[small's]

I found a 2006 tw with 4,000 miles and the guy says it has a bill of sale but no title. Supposedly it's not hot, he says he bought a couple bikes in a storage unit sale. Would it be possible to get a title for it? He's asking $1200 bucks for it. If not it sure would make a good spare parts bike or swap the brakes and electrical, etc over to the 98 humm...

 

[lizrdbrth]

$1200 is an awful lot far a front wheel, a fork leg, some wires and a side cover unless he can provide title.

 

[FortPayne]

Well, if it was older I could explain the ins and outs of the Vermont title service I used to title my '94. But since it's so new you would have to track down the original owner and I'm sure he'd be more than happy to sign over the title of his T-dub that he lost with that storage unit.

In Alabama, the only other option would be an excrutiatingly long process of filing it as abandoned. Months at best. Dont know about Indiana.



You can always check the vin at the ncib.org site to see if its stolen. It would make a great dirtbike, but you know it wants more than just dirt!

 

[Omega Man]

I found a 2006 tw with 4,000 miles and the guy says it has a bill of sale but no title. Supposedly it's not hot, he says he bought a couple bikes in a storage unit sale. Would it be possible to get a title for it? He's asking $1200 bucks for it. If not it sure would make a good spare parts bike or swap the brakes and electrical, etc over to the 98 humm...

You should be able to take the VIN to the local Police Dept. and ask them to run it for you. That will bring up the last time the bike was registered, title # and to whom it was registered. I would mention to the seller this/your intention. If the seller balks-bad sign. If the info at the PD shows nothing, there is a real good chance that there little hope of ever registering it. Good luck. OM

 

[small's]

Seller said he had the vin checked and it was clean. I just thought if not I could swap all the goodies "fork-brakes, electrical system and maybe plastics" with the 98 and sell it. But then again I kind of want another one even though I can only ride one at a time

 

[FortPayne]

Well I would never, never, take a seller's word for it. Maybe he didnt steal it but how about the guy who stuck it in that unit and left it for dead. Run the vin yourself, its free and then you'll know its not someone elses beloved tdub.



Then ask yourself if you wanna do a $1200 mainly cosmetic upgrade to your bike. I agree with lizrd, thats a lot. I guess on the other hand you would have a spare for a buddy to ride offroad.

 

[rm_hm]

Summary of my long boring post is







1 it's not legal to sell a motor vehicle in Alabama if it has no title.



and



2 Indiana won't let you get a title for a out of state motor vehicle if it has no title.



So it looks like you will need to figure out who the heck really owns it and have them get a replacement title.



If he really bought them at a storage sale he should have documentation to take to the dol and get papers.



__________________________________________________________________________________________________________



How to Replace a Lost Vehicle Title in Alabama (off the Alabama DMV website)

Updated on Tue, 1/10/2012 You may apply for a duplicate vehicle title if your original title is lost, stolen, or damaged. A vehicle with a missing title cannot be bought or sold, so owners must apply for and obtain a replacement before they can sell their vehicle.





WHAT YOU NEED WHEN APPLYING FOR A DUPLICATE/REPLACEMENT TITLE

1. Complete the Application for Replacement Title.



2. If your title shows a lien holder, the lien release section of the application must be completed by the lien holder.





FEES

The non-refundable application fee is $15.00. Only cashier's checks and money orders payable to Alabama Department of Revenue are accepted.





SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION

You can submit the application and fees for a replacement title here:



Alabama Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division -Title section P.O. Box 327699 Montgomery, Al 36132-7699



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



OK And For Indiana





Titling a Vehicle From Out of Indiana

If you have recently purchased a vehicle with an out-of-state title, or received as a gift a vehicle with an out-of-state title, you must title it in Indiana within 31 days. If you are a new Indiana resident, you must title your vehicles in Indiana within 60 days of becoming an Indiana resident.



To title your vehicle you must present the title to the vehicle, proof of your Indiana residency, proof of your Social Security number or I-94 and Social Security Administration ineligibility letter.

