TITLES for barn finds

[DGXSER]

I went down the path of finding out what it would take to get a title for a bike or car that had none here in Ohio. Essentially the director of the BMV told me to find a titled car or bike.

The title here only applies to the frame VIN, engine or tranny numbers mean nothing. If your transfering in state, all you need is the title. Now, the sellers signatures have to be notorized, but otherwise, your good to go. If you bring in a vehicle from another state, you will need to have an inspection done to verify the numbers and odometer all match what is on the title, but they onyl check the VIN, not the engine or anything else.

And Joe, you need to move to Florida or California, apparently, no one is ever guilty of murder there. And your car is probably still in police impound somewhere, being used by cops for undercover work. So next thing you know some leader of a drug cartel with figure you as the dude who set him up, and there will be a chalk outline in your driveway.

[tcoop]

When I got my XS11's one had a title and the other did not. After taking the pictures having the inspection done and lots of paper work. I waited 6 months for the title. I now am the owner of a 80 Mindnight Special...frame. Now as I put it back together I don't have to worry about a previous owner trying to clam it and get it back after I put hours and money into it.

Here in UT I have gotten titles for two bikes with a bill of sales. The first one went quickly. The bill of sales was from the last titled owner. The second the person I bought it from was not the owner on recordand it took 6 months for the title. Each time it was only $6 for the title search.

[joceiphus]

A machete was involved, but I was not the wielder of it. I didn't know the lady, but it's an absolutely true story.
AND I never had anything done with the title, and the car's probably still sitting in that same driveway, 8 or 9 years later!

[cywelchjr]

I had an old Mazda MX6. I gave it away to my friend's mom. Who then gave it to her mom. I signed the title, and they never had it changed over. The old woman with the car gets MURDERED! Since MY car is sitting in her driveway, the police come straight to my house wanting to know what's going on!
Luckily, I'm a Sexy Mofo!! Clearly not the suspect!

Being Joe machete it's lucky your still on the outside .

[xs11lover]

OH man, that's a good one. I laughed out loud.

[joceiphus]

Believe it or Not

I had an old Mazda MX6. I gave it away to my friend's mom. Who then gave it to her mom. I signed the title, and they never had it changed over. The old woman with the car gets MURDERED! Since MY car is sitting in her driveway, the police come straight to my house wanting to know what's going on!
Luckily, I'm a Sexy Mofo!! Clearly not the suspect!

[xs11lover]

I sold a pile of parts to a friend of mine for next to nothing,,,,,gave hime the title, from Ohio.....in two owners ago's name...signed over to the guy I got it from on the back. Now it has to be put into the guy's name I got it from. so he can switch it into my buddies name. I told him it should be the first thing he should do........but that would all cost about $120 so he didn't do it.
The bike is done, for the most part, paint and polish and it would be great. Carbs cleaned, good 17,000 mile motor, brakes rebuilt, good tires, it's all done....oh yeh and did I mention that since we were friends I fed him more parts off my pile (everything he needed, exhaust, clean inside dent free tank, rebuild kit parts, even exhaust gaskets) ect and spent about a month and a half worth of Sundays helping him. The only $$ out of his pocket was fuel line and exhaust studs.
Now, he wants to sell it back to me for more than twice what I sold it to him for.....with my parts and work!!!! I said NO THANKS.
When I told him I'd drop the title off at the other guy's house so the ball could get rolling, he wouldn't give it up...said he could come and get the bike if it was in his name, and that he didn't trust me or him!

Sorry I just had to vent a little, and this thread's got it on my mind.

[crazy steve]

Washington can't seem to leave this stuff alone; I've seen it go from anything in-state they didn't seem to care, but if a vehicle came from out of state they checked everything (and god help you if something didn't match), to now if the paper is good in or out of state, no problem, but you damn well better have paper.

The state does have a hard-on for those 'title companies' ('we can title any car!'), so anything that smells of those they look over real hard.

[tom clisham]

Thanks Greg

I'll keep that info handy

I will say again that, in Illinois, the DMV accepts the kind of arrangement I did on the Harley without a question. Also, in that case, Alabama did not reqire any inspection, nor did Illinois.

Steve: In Illinois, the only number that counts is the frame number. You could put a briggs & stratton on it. I'm sure other states have other reg's. The idea of compiling stats on this stuff is a really good one.

By the way, Harleys made before 70 had no frame vin. They were registered by engine number only. This still confuses a lot of cops.

[latexeses]

Aren't we all sort of in the business of seeing that these old bikes stay on the road?

This is all great information!

What would be even better is if we have this same information for all 50 States.

Might be a good place for a sticky. That way a potential buyer would know if heor she were getting in over his or her head.

Cy has cleared up a bunch of hurdles for me and the state of Kalifornia.

Are there mebers in all of the states who have fought this windmill? Might be a good time to shower down with the information you have learned.

[crazy steve]

I did not intend to crap on the concept, I just know I like learning from other people's mistakes alot better than learning from my own..

LOL... Yeah, sometimes it's good to know someone who's main purpose in life is to serve as a bad example...

[DGXSER]

I did not intend to crap on the concept, I just know I like learning from other people's mistakes alot better than learning from my own..

[BA80]

These are the people I use http://www.a1title-42.com/ $125 for a single bike and they'll deal on multiples.

All they need is the VIN #

In OKC

[crazy steve]

Part of it's economics; not everyone is willing or able to spend an additional several hundred dollars or more on a bike that may only be worth a few hundred when you get it. You really do need to be aware of your local laws when attempting something like this, as seemingly minor details can sometimes hopelessly muddy the waters.

I've got a project bike that if it's ever sold (probably when I'm dead!), may prove to be a problem to it's new owner. I have a legitimate, licenseable clear-title frame, but the motor has no serial number. Well, it sort of has a number; it's marked 'racing use only' as it was a factory 'team' motor but was never sold to the public. I got it from a privateer (who got it through 'factory connections') who quit racing. Not a problem here, but if it were subject to inspection at some point, it might be. So even motor swaps can be an issue depending on where you live.

I wish it were easier, but it is what it is...

[tom clisham]

Nice topic

Glad I got everyone talking (sort of) about titleing old xs1100's.

It can be done with proper documentation. It's easy to find out if a bikes stolen. Have the PD run the vin#.

Lte's not try so hard to find reasons not to do it.