Author Topic: Transferring a title of a bike that's passed thru many hands, but title hasn't (Read 3842 times)

sangyo soichiro · « **on:** July 09, 2012, 02:40:53 PM »

Ok. So I have bought a few bikes from others that had the title, but it wasn't in their name but the previous guy's instead. They would give me a bill of sale, but what I would do instead is fill in the information on the title as if I bought it directly from the person who's name was on the title. I've learned a long time ago, that when government bureaucracies are involved, it is always best to avoid the middleman and pretend that you bought it directly from the original title holder. It's not necessarily the bureaucracy's fault; by being honest, you are essentially tying their hands because they are supposed to follow the rules by the book. Sometimes a friendly BMV worker will tell you in a hushed tone, "You didn't hear this from me, but [insert good advice that's not necessarily following the rules]." But by doing this, they are possibly putting their job at stake, and so many of these BMV workers will not tell you this and make you jump through hoops to do it by the book. That's why I simply just fill the title out as if I bought it directly from the original title holder and don't put the BMV worker in a bad spot and make unnecessary difficulties for myself.

But, this is the latest thing I encountered...
I just bought a bike that was sold to a guy that was sold to another and then to me. It had a title. The guy that sold it to me gave me a bill of sale, and also the bill of sale from the previous guy to him. But the #$%*ing idiot that he bought it from already filled out the buyer's information on the title without following through and getting it transferred! So now I have a title that has someone else's information in the buyer's area of it! #$%*ing idiot! (Pardon my language, but I'm so pissed off at this stupidity that it's driving me to curse.)

I have a bill of sale from me to the previous guy, and a bill of sale from the previous guy to the one before, but NOT the bill of sale from the title holder to the idiot who's name and information is in the buyer's section.

If I try to explain all this to the BMV, they will probably get all glassy-eyed and tell me that I need to contact all these people and do such and such, yada, yada, pain in my butt hoops to jump through.

My question is, what would you do?
(I already have taken steps to getting the title, but I'm curious as to what you all would have done.)

Thanks.

333 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2012, 03:17:25 PM »

I was in a similar situation. The only difference is that I didn't have a title, I had the certificate of origin(the title for the very first buyer from a dealer). Sweet machine. It was 10 years old with 385 miles on it, and a single scratch on the front fender.

Here in Virginia, they make you send up to 3 registered letters to the name on the title. I found a nice title clerk, and she took pity on me, and hooked me up without all that. But that's what I'd do. Throw yourself to the mercy of the clerk. With all your papers, I figure you got a 50/50 shot. Maybe better.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2012, 03:43:16 PM »

I'm not sure but I put an aquaintance that I'm fond of in the same situation, unknowingly...so let us know how all this works out

Stev-o · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2012, 03:52:19 PM »

Write up a bill of sale. (you didn't hear bit from me - ha!)

scrapvalue · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2012, 05:25:59 PM »

Just use the most rescent bill of sale and go apply for a lost title. Don't even bring in the title.
As long as the vin number comes back with no lean or stolen on it, you will walk out with a title application and your new title will be in the mail in a week or so.
You can even get a plate at that time if you have proof of insurance.
Michigan is very easy.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2012, 05:36:04 PM »

unfortunately, that all changed Dec. 23, 2011...not nearly so easy any more...they seem to be very fixated on having that actual piece of paper that is the title...so Sangyo, you may still be ok

scrapvalue · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2012, 08:13:29 PM »

I just went in to day to get a lost title application and they told me I just needed the vin number and my I.D.
I am going in tomorrow to get a title for a 1971 Suzuki TS250.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Stev-o · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2012, 08:17:39 PM »

I need a title for my '72 TS250 too!

Don R · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2012, 08:33:55 PM »

I once got a power of attorney paper and found the guy with the name on the paper. He signed it and a local title and liscense company put it directly in my name.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2012, 10:24:09 PM »

Quote from: scrapvalue on July 09, 2012, 08:13:29 PM

I just went in to day to get a lost title application and they told me I just needed the vin number and my I.D.
I am going in tomorrow to get a title for a 1971 Suzuki TS250.
I'll let you know how it goes.

damn, that sure ain't what they told me last time I tried to do it, it was sometime this spring

scrapvalue · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2012, 04:45:41 AM »

