So the guy I bought my motorcycle from isn't wanting to help me get a duplicate title. Its been lost. He is the owner, but since he doesn't live in new york anymore they can't duplicate the title. I know its not stolen. Plus, new york has purged the title from the system since it hasn't been registered in 15 years. He just used it at the track or something. NY said they'd send a letter to him stating that the title has been purged and a new one must be created. So NY can't register it, and he won't go to the DMV to register it in FL. He said he doesn't have time. Anyone know of what I could do? I was considering salvage/abandoned? I know There's title services, but I'm not sure what I get... and if it will even jive with the Oregon DMV. Oregon said no title for me, if I don't have the title signed to me. But i remember a guy a couple years back saying that its easy to get a lost title for a motorcycle, but I'm not seeing that its so easy... maybe I'm missing something. Thanks for any suggestions.
I had a simular situation here in California. I purchased an older dirt bike, that hadn't been registered in 5 years. Though it was still in the system, I'm assuming. But what I did was go to the DMV website, printed out the bill of sale and title transfer forms. Filled out both forms with my own and the other person's information and took them in. The guy did not have a pink slip to go with the bike either. I didn't have any trouble with the dmv, and they never asked any questions. I just said that he had lost the pink slip along the way. They just inputted the info, and 6 weeks later I got a pink slip for the bike in the mail, with my name on it. Hope this helps, good luck.
New York is a tough state for getting things registered. All the paperwork has to be in place. I remember when I bought my '86 VFR750F, the title had one additional leading zero than the actual VIN of the bike, which did not affect that actual unit number at all, and I had to jump through hoops to get that straightened out. How is it that this guy sold you a bike without a title and now won't help you get one?
Did you pay for a bike with no title? I'd never pay for any vehicle until I had the title in hand. The fact there is no title should cut the price by 70% or more. Right now all you have is a parts bike. Unless he sold it for next to nothing, and stated that there was no title, he owes you a title or at least the paper from NY. He needs to MAKE time to get this straightened out. He is the only one who can fix this correctly. I'd press him until he gets the title, NY paper, or a full refund of the purchace price. I work with titles every day at my job in TN. A bad title can cause tons of headache. These "Title Companies" use a variety of tricks to get a title, but they are not always clean, as it may come back salvaged or stolen-recovered, which can come up on a LEOs computer any time you get pulled over. The states are great at reporting a bad title to LEOs, but not so good in reporting when it has been repaired. My friend had his bike stolen. He got it back, now every time he goes to buy tags or a LEO checks his registration, they call it stolen and try to impound it. I'd lean on the seller HARD until He fixes HIS mess. Remember, HE lost the title, HE should fix it. Getting a replacement title for a bike is the same as for a car, not easy unless you are the last owner of record. Good luck!!
well, i bought it for $400, plus had it shipped for 675, and its in really really great condition, and I've sold the engine, exhaust, electrical and some other parts... so basically its only cost me $250 shipped. I'm not complaining about losing money, just the title I have the name and addy of the owner, and he's just not gonna go out of his way. I asked if he could take the paperwork to the DMV, and he said he won't drive 90 miles to the dmv... but he can just go to a title and registration office, there's one in every town! I'm gonna press on him a bit more when I get the paper from the DMV of NY that states the title has been purged and they have no record on file, and that he will have to re-apply for a title. Florida already said they'd accept that. Another guy said since I'm converting this one to electric (throwing an AC motor and controller in it), that I may be able to call it an assembled vehicle, since its no longer an internal combustion, and most of the original parts except frame and suspension will be gone. So thats an option.
Yes we discussed, and he agreed that he'd get a duplicate title and transfer it to my name. Unfortunately I didn't realize he couldn't get a duplicate because it had been purged. I think he just doesn't want to be put out, which is fine, but come on, he should have transfered it a long time ago. I can't title it as homebuilt, it requires that you have a title or salvage title for the frame of the bike. I'm going to talk to him after I talk to FL DMV. Hopefully I can get him to get in there to title it.
In Vermont, all vehicles 15 years old or more do not require a title to pass hands legally. Good place to register a stolen vehicle, huh?
