Title woes.

[Larry D]

When I bought my bike, I wasn't very educated in the title requirements in my state. The guy I bought it from had the title, the vin number matched and although it wasn't his name on the title, I thought I was good to go. Of course, this wasn't the true.
There was a name on the title and a second name where someone else had purchased it from the original owner, neither of which was the guy I bought it from.
So, after some google searching, I found the second buyer of the bike in Ft Wayne, IN. I called him, and in fact, he did used to own the bike but had sold it years ago. He agreed to help me straighten out the title mess I had had gotten myself into.
This past January I drove to Ft Wayne and met him. We spent about an hour together talking about the bike and it's history. It turns out that the original owners name on the title is his father-in-law. In Indiana, the law allows a title to signed over one time to another person who, which he had done from his father-in-law. After that, a new title must be created for the purchaser to allow for it to be signed over once again. This however, was never done for my bike. So legally, it was still his bike !!
After talking to the guy, he seemed like an upstanding person, so, I decided to take a chance. Since he had to get a title in his name to allow it to be signed over to me, I left the title with him. He said he would apply for a new title, then mail it to me. All I would have to do then, is to sign as the purchaser and take it to the BMV. I would then have 30 days to apply for a title in my name. In the meantime, I would be legal to ride while waiting on the new title.

So.....I waited and waited and waited. I called the guy a few times to get an update on the status, but he wouldn't return my calls. So....I waited and waited and waited. I was starting to think the guy was going to show up at my house with a police officer claiming the bike had been stolen. I was geting really nervous.
Then finally.....yesterday, the title showed up in my mailbox !!!! My neighbors probably thought I am a lunatic because I did a happy dance in the middle of the street !!!

Today I'm going to the BMV to get plates, stop by my insurance guy to get coverage. Tomorrow will be a 50-100mile shakedown ride. I ridden around our neighborhood quite a bit, but without plates, I didn't venture to far. It will be nice to get to 70mph and hold it there for awhile.

For those of you with title laws in your area, I highly recommend educating yourself in the requirements of titles before loading your new GS in the back of the pickup and driving away. When I buy the next one, the seller and myself are going to the BMV and transfer the title before I hand over any money !!

Took some new pics too. I bought a windshield from twr1776...Thanks Tim it looks great !

[lurch12_2000]

Glad your title woes are working out, although you're not out of the woods until that DMV clerk looks at it, accepts it, and takes your money for the new title app, and you get the new title in your possession.

Since NH does not issue titles for vehicles over 15 yrs old, I make a point to out of state buyers to check their state's DMV rules and laws.
Usually a notarized bill of sale solves the situation and an explanation of the seller's state laws. There is also an allowance for VIN verification by obtaining a blue form from NH DMV that is witnessed and signed by the local police.
Even then you run into hitches. I had a notarized bill of sale, PO's signed over registration but was told that the VIN was wrong on one letter (F instead of E typo). I had to go back to the PO and his local PD with that blue form and verify it was an E stamped on the bike. This mistake was NH DMV's own fault by the fact that they already issued prior paperwork with a wrong VIN (their typo error) and I had to sort it out for them. You can't argue with them!!! Fortunately it was only 10 miles from where I bought it and the local DMV office, and I was able to get the temp plate to ride the Yammie 40 miles home.

[JTsGS650]

I can relate

I just went through the same thing for my project bike. In my case the title was signed over ten years ago and the original owner was dead! Well, it took me six months including talking to the widow of the previous owners widow (she wanted nothing to do with it btw). But I finally found the woman who it was signed over to and she worked with me to get a new title. I finally received my title about a month ago! Feels good to finally get that peice of paper so the state acknowledges that the bikes yours. Congrats!

[Larry D]

Glad your title woes are working out, although you're not out of the woods until that DMV clerk looks at it, accepts it, and takes your money for the new title app, and you get the new title in your possession..........

Yep, I suppose you're right. We'll find out soon enough, I'm going to the BMV at lunchtime........

[Larry D]

Back from lunch and happy to report that I'm legal now.

After stopping at my insurance guy and paying for a whole year, I stopped by the BMV and everything went off without a hitch. All there is left to do is bleed the new ss brakelines I installed last week, fill up with gas, check the tire pressure, put the plates on and ride !!!!!
Tomorrow is going to be close to 60 degrees and sunny...sounds like great day for a ride !!!!!

Thanks to everyone here who's helped me over the past few months, and a huge thanks to a particular few Indiana GSR members.

[witttom]

Then finally.....yesterday, the title showed up in my mailbox !!!! My neighbors probably thought I am a lunatic because I did a happy dance in the middle of the street !!!

Sounds like you got lucky. Glad it is finally working out for you.

