Topic: Who owns/has owned this CB550K and what is it doing in our streets?

[Deltarider]

Spotted this CB550 in our Dutch streets (some American did the right thing and traded his bike for a bicycle? ). Anyway, what puzzles me: according to the frame-, engine- and carbnumbers, it should be a K2, but the colours and tankstriping are from a previous model. I took some pics. The rearfender has a sticker that suggests the bike comes from a dealer in Brownstown, Indiana but...

[Deltarider]

... doesn't the 'CAL' in the licenseplate tell the bike is registered in California?
BTW, these oldstyle CB550K models were never imported in Europe so this one with an American licenseplate made me curious.

[flybox1]

Looks like a California plate.
imported bike, or someone on 'tour' in the Netherland with their beloved 550 

[Duanob]

Looks like a California plate.
imported bike, or someone on 'tour' in the Netherland with their beloved 550 

European Vacation is what I'm thinking. "Look kids,  Big Ben, Parliament Building"

[flybox1]

Looks like a California plate.
imported bike, or someone on 'tour' in the Netherland with their beloved 550 

European Vacation is what I'm thinking. "Look kids,  Big Ben, Parliament Building"

HAHA..yeah.   

[carnivorous chicken]

Looks like a California plate.
imported bike, or someone on 'tour' in the Netherland with their beloved 550 

European Vacation is what I'm thinking. "Look kids,  Big Ben, Parliament Building"

For the record Delta, not all Yanks think Big Ben is in Holland. Should read "Look kids, Museumplein, torture museum!"

Preemptive "just jokes" right atcha Duanob.

[MCRider]

... doesn't the 'cal' in the licenseplate tell the bike is registered in California?
BTW, these oldstyle CB550K models were never imported in Europe so this one with an American licenseplate made me curious.

Sold from Collins in IN. Traveled west and registered in CA.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1970s-collins-kawasaki-honda-1728465771

RIP
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64532727

[Deltarider]

Quote from: Duanob on Today at 10:16:37 AM



Quote from: flybox1 on Today at 09:14:48 AM

Looks like a California plate.
imported bike, or someone on 'tour' in the Netherland with their beloved 550 




European Vacation is what I'm thinking. "Look kids,  Big Ben, Parliament Building"



For the record Delta, not all Yanks think Big Ben is in Holland. Should read "Look kids, Museumplein, torture museum!"

Preemptive "just jokes" right atcha Duanob

You know what? The year of the bike (mid 70s) leads me to the presumption the owner is a dodger living quietly in Amsterdam. BTW, that's why I've changed the header.

[Deltarider]

RIP
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64532727

Well spotted, McRider. That narrows our search to his son/one of his sons. A reverend's son could well be a dodger.

[MCRider]

RIP
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64532727

Well spotted, McRider. That narrows our search to his son/on of his sons. A reverend's son could well be a dodger.

I'm just playing around, the Brownsville IN. reference interested me.

I suspect he ( wearing his CEO of J. Collins, Inc. hat aka Honda Dealership) sold it to a customer unknown who took it to CA. How it got to Dutchland I wouldn't speculate.   

[Restoration Fan]

I suspect he ( wearing his CEO of J. Collins, Inc. hat aka Honda Dealership) sold it to a customer unknown who took it to CA. How it got to Dutchland I wouldn't speculate.   

Most likely via boat.   

[Bodi]

"Most likely via boat"

Oh, I don't know...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYR3KCfcaA

A fuel stop would be a trick though, plus it's a wide ocean without many (any?) gas stations.

[Deltarider]

What is the license plate praxis in the US btw? In Holland when a bike is registered (done by the dealer when he sells a new bike) in principle the licenseplate and number will stay with the bike till it dies. So even when a bike has changed owners for the 10th time, it still will have the same number and plate. From the number one can learn by looking it up when the vehicle came on the road.

[Bailgang]

What is the license plate praxis in the US btw? In Holland when a bike is registered (done by the dealer when he sells a new bike) in principle the licenseplate and number will stay with the bike till it dies. So even when a bike has changed owners for the 10th time, it still will have the same number and plate.

The bike gets a new license plate when the new owner registers it in his/her name, same with cars.

