Title and serial number oddity

[rockjok]

I recently finished transfering the parts from my SF into an 80 SG frame. What a pain, many things didn't quite fit!!

I had been dreading the hours long wait at the DMV to re-title the bike. I dug out the title and discovered the serial numbers are those on the engine not the frame. Since Montana now has permanent registrations for bikes, with a one time fee, I guess I'm set for the life of the bike.

I've made a few dirt bikes street legal, at least temporarily for inspection, and the serial number used was that of the frame. Guess I got lucky this time.

Anybody got a title that lists the frame serial number?

Rob

[Jerry]

Rob:

My XJ uses the frame number. When I bought the bike from a guy in Maine there was no title, just a bill of sale of sorts. Common practice for older vehicles, I was told. Anyway, I had to have the the bike inspected and it turned out the number on the BOS was the frame number. That number is on my title. The engine number, if I recall correctley, is a couple digits different.

This happened in '99 and I was living in Wisconsin at the time. Two states later, Arizona and Colorado, the frame number is still the number used on the title, and the bike had to be inspected in both states to get licensed. Apparently the frame number is acceptable......

[fredintoon]

Hi Rockjok,
my XS11 has the same # on the frame & on the motor. As does my '84 XS650.
But not my '78, that was a basket case I resurrected. The Saskatchewan authorities check the frame number when registering.
Every time one buys a bike (not a car, the papers are all they need for a car) one must either trailer the bike or buy a (non-refundable!) $20 one day permit to ride it to the SGI premises where someone will carefully compare the number on the frame to the number on the paperwork.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Incubus]

In Texas, the frame is titled. You transfer the title with paperwork only, but you have to insure the bike before you can transfer the title. It's kind of bizarre to insure a bike that can't possibly move under it's own power and won't be able to for some time to come - like all my bikes start out.

Patrick

[2bhappy]

I also live in Texas and what the Tax Collectors Office has allowed me to do is change title even though I do not have insurance, but I do not get a license plate. When I get to the point that I need to get it reistered and inspected, I have to show proof of insurance. The number on the frame is the number that the DVM always looks at I have noticed. In several cases, I have changed engines and they could care less when they look at the bike.

Marc

[AlanB]

Hi Guys,

As far as I know, ALL Yamahas start out with matching frame and engine numbers...... They don't all stay that way!

AlanB