Title Gremlins strike again (IL)

[Jfries]

have u checked the Vin on the motor? does it match the frame or title?.. one suggested u can do is come to MI. and "give it to a MI resident. they may be able ti title it there as i know MI seems very lenient, then when they get the title they can give it back to you and it will be titled correctly.. or. u can take it apart have the police come back and try to title it under a builders title. that may work too.

[WSL91]

The problem has been turned over to the Secretary of State Police (IL). Turns out they have a process for investigating this type of problem. All the paperwork has been faxed in. Next I'll get a visit from a Detective to verify my claim and it sounds like the holder of the title with my VIN is getting a visit too as well as the bike shop where this bike was last sold.

The detective stated that in IL a BONDED title is a title that was issued with no physical evidence. The requester put up an insurance bond through an insurance agency so that in itself is a flag that there was a problem on his end. The detective went on to say its likely they have an existing case for this VIN # from when the other guy titled so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Nice guy, didn't take long and he apologized for the runaround at the local office. Now the waiting begins. The frame and motor numbers match so its worth trying to resolve the right way.

[DGXSER]

Very interesting, sounds like the dealer mixed up the 79 titles. Since it was all in state it probably never got inspected.

I know in Ohio that could easily happen and not get caught at all for decades if the dealer and both buyers were in state. At least until someone bothered to look, or it was sold to an out of state person.

I suppose you could just as easily gone and titled your bike with the title you have even though it did not match the VIN and no one but you would be the wiser. At least until something crazy stupid happened and the LEO checked your VIN for some reason.

[jjz28]

^^^That is what I was thinking, just get the title and play dumb later if anyone ever asks (sees the vin dont match).

[natemoen]

I suppose you could just as easily gone and titled your bike with the title you have even though it did not match the VIN and no one but you would be the wiser. At least until something crazy stupid happened and the LEO checked your VIN for some reason.

The only time I have been pulled over on my bike the LEO VINed my bike. I wouldn't suggest going that route. I have even been VINed several times while in a cage. Some cops just do that, especially HI-PO

[jjz28]

i am new to bikes so i didnt really know they even checked the vin. Thanfully, mine is legal.

[DGXSER]

The LEOs just hate Nate!

Trust me, I have been stopped plenty in my years of owning a drivers lisence. My record is three tickets in one weekend. Two stops in one trip that was about a three hour drive. I have supported the local budget of more than a few of our great states. One time I got pulled over and the LEO was giving me the usual questions and explaining how he clocked me, SWMBO looks at him and says "He knows the drill!". Sometimes I wonder about that woman. I have only once been stopped on a bike, a couple years ago now.

Anyway, I have never seen them check the VIN on any vehicle I have been driving. Not even when I got pulled for 105 in a 55 zone, but then I also got a verbal warning out of that one. Maybe they have some scanner they use while they are distracting me with the banter on the downfalls of my wicked ways and such.

[WSL91]

Very interesting, sounds like the dealer mixed up the 79 titles. Since it was all in state it probably never got inspected.

I know in Ohio that could easily happen and not get caught at all for decades if the dealer and both buyers were in state. At least until someone bothered to look, or it was sold to an out of state person.

I suppose you could just as easily gone and titled your bike with the title you have even though it did not match the VIN and no one but you would be the wiser. At least until something crazy stupid happened and the LEO checked your VIN for some reason.

That is an option but I was concerned about what if it gets stolen, in a wreck, random check etc. My biggest fear would be a wreck and the insurance abandoning me due to title/registration issue, could be ugly.
expensive. I will say that I now have all the legit methods covered and I have a clear conscience. From here on out it may be a different story

[CatatonicBug]

The problem has been turned over to the Secretary of State Police (IL). Turns out they have a process for investigating this type of problem. All the paperwork has been faxed in. Next I'll get a visit from a Detective to verify my claim and it sounds like the holder of the title with my VIN is getting a visit too as well as the bike shop where this bike was last sold.

The detective stated that in IL a BONDED title is a title that was issued with no physical evidence. The requester put up an insurance bond through an insurance agency so that in itself is a flag that there was a problem on his end. The detective went on to say its likely they have an existing case for this VIN # from when the other guy titled so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Nice guy, didn't take long and he apologized for the runaround at the local office. Now the waiting begins. The frame and motor numbers match so its worth trying to resolve the right way.

Sounds good! You might want to take notes and keep track of phone and fax numbers as well as names of indivuduals who helped you. Then you can document the process for others, in detail. I'm sure you're not the only one to have run across this problem, and things like this would probably cause some people to part the bike out instead of doing the footwork to keep it on the road.

[WSL91]

Sounds good! You might want to take notes and keep track of phone and fax numbers as well as names of indivuduals who helped you. Then you can document the process for others, in detail. I'm sure you're not the only one to have run across this problem, and things like this would probably cause some people to part the bike out instead of doing the footwork to keep it on the road.

Actually I've been keeping track of it for a couple reasons. 1. someone shows up with the Police stating the bike is theirs. 2. Having to sue the seller in case I can't title it. Proof that I've tried to title. Handy none the less. The seller has had 3 invites to take it back.

[WSL91]

Good New!

The Secretary of State Police just emailed me and stated that they had been in contact with the dealer that sold this XS used 7 years ago and that they will be taking care of straitening out the title problem and will be covering the cost of the title fees. Sounds like the bike that my title was swapped on was sold at the same dealer but the investigator did not elaborate.

I also know that they were at the sellers house earlier today as the seller contacted me after they left. They must have stopped at the dealership too while in the area.

[GLoweVA]

I'm glad that it looks like it's all going to work out.

Last fall I picked up my SG and just recently I noticed that the title and frame don't match.
It looks like a typo error in my case. The last number on the frame ends in 8 and on the title it's a 3. Maybe when a PO filled out the info for the title issuance they didn't read the VIN correctly. The 8 on the frame is hard to see and I can see how it might look like a 3.
I know it's supposed to be an 8 because that's what's on the engine.

I haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to do about it just yet though.

Maybe I'll call VA DMV and ask some hypothetical questions.

[crazy steve]

The Secretary of State Police just emailed me and stated that they had been in contact with the dealer that sold this XS used 7 years ago and that they will be taking care of straitening out the title problem and will be covering the cost of the title fees. Sounds like the bike that my title was swapped on was sold at the same dealer but the investigator did not elaborate..

Sounds to me like somebody is trying to avoid a pee-pee slapping...

[WSL91]

It's over....Yea we have a title!!!!

Today I received the proper title to my XS1100SF. It's been 4 months since I discovered the problem and I've lost track of how many emails, visits, and phone calls to the Secretary of State police. My title was swapped by a dealer many years ago when they sold 2 79s, my Special and a standard.
Thanks to all who offered advice on how to remedy. The day I walked into DMV I asked myself should I just go ahead and title it as it is or should I say something. In the end it worked out but it was a long road.

[650mark]

title issue

the '75 honda i bought last year had a similar problem. i went to get the bike insured and we discovered that the vin on the title was one digit off from the vin on the bike. and this bike had been through many owners here in arizona. nobody ever caught it. i went to the mvd, explained the problem, they looked at both the bike and the title, shrugged their collective shoulders, and for a $4.00 fee issued a new correct title. BIG problem was avoided. of course, here in arizona most gov't problems can be fixed with money.
good luck with yours, i know they can be a real p.i.t.a.