Buying a bike with no title

I'm looking at buying an 82 XJ that doesn't have a title. I was emailing a different gentleman a few weeks ago about a different bike with no title and he gave me a few websites where you can legally get a title for a bike. I must have deleted the messages and I was wondering if anyone knows they websites? I remember he said it only costed like $80. I live in Missouri, by the way... Thanks for any help.

 

International Title Service and Broadway Title Service are a few options. Be confident that the bike has never been stolen,as the prospective registrant will be the one to be prosecuted if it has been.
Best of luck to you,and let us know how things work out.

 

I'm doubting its stolen, because its in a very small town and the gentleman said the owner had passed away. So what do I need to do? Get the VIN and get it checked out before I buy it? Where can I get the VIN checked and how much will it cost?

 

Your local Department of Vehicles or equivalent should be able to do a title/vin search for you...it may cost a few bucks, but better safe than in jail??

 

Try to find any tell tale signs of previous damage. Could be a bike that originally had a Salvage title. Lost titles is a good way to hide that in some states.

 

the cops will run the vin for you for free and if it is stolen you dont get the cuffs they do

 

+1 you can also look into a bonded title. I am going through this in NC right now. Here in NC it will cost me about $140 for the bond and title I think. ITS is $175 for a bike then you have to title it in your state ($40 in NC).

Contact your DMV theft department - they ran my VIN over the phone for me...

 

You can do your own VIN check for stolen or salvage here:

https://www.nicb.org/cps/rde/xchg/nicb/ ... check.html

Buying a bike without a title can be a little dicey. Make sure you understand the title laws in your state. For TX, I looked into it for a 'find' and learned that I could go the bonded title route; however, if a previous owner appeared, they could give the 'my bike' story, didn't know it was gone, yada yada yada, and then you lose the bike with a 'sorry charlie' it's a bonded title, so previous owners can lay claim response.

If you spend time and money getting a bike back to health, the last thing I would want is for someone to 'appear' from the bike's past and wish it away.

 

Tell you the truth, the best way is NO TITLE / NO BUY.

 

+1 That's my policy; however, everyone needs to make their own decisions on what they are willing to do and risk.

 

With a bonded title if an owner appears within 3 years they must take you to court. If you lose the judge awards the value to the previous owner - the bond pays the judgment and you repay the bonding agent. YOU retain the bike as you own it.

If you go the bonded route do what I am doing. Take a lot of pics showing condition and keep records/receipts for every dime you spend. The court will determine value based on the condition you got it in not current condition - IF you can prove your case. They may even use the value determined at bonding time. In NC you bond it for 150% of value.

After 3 years it is clear. You can sell and transfer a bonded title. The new owner assumes the risks.

EDIT - of course law vary by state and you should check in your state

Wyldman ordinarily I would agree but when given a bike or presented with one for FAR less then it's value it is a risk you have to weigh.

 

Bill, sorry, you are correct. In TX, it is the same. You keep the bike but pay for it again according to the court judgement.

One other consideration is to take the VIN to the local DMV and get them to run the VIN for the registered owner (if it is still in their system). It costs a couple of bucks here. If you can find who the registered owner is and find them, you could to a 'lost title' process which is cleaner than a bonded title (and easier).

 

I was surprised they told me the titled owners name but I was not sure they could do that legally (privacy stuff). I considered doing exactly that but you could also be stirring a pot where the PO wants money (more than bike is worth) vs taking a chance.

In my case the bike has not been registered since 2000 and has obvious damage from wrecks. If it was more recent I would definitely track it down since it could be a case of he lost the title but the new owner didn't care. Stranger things have happened. My VIN comes back clean so I figure the PO has given up on it at some point.

 

I did this with a 79 XS11 Special I bought from a guy who got it from a friend. Fortunately they were still friends and he helped me track down the title in Calif. Then file for a duplicate title, signed it over to me for $20 and being able to see it and ride it 10 years later. Some people are just glad to see their baby restored and back on the road.

 

A bike with no title is a hot.

 

Sorry but just because a bike doesn't have a title doesn't mean its stolen :roll: The bike is from a small town in Kansas and the original owner died like 2 years ago. The VIN checks out clean, but I decided to pass on it because I don't want an 1100 for my first bike.

 

Could not disagree more - there are tons of reasons why a bike as old as these may not have titles. All it takes is a call to the DMV to check if it's stolen.

 

Umm, no.
I have scooped two "no title" bikes and neither was hot. Human disinterest played it's part and the lazy slobs just didn't bother to register or transfer title to the next person they could pawn their problem off on.

 

gone through 2 cars with no titles and my yame i have now didn;t have it quick and easy to get it