Help...I may have made a big mistake....Ownership issues. 81 xj650

Alright forum-goers....I think I may have made my biggest screw up purchasing vehicles - or anything for that matter.

First, a little background - So I see an ad on craigslist, sweet deal on an 1981 XJ650. 500$. No title. (which is no problem in Connecticut if the bike is 20 years old.) Long story short, the kid was cool, reminded me a lot of myself, we veered off into 100 different directions, I got distracted and didn't go over as much as I should have, and I scored the bike as is, not running for 250$. Good deal, it was mostly complete, and I got a bunch of little things along with it...

I didn't see until a few days later after getting it running, then attempting to run a vin check on the bike, that the vin number was not stamped into the bike, it was on the sticker behind the forks....and that sticker had been defaced, which looks like it had been done purposely. Right off the bat I knew it wasn't going to end well. So I tried using the serial number that was stamped into the frame, as well as the engine block, no luck. I don't even have a title/previous reg to prove the remaining vin number... and its not the end of the vin or the beginning, right in the middle where I can't use the common sense. So I don't know what my next step is. Do I have a leg to stand on? The kid I bought it from says he wasn't aware, and that a buddy of his bought the bike at auction. But how the hell would the bike be able to be sold with the vin defaced and no paperwork?? The vin being defaced is a crime for christ sake, I could be fined just for it being in my possession....I need some help on what to do. I've heard about re-vins, and using the serial number as the vin, etc, etc. But I'm feeling pretty dead in the water right now. I have no way of getting in contact because I don't have a vin number, or even a license plate to reverse lookup. Just attempting to trace the sellers back to the original owner. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

there is a short vin on the right side of the tube where sticker is located may have been painted over.
can you register bike with out a vin check?
also possible to get registered with the short vin because of 9 month exemption in 1981

this link explains vins and how to reconstruct them also about exemption
TECH TOPIC: Model ID and VIN's


this link you put the shorty vin in and it gives you the full vin
http://www.dissingermoto.com/

how did you let him write a bill of sale with out putting a vin onit?
up side is you have a great parts bike, is it a nice xj 650 maxim you have there.
get the motor running and you can easily tripple your money selling parts.

 

It's not an XJ650 Maxim, it's a XJ550 Maxim. With an aftermarket seat.

 

The sticker gets worn off by the wiring and cables fairly easily. The sticker was a stopgap measure to meet new regs and is not the official VIN, but is a description of the full VIN (the stamped VIN in the neck is the official VIN).
I'm sure the bike will register fine with wither the short VIN or the decoded long VIN.

 

how did I miss the chain

the short vin is what is stamped into both of my 81 maxims as well as my 82 seca

 

Yep. The long VIN didn't get stamped until partway through '82.

 

so does that make the short vin the vin to register with , at least in the 81 models?

 

I doubt that any state will reject a full 17-position VIN, and some states may get "confused" by the presentation of a shorty VIN, since the last time they may have seen one was 35 years ago.........

 

I had this issue not with the XJ, but my wife's 80 CX500. They had to send the title in for processing manually because it was too short.

 

NYS would not use my short VIN. It isn't hard to derive the full VIN, except that check digit. I finally located my paperwork and got it registered (last summer). It had been 6 weeks from the time I got the bike and registered it... things got misplaced.

 

States are required to use the short VIN if the build date falls within the grace period or before. The trouble is that you have to talk with someone that knows the regs well enough (this sometimes requires the distribution of doughnuts and coffee).

 

Got some good people here, Thank you for all the responses, I'm hoping I can use the short vin to register it hopefully. And Really? I would bet money its a 650, especially judging off of the power lol.

 

and yes, it's quite a Frankenstein....Has a honda seat, and now a vulcan gas tank, etc, etc.

 

That's my problem, I wouldn't care about the vin number if I had paperwork to legally prove it was mine. and I tried picking apart the vin number, except the ninth digit is the security digit, and guess what, that's whats gone. bummer. but waiting to hear back from him to see if he can acquire paperwork so i can go register it myself. I know the manufacture date was 3/81. if it were a 78 I'd be in good shape lol....

 

Shape of the side covers, transmission and chain drive indicate it is more likely a 550 Maxim.

 

It cannot be anything but a 550. That's a 550 engine.
To be clear, the VIN that's stamped into the steering neck is the one that matters. Are you saying that it has been defaced as well? If so get your money back.

 

the chain and 6 speeds is the give away 650 up has a shaft drive

go too this link put in your short vin where it tells you and you will get the full vin

Or, if you’re pressed for time like the rest of us, go here first:

http://www.dissingermoto.com/

dealerships inspection stations can do vin checks and are more easy than pd about it

 

well, good news, I think i made him mess his shorts, he said the paperwork is on the way!

 

No way! Wow lol I'm impressed. It is chain driven, and it is a 6 speed! so it's a 550! I do have the vin that's stamped into the frame.

 

Holy cow guys, why weren't you highly educated forum-goers more clear! I didn't realize i could input the short vin in that and get the full vin.....All I had to do was put it on the bill of sale and boom I'm in luck.

and carfax reports the vin as a 1981 yamaha xj550. Again you guys impress me!!!

 

Stick around, it gets better.....with bacon!