what have i got

[CatatonicBug]

same thing happened on my title. Guy sold and everybody signed the title...about 12 years prior to me buying it. All I had to do was contact the last titled owner and he signed a "wrong name on title" paper and it was mine. Called him and mailed him the paper, he signed it and mailed it back to me.

Yeah. I tried that... If I could locate the registered owner, it would be a simple thing to do (except for the $250 fine for not registering it for the last several years). However, when the registered owner can't be located, it gets tricky.

[natemoen]

It seems from my experiences that most DMVs or Sheriffs departments are pretty helpful in locating people as long as you have a legitimate reason like this.

[62xs]

So now you know why it would be better to switch engines and get a salvage title for both than it is to chase people around.
I am going to call the post office and see if he left a forwarding address but other than that it's salvage time.

[62xs]

I should note that the last time it was titled was in 2005.
The reason it no longer ran was because the #2 idel jet droped into the fuel bowl and it looks like they did everything but the easy thing like droping the fuel bowl to look.
I did get it started once. and the compression is averageing 168. it should run like a bear when it's finished.

[trdriver71]

Call me dumb but what is that title you guys are talking about here all you need to register a vehicle is a bill of sale. when I bought my bike the PO wrote out the bill of sale in my name but my wife went and registered it in her name while I was at work one day no problems and mine hadn't been registered since 2002.

[natemoen]

Call me dumb but what is that title you guys are talking about here all you need to register a vehicle is a bill of sale. when I bought my bike the PO wrote out the bill of sale in my name but my wife went and registered it in her name while I was at work one day no problems and mine hadn't been registered since 2002.

Might be different in Canada but here most states require a title as your proof of ownership to help avoid people registering stolen vehicles, you can get around not having a title but its usually a hassle. It's more of a legal document whereas a bill of sale can be written on a booze stained bar napkin.

[62xs]

My 78 smokes when I start it when it sets a couple days. I'm thinking it's the valve seals. Can those be change with the head on the motor or do I have to take the head off?

[CatatonicBug]

It's more of a legal document whereas a bill of sale can be written on a booze stained bar napkin.

Not here in Missouri... A bill of Sale is an official document that has to be obtained from the state (downloaded as a pdf file). However, it does not require any kind of proof of identity. A title is an official proof of ownership, registered to the state, and you have to show a birth certificate or other proof of identity to get one.

The interesting thing is that if you buy a vehicle and get a Bill of Sale without a title, the registered owner can "appear" and take the vehicle back (forcibly if needed), and you have no recourse at all.

[crazy steve]

My 78 smokes when I start it when it sets a couple days. I'm thinking it's the valve seals. Can those be change with the head on the motor or do I have to take the head off?

Probably the seals, and not an uncommon issue. It's not that big a deal IMO (the smoking); mine started doing that at only 10K miles from new. Oil consumption went up slightly but not enough to worry about; about a quart every 1K.

As far as changing the seals without pulling the head, it's possible but it's generally easier to pull the head. To change them without pulling the head you have to keep the valves from dropping into the cylinder. Some use a fitting to apply compressed air to each cylinder, some push rope into the plug hole to hold the valves up. But these methods don't always work either, so sometimes you'll go to a lot of work and end up pulling the head anyway. By the time you get the camshafts removed to get access, it's not that much more work to pop the head off...

[crazy steve]

Titles vs bill of sale....

Really, if you're looking at a bike with no title you really need to contact your local DMV before buying to see just how big a hassle it's going to be to make it legal to license/ride. Here, I just assume that no title means it's parts-only as the cost to 'fix' title issues can exceed the cost of the bike.

Bills of sale are pretty much worthless here; all they're good for is setting the amount of sales tax you pay and if they're not sworn and notarized the state won't accept them anyway. You need to be careful about out-of-state transfers too; not all states accept all other types of state titles. Transfers from 'titleless' states into a 'title' state can get pretty involved too. Bar-napkin reciepts won't always cut it...

Washington is one of the tougher states to deal with; I recently went through a hassle getting title on a car as they wanted to charge me sales tax on $8K, not the actual $500 I paid for the car (a $600 tax difference!!). I ended up having to have the car appraised to reduce it.

I've paid as much for a clear-title bare frame as I have for complete no-title bikes, as it's usually cheaper/easier that straightening out a muddled title...

[DGXSER]

Title thing is State by State here in the USA. Different states require a Bill of Sale, or a Title.

Here in Ohio you will get a title. In order to transfer the ownership, that title must have a notorized signature of the seller. Here in the USA, a notary (Notary Public) is a sworn agent of the state that can sign and seal that the person signing the document is really THAT person. Requirements vary by state for that as well, my wife is an attorney and they simply apply for it and get it as they are already an agent of the court.

In the next state over, Indiana, you simply sign the title and away it goes. No notary, no hassle. and if you bring the vehicle/bike to Ohio from Indiana with a title that is signed, the Sherrif or local Po-po simply check that the VIN matches the title and send you on your way to the DMV.

Just one more way to TRY to limit the theft and selling of vehicles to unsuspecting buyers.