Tomorrow AM...

[knewsom]

I'm picking these three up:

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/2315722291.html

Anybody want to tag along? I'm renting a 6x12 trailer with ramp from uhaul - should be enough right?

I gotta say, I'm unbelievably psyched, even though I know the bill of sale ones could be tricky to register.

[knewsom]

Well, I think the bill of sale ones will be easier to register than I thought - they were bought from the original owners' son (husband and wife owned them, matching hard-baggers), after his parents had passed away. They sat disused in a garage or some such for many many years. I have the bill of sale the son gave the previous owner, and the bill of sale the previous owner gave me. I have the son's contact info as well.

The titled bike is actually the let down. There is frame damage, apparently from a front-end collision. The forks look like a sport-bike. I didn't catch it ahead of time, I'm pissed at myself for that. I don't feel totally swindled, but I do feel like I didn't have all the information I should have.

Also, the pictures on the CL ad aren't of the same bikes. They're definitely project/parts bikes. Here's what I got:



There are some goodies, to be sure... three sets of complete, locking hard-bags, two fairings (one with a stereo), a four into one exhaust, and a couple sets of functioning stock pipes with little rust.

I also have an extra engine, a ton of carbs, etc. What I DON'T have are seats. The one that came with the mostly together and semi-running bike is rusted badly.

Well, time to fix some bikes.

[cywelchjr]

You should be able to get them registered, but it WILL take some time, and very much likely it will take a bond unless they decide the value is low enough to not need a bond (it all depends on what they deem the value to be) but you will have to get them inspected and very likely will have to get that special CHP inspection (it can take months to get the appointment for it) if they suspect in any way a stolen machine that has fallen out of the system, there is apparently some hidden VIN that the CHP checks, takes them about 10 minutes when they do the check.

If they don't require the bond, the only extra money would be for a brake and light inspection, and they WILL require that every light be properly working AND DOT approved (none of those aftermarket lights, DOT approved OEM type only thank you), and brakes check for function (apparently they don't care about the pad thickness or such, just that if they squeeze the handle they stop the bike and the light comes on and the same with the pedal).

They WILL require that you fill out a statement of fact, giving as much information as you know about where the bike was while it was off the road. They very likely will require a statement from previous owners if reachable, or at least request that the previous owner provide a statement (I believe they will not deny a reg if the previous owner will not make a statement) and often a single sentence will suffice. All of this goes into the NEW record for the bike, because unless they somehow fine record of the bike in the system, its like the bike never existed before this moment, so they are trying to build it's history as best they can from statements you and others make at the time.

Frankly even a lot of the busy offices will really try to help you, it's just they have a lot of i's to dot and t's to cross and they have to find a way to do them, and I think they really do try to find the way that is easiest on you.

A point to keep in mind. Do not under any circumstances EVER mention the bike being in any manner dismantled. This will if nothing else does, generate a salvage title, and WILL put you into registration hell. Make sure everybody tells them the bike was complete, was never dismantled or taken apart, cause even taking the lights off makes the state of California consider a motorcycle salvage (stupid I know, they do the same with a car if the seats are stolen out of it). That and requiring repairs totaling more than I believe 60% of the value of the vehicle that DMV finds out about is supposed to trigger the same thing.

[knewsom]

Thank you for the consolidated and additional info, Cy! I'm not going to dive into trying to get the titles until they are running and proper. Excellent advice to never mention disassembly!

History should be easy to establish, as they haven't been owned by many people at all.

I'm already planning what to do with these.... one of the fairings is crying out for a chopped harley-style windshield... And I'm planning on investing in some orange flake paint, as well as some pearl.

First things first though, need to continue taking everything down as far as possible and going through it all with a fine-tooth comb. Lots 'o cleaning to do as well. One of the bikes very briefly caught fire and is still covered in residue from the extinguisher. No damage that I was able to see, though, got lucky on that.

I definitely seem to have more stock exhausts than I know what to do with!

So far the parts needed list is as follows:

2 sets of forks, wheel bearings, carb kits, 2 batteries, 6 tires, brake-pads all 'round, 1 set of shocks, and 3 seats.

[fredintoon]

Thank you for the consolidated and additional info, Cy! I'm not going to dive into trying to get the titles until they are running and proper. Excellent advice to never mention disassembly!
History should be easy to establish, as they haven't been owned by many people at all.

