My experience registering the 82 xj650 bought without a title

This past fall I bought (as some of you know) a second xj650 maxim as a learning bike. It was a really good deal and thought it would be a good "learning bike" since the first xj650 I'd bought earlier last year was running great and I didn't want to screw anything up.

Turns out the learning/parts bike had good compression so I ended up fixing it up.

So now the interesting part about registering it in Vermont despite having no title or previous registration.

First, having my local police officer do a vin verification was a trip. The white vin sticker was very faded and only the last 5 digits were legible. At first the officer only wanted to verify the short vin version on the engine but I asked him if he could write down the long version I had calculated using the webpage created by a member here. The officer didn't seem to be willing to do that at first and I was afraid Vermont DMV wouldn't be willing to register it with just the short vin written.

I showed him my other xj650 that has a very clear long vin on the white sticker. He studied the other vin for quite a bit while I explained how the beginning letters Jya, etc were the same on all the bikes of the same model.

So after more chatting and examining, the officer finally verified the long version of the vin. That was nice of him because he never actually saw the long version anywhere on the bike. I wonder if the VT DMV would have been willing and able to register it with just the short version?


So in a few days, the VT plates will arrive and in a month or so, ill transfer it to Massachusetts. When that is done, MA will send me a new title too!

So, it was an interesting experience being able to register and title a bike that had nothing with it at time of sale. Not even a previous registration.

It was very helpful too that the bike had an old NH plate on it. The officer did run the 10 yr old plate to check it too. I don't know if I would have been able to do all of it without that old plate.

 

I registered my 82 650 Maxim with only the short VIN. It was all that was on the title and nobody even questioned it

 

My 82 Seca 750 has been titled and registered with the short VIN since new (I looked up the "paper" trail), just like all of the other motorcycles that Yamaha imported to the U.S. in 1982.

 

Yeah I would think you'd be golden if it was already there in black and white on the title.

 

Only difficulty I had was that I had to go directly to the dmv instead of the local police station, or any other dmv authorized place because of the short vin. The local cop shop does title transfers and such but only on vehicles with a standard 17 digit vin

 

Interesting; it makes me wonder how the Registry in each state now handles new registrations with just the short version of the vin

 

So k-moe do you know who owns every xj bike that is registered here in the usa ?

 

Interesting, I am the second owner of my 82 750 Seca, It was originally titled with the long vin when the original owner purchased it. Unfortunately for me, the cables had worn the entire center of the left hand sticker with the long vin on it off making it unreadable. Additionally when I took it for the safety inspection I was told that by law, the inspector could only write on the right hand stamped short vin on the slip. Ended up having to have the highway patrol sign off on it.

It was originally purchased and titled in Il before the owner moved here to Mo years ago.

 

You'r right. I mispoke. There were states that titled under the long VIN, and states that were still titling under the engine number (which in or case is identical to the short VIN, but that varies among different manufacturers). The import documents would have been under the stamped (short) VIN. Government paperwork transition periods can be fun

 

Is that a serious question?
One does not need to know every owner to know what the registration and titling laws were at the time.; those are a matter of public record. Also see the correction to my statement. Have you never made a mistake?

 

If I were to move into another state they would title it with whatever numbers are on the current title. If being re-titled due to a lost title (say as a salvage, or rebuit machine) that would vary somewhat, but they should title it with the short VIN, since that's what is stamped on the frame, and is what Fed DOT considered the official VIN at the time of manufacture (Yamaha had an exemption, hence the long VIN only being on a sticker). There are states whre the easier route is to title it with a state issued VIN, but (as with all things) that pocess, and what would qualify a bike to do that, varies.

 

The P.O. of my XJ750 Seca , the sticker numbers were rubbed off from the cables , he got a state of Indiana issued VIN and title ... I was not crazy about this but BMV said it was legal ... For all I know it could be Salvage , but they said no it was not ...so I just ride

 

I can remember one time when I was sure I made a mistake....... Fortunately it turned out that I hadn't......

 

That was a mistake.

 

Or was that the mistake?

 

Got it registered last week. The MA dmv lady moaned for some reason when I told here it was bought in MA but registered in VT. Strangely enough they wanted proof that I'd paid the VT sales tax . Rather than waste time I just paid the $35 MA sales tax too right then and there . Title is on the way! Schweeeet.

 

Yup, of course it went through ok. They gotta make sure that they got THEIR money doncha know. Lol
Glad to hear everything went ok though.

 

http://www.chinonthetank.com/2014/04/get-a-title-with-a-vermont-registration/

Update;

This article says you need to have the bill of sale notarized. I don’t think that is the case. I didn’t, and it went through fine. I got the title last month.

I had overpaid the VT sales tax by $35 so the sent me a refund check.

 

So now you would gust get a new title in your state? I mean with it titled in VT you would have to get tags from VT or you can get plates in Mass?

 

I didn’t apply for a VT title, only registration.
Once I received the VT plate and registration I had what the MA rmv required to reg and title it in MA. So with the VT registration, you apply for a registration transfer in your state and they send you a title a few weeks after they send you the new registration.