Quote from: seanbarney41 on July 09, 2012, 10:24:09 PM

Quote from: scrapvalue on July 09, 2012, 08:13:29 PM
I just went in to day to get a lost title application and they told me I just needed the vin number and my I.D.
I am going in tomorrow to get a title for a 1971 Suzuki TS250.
I'll let you know how it goes.
damn, that sure ain't what they told me last time I tried to do it, it was sometime this spring

Maybe they think the title is already in my name and I am just applying for a new one.
Hopefully that is not the case, but i will know in a few hours.
I have done two others in the last couple years did and it was so easy.

scrapvalue · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2012, 01:40:55 PM »

Well, they have changed the rules a bit.
They said I had to exhaust all possible leads to find the title.
But if I can't find it, they gave me the forum to fill out and bring back.
I am going to give it a few days and go back and tell them i have tried everything and have had no luck.
See what happens then.

Hear is a link to the Michigan website telling you how to go about it.
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-48268-29806--F,00.html

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2012, 03:33:03 PM »

good luck Scrap Value, that link was very helpful...last I tried to do this they would not even tell me how to find this information or tell me what the new rules were

rickmancr750 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2012, 03:47:48 PM »

2strokeworld dot com have a lengthy discussion on how to get titles in the US. There are quite specific instructions, and it seems some states are easier to deal with than others. I feel sure you'll be able to title a bike with (relative) ease if you follow their advice.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 10, 2012, 03:53:43 PM »

got a link?

rickmancr750 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 10, 2012, 04:14:38 PM »

Unfortunately, I am not allowed to post links. Maybe because I'm just a newby here.
The 2sw forum software is the same as this forum, so you probably know how to use the search function.
This is the best I can do -
http : // www . 2strokeworld . com . forum / index.php? topic = 10002.msg101078 # msg101078

Take out all the spaces.

onepieceatatime · « **Reply #16 on:** July 10, 2012, 04:16:15 PM »

http://www.2strokeworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=10002.0

The search will not work if you are not registered there.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 10, 2012, 09:20:27 PM »

thanks onepiece, ...this looks promising

onepieceatatime · « **Reply #18 on:** July 10, 2012, 10:12:39 PM »

I am interested in this as well, because I have a bike that was titled to me in MI, but I never got a plate for it because it was a project. The title got lost, and now I am in PA. PA will not give me a title, and MI is giving me the run around because I don't live there any more. I tried to get a replacement title from MI, by filling out their forms, appointing my Mom as my "agent" with another of MI's forms, and having her apply for the replacement title. They told her no, since I don't live in MI, I need to get the title from PA.

Also my other bike, I bought from a guy in VA, who gave me a bill of sale, but he never had it titled in his name. He got the bike from his son, but put his information in the buyer's section of the title from when he got it.

scrapvalue · « **Reply #19 on:** July 13, 2012, 09:46:13 AM »

Just got home with my title!

A little more complicated them before, but not to bad.
They want you to try everything you can to find the origianl title or owner.
I contacted the previous owner and he said he had no idea.
They also want an appraiseal. Either a print out from nada, kelley blue book or a an appraiseal from a dealer.
I got onr from thr local parts dealer, he didn't even have to look at it. He just wrote down what he found in his Nada book.
Anyway, I have a title now and that makes me very happy.

sangyo soichiro · « **Reply #20 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:40:17 PM »

Stinks that it's a little more difficult now to get a title in Michigan. I have a few without titles that I've been sitting on, and now I'm wishing I had went ahead and got the titles before they changed the rules. $:-\$

I have the title now in my name. It came in the mail last Saturday.

What I did was just scratch out the information in the buyer's section with ink and put my information in where I could. If they were to ask me what was up with that, I was going to simply say that someone backed out of the deal, and that he already filled it in like a dummy.

They just took it and never asked me about it though.

Stev-o · « **Reply #21 on:** July 19, 2012, 06:09:01 PM »

Recently bought a K2 bike from NY, no title since they did not issue titles back then.
I did get a transferable registration slip from the seller. With that and a bill of sale I was able to get a TX title with no problem.
It did make the girl at the county office scratch her head and go pull out a big book to make sure it was possible.
$74.25 and I have a title, registration and an antique plate for a year.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 19, 2012, 09:41:22 PM »

Sochiro, that is good news that it worked.

News:

Author Topic: Transferring a title of a bike that's passed thru many hands, but title hasn't (Read 3842 times)

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