Hi Kris,
perhaps it's best you get over all the hurdles involved in getting those bikes in your name before you expend a whole bunch of time and money on machines that you just might be forced to part out?

[knewsom]

Hi Kris,
perhaps it's best you get over all the hurdles involved in getting those bikes in your name before you expend a whole bunch of time and money on machines that you just might be forced to part out?

There's certainly logic to this - and the thing is, these bikes wouldn't pass inspection as it stands... I'll have to do quite a bit just to get them to the point where they would.

[cywelchjr]

You can't do anything until they are ready to put on the road, as they pretty much require you to plate them at time of transfer. Generally the only inspection unless they decide to force a salvage title on you is a vin number inspection and they can be trailered in for that, as long as they look intact for that your good. Ca has no inspection program, other than for special situations, like salvage vehicles and such. Ca is one of the states that you can almost always reg a vehicle, even if you find it on the side of the road abandoned. It can get a bit involved, but it's ALWAYS able to be done barring it not being a hot vehicle which is the only real barrier. It's just a matter of how many hoops, and whether you need to post a bond or not. If you have to post a bond, you just have to find a bond company, it typically costs some percentage of the bond, which is like the estimated value of the vehicle at the time of registration.

The newer the vehicle the more it costs, because the bond costs more. They are a LOT easier if they are still in the system, cause a registered letter is sent to the last known address of the registered owner and if they don't respond it's assumed that they have relinquished interest in the vehicle, then no bond is typically needed. Once it's out of the system though, it's harder. But at the age of these bikes, but bond is not that likely, and the bond is mostly up to the manager at the DMV office you go to.

You can certainly try to transfer it to your name and go straight to PNO, but you will need to trailer it with you when you go to do it so you can get the VIN inspected at that time, or else you will have to take it down later in order to complete the paperwork, and nothing starts until that point. Then again, if you have it ready to run, they will give you a 30 day paper plate and you can ride it down to get the VIN inspection and your plate and sticker at that time (they will give you a reg card good for 30 days or so and you should get the perm one before that one expires unless there is a problem, in which case they will tell you what else they need you to do).

[GARTHXS]

man some one finnaly got those bike we have seen them on cl for at least two years and no one was able to get a hold of the guy , nice score , and let me know if that extra motor is any good I might take it off your hands

[knewsom]

Hey guys,

So I got crazy busy as soon as I started working on these, *sigh*. Bad news is that the frame on the one bike that is titled is totally tweaked from a front-end collision. *doublesigh*

Anybody know a good shop in SD that can fix a frame in such condition?

Edit: Oh yeah, and there's not a good set of forks between the three. Any advice on that front other than fleabay?

[GARTHXS]

Try andreasweiss he is a member here

[cywelchjr]

Hey guys,

So I got crazy busy as soon as I started working on these, *sigh*. Bad news is that the frame on the one bike that is titled is totally tweaked from a front-end collision. *doublesigh*

Anybody know a good shop in SD that can fix a frame in such condition?

Edit: Oh yeah, and there's not a good set of forks between the three. Any advice on that front other than fleabay?

Any good automotive frame shop should be able to fix it if you have a good reference frame (which it sounds like you do). As for the forks, if andreas doesn't have any (he probably will) I got a pretty good set off ebay for around $100 which I thought was a decent deal, so I'm not complaining. But I'd say define good. If the lower part is good you could always get new uppers from forking by frank or something like that. He does that part of the forks for our bikes and can even do over length if needed.

[fredintoon]

There's certainly logic to this - and the thing is, these bikes wouldn't pass inspection as it stands... I'll have to do quite a bit just to get them to the point where they would.

Hi Kris,
and I've been accused of living in a bureaucratic tyranny.
All that's needed in Saskatchewan is to trot down to any SGI-licensed insurance outlet with a bill of sale and a VIN.
If the SGI computer don't have it on the hot list you take home the plate.

[fredintoon]

- - - Bad news is that the frame on the one bike that is titled is totally tweaked from a front-end collision. *doublesigh* - - -

Hi Kris,
if life hands you lemons, make lemonade!
The bike got punched in the front so the frame rake angle is decreased?
Great! Now you can hang a sidecar on it and the rig will steer nice without having to do the Special fork/Standard 'trees hybrid thing.