• Acceptable documents of identification

Any vehicle being titled in Indiana from another state, including vehicles owned by new Indiana residents and vehicles assigned to an Indiana resident on a manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, must receive a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection. This inspection may be done at any Indiana license branch at no charge or may be completed by a law enforcement officer who may charge up to five dollars ($5). The officer must fill out a form named Affidavit of Police Officer/Physical Inspection of an Indiana Resident's Vehicle/Watercraft - State Form 39530 when completing a VIN inspection.



If there is a lien on your out-of-state vehicle, the license branch will assist you in completing a Request For Out of State Title To Perfect A Lien - State Form 1014 which will then be sent to your vehicle's lienholder informing them that you are applying for an Indiana title. Once the lienholder sends the title to the BMV, the BMV will contact you and ask that you return to the license branch to complete your application for the Indiana title.



The following forms and documents are required:







For used vehicles:

• Application For Certificate Of Title - State Form 44049
• **** Properly assigned title *****
• Conforming Odometer Statement
• Bill of Sale
• Affidavit of Police Officer/Physical Inspection of an Indiana Resident's Vehicle/Watercraft - State Form 39530 if the vehicle was not purchased in Indiana

Indiana residents who purchase a vehicle from another state and pay more than seven percent (7%) sales tax will receive credit from Indiana for taxes paid in that other state. If you paid less than seven percent (7%) sales tax when you purchased your vehicle in another state, you will need to pay the difference to Indiana. New Indiana residents who have titled their vehicles in another state do not have to pay sales tax when they title their vehicles in Indiana.

• Download Affidavit of Police Officer/Physical Inspection of an Indiana Resident's Vehicle/Watercraft - State Form 39530
• Download Request for Out of State Title to Perfect Lien - State Form 1014
• Find a BMV customer service location near you

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------













I bought small bike in Alaska and had it flown down to Wa State.



I had the state patrol do a vin inspection and paid the local dol 130.00



Now I get registration but I must wait three years to get a title and become it's owner

Getting a title in Wa State is easier if it is not in the system. If it is you must track down the last title holder and have them do notarized paperwork releasing interest in said vehicle.

 

[gfletcb]

We had a call from someone who's father bought a quad from us 4-5 years earlier and didn't title it, then died. we agreed to write a new bill of sale for them so they could title it.

On the other hand, I suppose it could have been possible to "retrieve my missing 4 wheeler"

 

[qwerty]

Run fast. Run far.



If no title wasn't a big deal the seller would get one and raise the value of the bike $1000. $1000 is a big deal.



Bikes in good condition without titles are usually stolen. Support your local motorcycle thief: Buy a bike without a title. Just don't bitch when you walk out to where your motorcycle was parked.



Buying a stolen bike makes you 1) an accessory to theft and in many places you can be charged with a felony. Or three. In some places, 2) buying a "motor vehicle" without a title is an illegal act in itself. In some places you can also be charged with 3) receiving stolen property and 4) possession of stolen property. Not worth the risk.

 

[elime]

I once bought a KTM in Calif. without the title (pink slip). I went to the DMV with a bill of sale, a copy of the seller's ID, and a letter explaining things (lost pink slip). They did a little research on their computer which took about 5 minutes, had some guy verify the VIN numbers and issued me a new pink. Other than it took two visits and both times it was a long wait in line, it was fairly easy.

 

[qwerty]

California and alabama are different places. What part of "A vehicle with a missing title cannot be bought or sold, so owners must apply for and obtain a replacement before they can sell their vehicle" is so difficult to understand.

 

[FortPayne]

Yall are funny

The original poster is Small's who is from Indiana. I simply stated what the procedure would be here in Alabama, as I have been mired up in it for a couple of months. Rich, your info is a little off. You cannot register a vehicle without a title, for the most part. But, and its a big one, you can register a vehicle with no title if it is registered in your name in a state that does not title such vehicles. Vermont. I flippin love Vermont. The state of Alabama will then in turn issue a title for said vehicle.



Basically, by your vehicle being registered in another state, you have satisfied to that state that you own the vehicle. In turn, Alabama will not question the first states findings.