I'm going through a similar problem myself. I acquired a modern bike late last year, out-of-state. Since it was at the beginning of Winter, I wasn't in a hurry to get the title transferred. I had 30-days to do it, but if I exceeded that time, it's just a $5 late fee. So 4 months after I got the bike, I decided that it was time to get this bike legal. As I was prepared for the steps I needed to take, I noticed that the PO had accidentally check-marked the mileage discrepancy box on the back of the title. This bike is perfect with less than 9k on the clock. I couldn't let that slide, so I sent the PO an email asking for help. He responded and said he'd be glad to. Basically, I needed him to get a duplicate title, and we'd start from ground zero. Then, he quit responding to my emails. A few weeks passed, and several emails went unanswered. So I called his cell phone. Disconnected. I did a reverse look up of his home phone number. Disconnected. Crap. I assumed the guy must have got a divorce or something and moved away. So I decided I'm just gonna hafta live with the mileage discrepancy. It's better than no title at all. I went to get an Out-Of-State VIN inspection done (required by Ohio). That went well, so I went straight to the Title Division. As it turns out, the PO filled the title out wrong and the Title Dept would not issue me a new title in my name. Now I'm in deep sh!t. I have no choice but to drive 70min to this guy's last known address, which I did. Luckily, he still lived there. He agreed, once again, to help me out. I got his updated contact info, and left him mine. He was to call me when he knew more or made progress. A week goes by, and he hadn't called. So I call him. He was waiting to hear back from the KY title division. Apparently, they want him to pay his taxes on the bike for 2009 (he sold it to me in 2008). I'm still waiting. Hope to know more here in the next few days. Geeesh.

[marvinsc]

Tom, that is indeed KY state law, the owner as on January 1 of a given year is responsible for the property taxed for that year. They Will NOT license a subsequent vehicle for You until You pay the back taxes. (ask Me why I know this)

[Bribird]

title woes...

I thought this was gonna be a thread about how hard it is to come up with a cool title for threads.

Hey Larry, good job on getting that straight.

[Larry D]

title woes...

I thought this was gonna be a thread about how hard it is to come up with a cool title for threads.

Hey Larry, good job on getting that straight.

That's funny !!

I just flipped through the pics of your GS650G.....nice, really nice !! Congrats on a job well done !!

[witttom]

Tom, that is indeed KY state law, the owner as on January 1 of a given year is responsible for the property taxed for that year. They Will NOT license a subsequent vehicle for You until You pay the back taxes. (ask Me why I know this)

Another week goes by. I called again this morning. Still no real info to help. If I want the process to start NOW in getting a new Kentucky title issued, the PO says that I can pay the taxes on it. I sure as hell don't wanna do that, because they're not MY taxes and I'm not the one that made the mistake on the title. But what else can I do? It's now been 4-1/2 months since I've acquired this bike, and I'm still trying to get it titled in my name. I have no leverage with the previous owner. What do I do?

[SqDancerLynn1]

How much are the taxes?? It may be just as easy to go ahead and pay them so that you can get it registered

[Larry D]

Sounds like you're going to have to pay them. Depending on how much they are, it's probably worth the aggrevation just to get the process moving. Short of taking him to the BMV at gunpoint, I don't see many other options.

[witttom]

I've been going back-n-forth with the Supervisor for the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Property Tax Section. After going round and round with document scans, vin numbers, title numbers, names and addresses, notary dates, etc etc... I've been able to prove that the transfer of this motorcycle actually took place last year. She was extremely helpful in walking me through what I needed to do, and has now removed the 2009 taxes. I've contacted the previous owner. He plans to go apply for the duplicate title tomorrow morning. Crossing my fingers, and holding my breath. I thought that I've been in the clear many times already, and something always seems to come up. I'm just hoping I'm in the final stretch and I can finally put this behind me. I just gotta make sure that there aren't any mistakes on this duplicate title this time around.

[Larry D]

Good Luck Tom. I hope it works out for you this time.

As I said earlier, I will not buy another bike, without going to the BMV with the seller and transfering the title, before I pay any money. Perhaps a little over the top, but, I'm not sweating the title thing again. If they can't or won't do it, then, NO SALE.

[witttom]

In the past decade or so, I've transferred probably 40 different titles into my name give or take (35+ motorcycles, plus a few cars). Many of those motorcycle were out-of-state and occasional require a little extra effort. I've run into a few minor glitches from time to time, but have never ever had as much trouble as I've had with this one. My lesson learned with this one, is not to screw around when it comes to getting it put in my name. If there's a problem, I'll know about it immediately and can deal with it immediately. Sheesh. I simply wasn't in a hurry because it was freezing cold for those months and I wasn't eager to haul it up to the BMW for a VIN inspection. Next time, I'll be a bit more aggressive and just do it. I'll also look the title over with a microscope.