My new money pit

[POS Racing]

I'd do some digging and make sure the Grey bike wasn't stolen; punched lock & no title are 2 huge red flags.

No way to get around the insurance bit, you have to show proof of insurance no exceptions. You also get to pay all fees and sales tax when you apply for a title so even more money will be required.

Not that I would do this but if your insurance agent is nice they will let you get short term insurance so you would have proof of insurance when you applied for the title. Not that my agent would ever do that (again).

[HudsonHawk]

New question.

I am trying to get the title of the grey bike I just bought in my name. I will have to file for lost title however, the guy lost it. For this reason I want to get this taken care of pretty quickly to counter any possible shadyness with this title (ignition was busted, no key. I doubt anyone would steal such a crappy bike, but if it was a nice bike it would be a BIG red flag).

Now to my question. I googled and read that you have to have insurance on the bike before they will let you transfer the title. Only problem is the bike isn't road worthy and I probably won't start riding it untill next spring. It's ridable currently but probably wont pass inspection. I want it in my name, but I don't want to have to pay insurance without it being roadworthy and riding it regularly. Plus I need to take a riders course (planning on this anyway) which will bring insurance down, but currently I can't afford the class/license, it might be a few months off.

What do people do when they buy a project bike that needs work? Wait a year or two getting the bike road worthy before transfering the title? Or is there another way around this?


And how does inspection work on a bike anyway? I cringe when I have to let some yahoo drive my car around the building a few times, I can't imagine people would let them try to ride their bikes around to test them.

Transfer it as a non-running project title. I did that with my CJ when I first bought it. That way you do not have to have insurance or pay the registration fees. You will have to pay sales tax on it at that time.

When you get it road ready. You have to do things in this order.

1) get insurance
2) get it inspected and make sure the shop gives you the inspection certificate to take to the DMV. Its not the standard form they give you its a special one.
3) only after both of the above are done, Take all the paperwork to the DMV including the project title and have it transfered to a standard title. Bring enough $$ to pay all the fees with.

[POS Racing]

Transfer it as a non-running project title. I did that with my CJ when I first bought it. That way you do not have to have insurance or pay the registration fees. You will have to pay sales tax on it at that time.

Did you have a clear title when you did this? My '94 had a "missing title" a bill of sale, and a mechanics lean that I had to get cleared so for some reason they wouldn't let me apply for a non-running title.

[Jiggerachi]

Thank you HudsonHawk, good info. First thing tomorrow im going to get the Sherrif's office to run the vin, that way I don't have to worry about getting 'informed' by a uniform officer while trying to register it

In hindsight it was a pretty dumbass move buying a spray painted bike with no title and a busted ignition, but I was buying it as a parts frame that would be pretty rare to come by, it just happened to run fine when we got it home. Plus the tank key is busted and it appears to have been ridden regularly after the ignition was busted so it doesn't look like he was trying to get rid of a hot bike. I have all of his information, he would have to be pretty stupid to provide his or (his parent's) address in the sale.

[HudsonHawk]

Did you have a clear title when you did this? My '94 had a "missing title" a bill of sale, and a mechanics lean that I had to get cleared so for some reason they wouldn't let me apply for a non-running title.

Yes, I had a clear title but it was from Arkansas.

[Jiggerachi]

I'd do some digging and make sure the Grey bike wasn't stolen; punched lock & no title are 2 huge red flags.

I just called the DMV and ran the vin through their database. The title came out clean. No theft reports or liens. Only problem is the guy never switched over the title. So unless I can get ahold of him I'll have to file for a bonded title. I can't find his number so its not looking good. Given the age of the bike, I doubt it will be more than $30 or so, just a hassle.

The lady also told me the bike was good to go for a non-running title as well.

Whew...that's a load off my shoulders. Now I can start actually fixing it up.