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bike sale title
110K views 49 replies 28 participants last post by  Badlands-4-2 
#1 ·
I've been doing a lot of research to buy a used bike. I have always stayed away from any sale that the bike does not have a title. Is there a way to get a new title for a bike properly? I am in New Jersey.
 
#3 ·
You may not have the paper but, unless the bike was smuggled into this country, there is a title registration somewhere in the DMV computer for your VIN. In any case, the bike belongs to somebody and that somebody has to sell it to you. Depending on the state where you reside, a bill of sale signed (and sometimes notarized) by the seller is enough. In other states, you will need the owner to sign a request for a duplicate title form transferring the ownership to you. With the bill of sale and the duplicated title form request (if required) go to the DMV and register the bike.
 
#4 ·
Not necessarily the case. That bike could have switched hands 5 times without being registered, so the person you are buying the bike from with a bill of sale is and never was the legal owner, so a bill of sale means nothing. That or it could just be outright stolen.
 
#9 ·
There are different hoops to jump through for each state. Call your local DMV. They will get you through to a special cases title person. Just found out today what is required in WI. Sending pictures in of bike, sending in bill of sale, statment of how bike was received, Officer has to come to the house to verify VIN. Surity bond insurance must be had for 5 years after title is given. This is in case title holder shows up, you still keep the bike, but the other title holder still gets something.
Bottom line, they want you to title and register the bike and then register it again and again and again. They just wanna make sure its not stolen, salvage vehical, wrecked, flood damaged ect ect...
 
#10 ·
No title, no bike. It does vary by state but ask yourself that if the bike was ever stolen at some point, do you want to take the risk of being stuck with stolen property after paying hundreds of dollars. Also if someone ever shows up with the title while you are waiting, they can take the bike from you legally and there is nothing you can do. Even free I wouldn't take a bike with no title.
 
#11 ·
My general rule is to not buy a bike/vehicle without a title. Its a hassle in Oregon. I have a 73 CB500 that was given to me with no title. My buddy says he lost it. Funny part is that it has California plate and registration. When I call the Cal DMV, they claim to have no record of it by VIN or plate number. I also checked into getting a replacement title though a title service and it was going to cost about $400.00. Glad I didn't pay anything for the bike.
 
#12 ·
I went through a title hassle when trying to buy a green 650R a while back (this whole story is how I ended up with the blue one I later wrecked). I wasn't totally familiar with the rules involved with buying and selling, so when he presented me with the title, which had the previous owner's name on it, I THOUGHT it would be ok. I found out after standing in line for 30 minutes that there was yet another name attached to the VIN, and that I couldn't buy the bike until the guy I was buying it from came in and paid the sales tax on it and titled it over to himself. Needless to say, I drove straight back to his house and got my money back. Before I was done, I'd spend an entire day on this deal and ended up buying another 650R from someone else. On the bright side...the one I ended up with was blue, and in better shape for the same money. :)

It's just not worth the hassle. If there is no title, you won't be sure of the bike's background until you attempt to title it, and if everyone before you didn't have their ducks in a row, you may not even be able to do it at all. Now, I ask to see the title, and the seller's state ID.
 
#13 ·
Alabama requires the title and an inspection if the bike came from another state. If you have a bill-of-sale, you can apply for a lost title bond, (1/3 of the value for 3 years) and the state will re-issue you a title. Bond premiums are usually $100/year. In short a really big pain in the ASS. 30+ yo bikes qualify for flatrate tags as 'Vintage".

I have sworn, no more non-running bikes and no more Non-titled bikes.

Ride safe & for a LONG time
 
#17 ·
If a loan for a bike has been defaulted on the title wont be released from the bank either. Some people around here do that then sell the bike to a shop the chops them up for parts, or does some sort of surgical removal of the serials and trades them out for others that are legit.
 
#22 ·
Two things to ALWAYS stay away from when buying a vehicel, No Title, and Salvage Title. They are never worth the hassel. The only way I will get a No Title vehicle is if the seller will pay for the price of a new title and do the paper work, then I will pay the remainder of the price of the vehicle once the title is in my hands. It took my almost two months to get a replacement title for the Jeep I sold, due to the fact that it was lost during hurricane katrina. Cost me $80 for the title and $25 to notarized the paperwork the title company sent me. I was luck and still had the info for the Notary Office I used in New Orleans was still open and had the records of them titling the vehicle for me years before.
 
#26 ·
I agree a little bit with your post. I would differ and say most salvage titles go to auction and are purchased there for either yards/parts or repair/reconstruction purposes. I would say most are purchased for parts. Some could have bolt on/off parts that were damaged to be totaled and a much easier fix than others.
If purchasing one I would want to see before pictures of the vehicle. Also it would have to be from a reputable business.
 
#28 ·
Not sure on bikes, but for cars it's not all that hard in some states. I've bought a number of Jeeps off craigslist over the years without titles and as long as I've had a clean bill of sale it's been fine. I've just had my insurance company run VIN numbers to make sure they're legit, not stolen, ect prior to buying. I also won't pay cash in those situations. Post office money orders only since they can be tracked and verified.
 
#29 ·
NJ is insane! I bought a 2000 KLR last year, the two previous owners did not title it, the original owner signed the title in the wrong place, on the line where the lien holder would sign and the lien holder signed by the owner. Motor Vehicle in NJ would not accept this, I was like it is a 11 year old bike that has not been registered for the past 5 years, the lien holder signed as well as the previous owner. I think their intent was to sell the bike.
I spent 2 months tracking those two individuals down, had to pay the last titled owner $100 to come to MV with me. fortunately he lived locally.
I finally found him after I had given up, I put his name in the search box on Facebook and that is how I was able to get him to help me.
 
#30 ·
Hello all, Ok so heres what i have,,a guy was selling a bike and said he will get the title,so i bought it,like a fool i know,so 2 days went by and i called him to see where the title is,he told me no luck,so i ran the vin# with police dept. to make sure it wasnt reported stolen,which it wasnt,so then i told the guy bring my cash back and take the bike,no luck with that,then i got a P.I. that run the vin and got the title owner,here to find out the guy that sold me the bike still owed the title owner a balance,and never paid it,i know guys this is a wreck,im just wanting to hear from you what my options are,thanks.
 
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