'70 CL350

The owner of a motorcycle salvage/repair shop just down the road has a 1979 CL350 for sale. He was asking $500 for it and I suggested a trade for my '82 650J. He thought it over and decided he really needed cash to keep his shop afloat (he has only been open a few months), but dropped the price to $360. The problem is that it doesn't have a title. He tried to file for a lost title, but the local DMV told him they couldn't find anything that hadn't been titled in more than 10 years. He has another CL350 frame and is in talks with a local guy to get the title for that frame. Whoever he sells it to gets the extra frame and title if he gets it (even if it happens after the transaction).

He told me he has spent some serious time rebuilding the bike. He has many other CB350s (very similar) all rebuilt and running, so I think he knows what he is doing. It fires right up, cold. A bike with almost brand new tires, battery and that starts that easy HAS to be worth $400. The question I have is: what are my options to get the title? Will a title house be able to help?

Anyone want to buy my 650j?

 

I'm having a similar problem with a Suzuki I own. First of all, I live in Utah, I don't know where you live but different states different laws. I went in to the DMV with no bill of sale, no title, and knowing that the bike has never been titled in Utah, only Illinois. After a difficult and long conversation we sorted it out. I haven't done it yet but it is an easy process. First I checked the VIN to make sure it had never been reported stolen. There is a website that does this, I'll try to find it. Then I filled out a form that explained how I ended up with a bike with no title. I took a picture of the bike and the VIN and had to invite an officer over to my house. She checked my form, my photos, and filled out a form of her own.
If I had the money, I would send this all in and recieve a Utah Salavage title and officially own my bike. It will be less than $100 to get the title.

You are not filing for a lost title, you're looking for a new title, a salvaged title (they may call it something else) The bike is old, its not worth much, it may not have been titled for over 10 years. As long as it isn't stolen, your state government will probably be happy to take your money and get you the proper documentation to own the bike. They just want the money.

 

https://www.nicb.org/cps/rde/xchg/nicb/ ... check.html
This is the site I used

 

This is the key. Every state has different laws and regs. Some states make the whole "salvage" or replacement title process horribly difficult to the point of impossibility (New Jersey comes to mind) yet some are incredibly easy (like here in Michigan.) The best bet would be to go to your DMV or Secretary of State or whoever handles it in your state (or their website) and figure out what the process entails BEFORE you spend the money.