 

[Mad Mac]

The provenance of your prospective acquisition is a complete mystery. Found in a storage unit, it may have never even been registered in Indiana. Running down the VIN is a good idea, but at the risk of stating the obvious, does it have a license plate or registration sticker?



Here in Texas, I just registered my new old 2001. I had a title, but not endorsed by the guy I bought it from. I had him sign a title application as the seller. The clerk turned a blind eye and told me to forget that guy and sign the back of the title as if I had purchased it directly from the first owner and gave me a fresh title application to sign. Sometimes it just depends on the individual clerk you get at the DMV. I love her. Good luck in Indiana.

 

[small's]

You guys are killing me! I was just asking if it was possible to get a title if the bikes clean. I would never buy a bike without checking the vin to see if it's hot or not. It is in the Chicago craiaglist. The guy had two tw's an xr250 and i forget the other. He said he said he bought them in a storage unit sale. If people don't pay there dues then the storage people get to keep what's inside after so many days. And they usually auction off everything that's in the unit at one time and sometimes they are blind auctions. Does it sound fishy? yes but I used to work for a guy who ran his business out of a storage unit and I got to know the guy who owned the units and you wouldn't believe the stuff people would leave in some of them. Thanks for the info and laughs.

 

[qwerty]

You're right about what people leave in storage units. One of my childhood friends won some storage units in a poker game. Two years later he figures out auctioning abandoned contents is a good way to make a living, so he builds hundreds of storage units in a 30 mile radius and an auction house. This is a small town with a mid-size university. Many students stash stuff and never come back. Many foreign students store cars, leave the country, and never come back. In Tennessee, towing companies can fairly easily get titles for "abandoned vehicles" so he bought a p.o.s. rollback truck to move vehicles to his storage lot next to the auction house. Next thing you know he's in the used car and motorcycle business and making a killing. At worst, the vehicle has a leinholder who must pay the towing ($50+) and storage ($25/day, minimum 14 days) charges to obtain possession of the vehicle, so every vehicle brings in at least $400. He's auctioned some fairly expensive late models left behind by foreign students, including a few nice motorcycles.



Tennessee and Texas both have simple procedures set up to provide the last known registered owner and leinholders, along with contact information for both, for garagekeepers and towing operators to attempt contact. Once the prescribed steps are taken (registered letters, ad in local paper, etc.) if there is no response from the owner, either the leinholder pays the bill and takes possession or a clear title is issued to the garagekeeper or towing operator. Total cost of the procedures for the garagekeeper or towing operator run about $50. I know garagekeepers and towing operators who will run the process for an upfront fee if reasonably sure a title will be forthcoming, but if an owner or leinholder takes possession, you're out the upfront fee. Pretty much you make arrangements with the company, take the vehicle in for a minor repair (say, flat tire or tire rotation) or tow (conveniently quits right infront of the wrecker yard), don't pick it up, then "buy" the vehicle from the company after they get the new title.

 

[Bagger]

You guys are killing me! Thanks for the info and laughs.

Smalls, never forget that there is ALWAYS a right, a left and the center, and it takes folks all across the spectrum to "balance things out" (I guess).



Is pretty interesting read.

Are ya' gonna buy it?



Bag

 

[small's]

Nope. I talked to the guy on monday and tuesday afternoon it was off of craigslist. T-dubs are hard to find in this area at a decent price. Ive been thinking about getting an 03-07 and swapping all of the farkles off of the 98. I think i want the disc front brakes but havent ridden one yet. The drum doesnt work bad but feels kinda funky when you hit the front brakes very hard. It feels like the brake pressure changes with fork travel. Its fine unless your pushing it hard. I will probably keep mine. For some crazy reason i want two of them. One with a bighorn and a aggressive front tire and a big back sprocket and the other with a big tank. Its pretty sad that i have barely touched the ol sv since i bought the tw and i dont miss it. I love these little bikes. The tw is much more comfortable to ride long distance and i dont like interstates anyway. I did a ride with a bunch of guys from adv rider here in indiana and i was impressed that the big bikes couldnt shake the little underpowered tw on the backroads and especially on tight curvy paved roads. These little monsters just roll over and stick like glue. 10-15 years ago i would have laughed at the idea of buying a tw.