[Wobbly]

To renew registration, you have to have a California address and you have to have insurance in California--which doesn't do you any good in Europe. While I have a U.S. military registration and thus international insurance for my bike (linked to the VIN number, not the license plate), I also dish out $ 78 a year for stateside insurance (Geico) in order to keep my personalized CA plate although that insurance isn't any good overseas.

By the way: If someone imports a vehicle from the States to Germany, they can drive with stateside plates for up to one year after clearing customs and purchasing international insurance (green insurance card).

I have always been able to keep the old plates when buying a used vehicle in California--but it has been a long time that I bought a used one there, so that might have changed.

[Deltarider]

The bike gets a new license plate when the new owner registers it in his/her name, same with cars.

And what does it mean if someone mentions: bike has a (or no) title, as I read often here?
BTW, that looks like a nice bike, Wobbly. Looking at your plate, do I understand rightly that you may compose your individual number?

[Wobbly]

The title is the proof of ownership. The registration is what is linked to the plate. The sticker on the plate has a number that will match number on registration. The title does not change if you get a new license plate (for instance, if you like a personalized one).

[Wobbly]

Looking at your plate, do I understand rightly that you may compose your individual number?

If it is still available. You must keep the vehicle registered to keep it and there is a fee for it--annually. You can even have different plate designs
(Special Interest and Personalized Plates).

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/ipp2

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/ipp2

[Deltarider]

So - excuse me, this is all new to me - what information can one get from this license plate?

[Wobbly]

So - excuse me, this is all new to me - what information can one get from this license plate?

It has been renewed in February 2015. It's not the original plate for it would have to be blue with yellow lettering otherwise. The numbers are random and, unlike in many European countries, will not point to a specific area. In other words, to answer your question: Nothing.

[70CB750]

Haha, I remember that, it used to be Prague would have AB, AC, AD .... license plates and the local LEO would be well aware of that when you crossed the line somewhere  in the country 

Not anymore, AFAIK, random letters and numbers.  Is Germany still doing it?

So - excuse me, this is all new to me - what information can one get from this license plate?

It has been renewed in February 2015. It's not the original plate for it would have to be blue with yellow lettering otherwise. The numbers are random and, unlike in many European countries, will not point to a specific area. In other words, to answer your question: Nothing.

[Lostboy Steve]

So - excuse me, this is all new to me - what information can one get from this license plate?

The easiest way of explaining registration / titling in the United States is to think of the most aggravating, over priced process and add a bit of "this doesn't make sense" and that's what you get.  Every time you change ownership, you pay sales tax again. Which makes no sense at all because at the time of original "first" sale, the tax was paid in full. EVERY state has different laws and processes. In some states if you loose the "title" then ownership becomes 9/10 of the law and good luck getting a new title and/or registration. Oh also, the people in charge of doing all the paperwork are usually angry, and stupid. In New Jersey, I witnessed a kid being denied registration on a diesel truck because the mileage was "over the mechanical limit" at 500,000 miles. There are million mile clubs for diesel trucks.... this is what I deal with here.

[70CB750]

Haha, seems like you know nothing about EU 

So - excuse me, this is all new to me - what information can one get from this license plate?

The easiest way of explaining registration / titling in the United States is to think of the most aggravating, over priced process and add a bit of "this doesn't make sense" and that's what you get.  Every time you change ownership, you pay sales tax again. Which makes no sense at all because at the time of original "first" sale, the tax was paid in full. EVERY state has different laws and processes. In some states if you loose the "title" then ownership becomes 9/10 of the law and good luck getting a new title and/or registration. Oh also, the people in charge of doing all the paperwork are usually angry, and stupid. In New Jersey, I witnessed a kid being denied registration on a diesel truck because the mileage was "over the mechanical limit" at 500,000 miles. There are million mile clubs for diesel trucks.... this is what I deal with here.

[Deltarider]

In Holland you can do it at the post office and costs nothing or little. No new plates needed. Tax we collect in a shameful way from Walmart, Starbucks and other tax evaders.

[Gene]

I have always been able to keep the old plates when buying a used vehicle in California--but it has been a long time that I bought a used one there, so that might have changed.

That's still the case - I have the Blue plate on my 75 550.  You have to get a new plate if you bring it in from another state, though.