or have one made? Thats a good question, ill see what i can find out. Now that i think of it though, maybe PA does title bikes, and only NY doesnt. I know that NY doesnt though because being that i live close to the NY border, we buy our bikes there to save on the sales tax.

I know a guy that bought an enclosed trailer with no title (owner lost, supposedly) He went to the DMV first and made sure that it could be registered by him before he bought the trailer. He needed the previous owner there who it was registered to. He registered it and has had no problems with it. Maybe it works the same way with dirtbikes? But, i sort of feel like maybe there were some strings pulled on that one..haha.

[XRobie]

My state requires a title, (bill of sale will not suffice) to get an offroad sticker. pretty much makes the bike worthless unless I want to be an outlaw. Or only ride it around my land or another private parcel.

If you're still in Idaho, the state does not require a title to get an offroad sticker. I've owned an '85' XR350R since 1986 (no titles were issued for dirtbikes in those days), and I've received an offroad stick for it every year since, as well as the white plate in recent years.

I've been told by DMV and Department of Parks and Rec that a bill of sale and VIN verification is all that's required to obtain title for it, but since I'll never sell this thing, and I own a touring bike for the street.... meh, why bother?

[kamikazi dr rider]

If you're still in Idaho, the state does not require a title to get an offroad sticker. I've owned an '85' XR350R since 1986 (no titles were issued for dirtbikes in those days), and I've received an offroad stick for it every year since, as well as the white plate in recent years.

I've been told by DMV and Department of Parks and Rec that a bill of sale and VIN verification is all that's required to obtain title for it, but since I'll never sell this thing, and I own a touring bike for the street.... meh, why bother?

Straight from the state's website.

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/proposed_ohv_legislation.aspx

Q. Do I need to title my motorbike, ATV, or UTV?

A. If you purchased a motorbike or ATV since 1/1/1991 or a UTV since 7/1/2006, you are required to title it in your name. If you purchased it before that date, you are strongly encouraged to title it, but are not required to do so. Titling enhances the chance of recovery in the event your vehicle is stolen. It provides convincing proof of ownership when you go to sell it. Also, should you suffer loss, some insurance companies will not provide payoff if you do not have a title in your name. Apply for title at your County Assessor Motor Vehicle Office. You will need to take ownership documents with you. Include any signed title from the seller, manufacturer’s certificate of origin, prior registration, and bills of sale you may have. Applicable sales tax will also be due. You can contact your County Assessor Motor Vehicle Office with questions pertaining to this process.

[XRobie]

I stand corrected, looks like it just me that's technically off the hook per the pre-91 purchase date.

[Zombie_Stomp]

In North Carolina I had no title but got an indemnity bond. This insures that a previous owner who did not report it stolen is compensated if they are ever looking for it afterwards. This is an unlikely event and so the insurance is inexpensive. Then a sheriff checks the VIN at the dmv and runs it to see if there's ever been any title bonds or theft. It might have to be in streetable condition but they wouldn't make you start it to prove it or anything. I didn't have time to read through all the responses but I thought I'd share my experierience.

P.s. not to hijack, but I am missing my recently stolen, very distinctive XL600 with lots of XR600 parts on it. Portland, Or and surrounding areas. ?

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701273

[William1]

All new bikes have a MSO (Manufacturers Statement of Origin). It is up to the dealer or purchaser to convert it into a title. This is often not done to skip on sales tax. A MSO is the original manufacturer title which is supposed to be converted into a state title upon sale.