Topic: anyone in California buy an out of state bike? how did you title it?

[b5rider]

I purchased a 1978 CB550 from out of state. I was reading the California DMV website and could only find this statement regarding the ability to title it here: 'California considers any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time of purchase or trade by a California resident or business, to be a new vehicle. This is true whether or not the vehicle has been registered in another state.'
The bike I bought has a new odometer since it was a rebuild, and probably only has a few miles on it. It's an aftermarket odometer with a proprietary bracket, so I think swapping in an old one would be difficult. I have the signed title and I belong to AAA, so my guess is I'll have to go there for an inspection

Anyone have experience with bringing in an out of state bike to Cali?
thanks

[SOHC]

Funny, why wouldnt they take Vintage into consideration i wonder? Or Custom stuff.
It would suck but get a drill and run the odo up past 7500 lol.

BUMP

[goldarrow]

Probably not gonna help much.  My 550 came from out of state 2 years ago.  Speedo was 23k so I had no issues getting new plate and transfer title.  AAA did the vin check. 

I have a spare speedo if you need to borrow

[b5rider]

Thanks.  I'm going to find out if I need to have the speedo mounted on the bike

[fmctm1sw]

Funny, why wouldnt they take Vintage into consideration i wonder? Or Custom stuff.

+1.  That can't be what they mean.  Dumbest thing I ever heard if it is...

[Zora]

I was in the same situation a couple years ago. The bike was also a '78 CB550K. The CA DMV wouldn't give me a title because they said all vehicles 1978 and newer had to have a smog sticker. Has anyone ever seen that sticker? I haven't.

I eventually took the paperwork to a local registration service that went to the dmv and got the bike registered with no issues.

[socal1200r]

Years ago, I was looking for a 1995 Moto Guzzi Sport 1100.  They weren't legal in CA, so I found one in OK.  Price was right, ordered a few accessories for it (full Staintune exhaust, Dymag wheels, etc), had the money all sorted out, but when I inquired about what it would take it register it in CA, I ran into a brick wall.  Same thing, it had to have over 7500 miles on the odometer in order for me to register it in CA, and they had to visually inspect the bike.  So the dealer "recalibrated" the odometer, and by the time I got it delivered, the mileage mysteriously went from 3 to 7803.  Took the paperwork and bike to the local DMV, and had absolutely NO issues getting it registered in CA. 

[b5rider]

Sounds like a recalibration is in order.  Should be pretty easy
Thanks!

[mrbreeze]

Wow!! I never heard of a smog sticker for a bike either. I would have asked for someone else to look at it . I brought my 750 from Wyoming to  Cal. in 2004. I took it straight to DMV with the current Wyo. tags so they could inspect and license it all in one shot. The lady that inspected my bike  was elderly and she moved around it real slow. She couldn't figure out using the engine # or frame. I told her they go by the frame and she still hemmed & hawed. I got another employee over there and got her lined out. Gotta love the Ca DMV!!

[b5rider]

Well, it looks like the phone operator for the DMV was just crazy because I brought the title to the AAA office, got a permit, trailered the bike back to AAA, and the clerk didn't even look at the speedometer! She had me read the engine number, looked at the VIN stamp, and promptly handed me a registration and license plate. All legal now

[mrbreeze]

Sweet!! I'm not an AAA member but I've heard from people that its 5000 times better than going to DMV.

[Stev-o]

Sounds like a recalibration is in order.  Should be pretty easy
Thanks!

Just buy a spare speedometer for the inspection....

[b5rider]

Unfortunately, I did buy a speedometer. I'll have a few items to sell