Topic: bike "birth certificate" from honda?

[Blaize]

Alright, a little background-I am american and I recentley moved to the U.K. I brought my bike with me (74 cb750k4). Once I got to this side and tried to register it I discovered a rather large problem. The frame number does not match the title. Now I have completely rebuilt this thing from the frame up, so frankly should it turn out that it was stolen at some point in its life, given the state it was in when I got it I don't feel too guilty about it. I paid $400 for it 2 years ago in Wa. state and it is now worth considerably more. And of course as it waqs a cafe build, most of it has been changed anyway. I just didn't think to compare the numbers the day I bought it. It was a 74 bike and the papers said same so that was that. I suppose in the grand scheme of things It may be better that I am out of the country and only now discovering this. Of course I don't feel too bad about it as it made it thru both U.S. and U.K. customs withought anyone else noticing (and they are paid to look out for it).

 Anyway, here is the problem. I have been advised by U.K. DVLA (equivilent to the DMV) that I need to give them "proof of year" from the U.K. honda owners club, or from the manufacturer. I have tried the club, but as far as I can tell they have become too large to have any idea what is going on. So far they have given me 3 different peoples email addresses, all of which are supposed to be the only guy who can give me the letter I need. One doesn't respond to his emails, one is a dead address, and the 3rd emailed me back to say he was on holliday and he would get back to me in 2 weeks. Suffice it to say I have lost hope on that end.

 So I tried honda U.K. They at least responded quickly, but only to tell me that I would need to get in touch with the honda branch from the country of origin (which of course is just begging for me to respond with a wise ass email asking for the honda japan email address, but again, I digress) o I had a look at the U.S. honda website. I cannot find an actuall email address anywhere on it, they just tell you to call your local dealer. we all of course know how far I will get there. The only phone number has a 30 min. wait and I will give it a try again in a couple of hours, phone and tv are in the same room in my tinny english apartment and my wife and kid are still awake.

 So before I call, I just wondered has anyone here ever done this? I fully expect to hit another dead end, but I am running out of options. I have been watching ebay over here to find another frame with papers but the damn things are rare as hens teeth. I even bought one in haste a couple of weeks ago only to have it arrive and find it is an f1 frame and therfore useless, prompting me to revert to plan a and try to get the papers straight on the orig. frame.

 At this rate I will end up parting the damn thing out, and giving up entirley (and I just got new clip-ons!!).

 So can anybody help, or at least tell me it will all be ok. I am losing it

[bubbafun101]

Just shooting in the dark here. Why dont you use International Title Service of Las Vegas ND. I think its 140 dollars US. Fill out there paperwork, send it in with proff of insurance, a driver lic copy and 3 to 4 weeks later you get a set of papers from Maine's DMV with plates. Oh I forgot, they also need a bill of sale.

[bryanj]

Forget what honda UK said just ask them, in writing NOT email, for a "proof of year of manufacture letter" for your frame number, DO NOT say its an import OR give them any story on it.

They will charge you a fee(£30 ish) and it can take up to 8 weeks to get the info.

If you need the address or direct phone number PM me

[Johnie]

Just a thought...any chance that title number matches your engine number?

[750goes]

what's wrong with using the F frame???

[Tower]

You might reconsider the first suggestion (email the person who is on 2 week vacation) since it seems to me that 2 weeks is a very small wait in the grand scheme of your journey.

[Blaize]

Well I tried calling us honda and sat on hold for 45 min. before giving up (1st hour to the u.s. is free for me), And I did get another response on another forum related to the uk honda club. It was a member telling me that the guy who does this for them "hates emails" and that I should smail mail him my details. But of course as I cannot get him to answer me I don't know what details he needs.

 Thanks for the idea bubba but, the title agencies in the u.s. dont do me any good, as I need a u.k. registration not U.S. title. Once it is here a new U.S. title won't help. (by the way ND is North dakota, NV is Nevada, unless of course there is a Las Vegas in ND in which case nevermind)

 Thanks Bryan for the advise regarding Honda U.K. I suspect you are right and the guy answering emails just didn't know. I will bear it in mind but as you know if I have to wait another 8 weeks and then the 2 or 3 for dvla to do their bit it will be too bloody cold to ride it anymore. But I may go that way.

 No the frame and engine don't match, few do. And this bike was a random collection of parts when I got it.

 And the F frame is all different. All the peg mounts are on a seperate plate, the swingarm is different and the rake is different.

 HOWEVER- what suddenly occured to me today (or was actually suggested by a coworker) is that if I have a 2nd frame with papers, I could just fill in the frame number and re stamp the other frames number on the other side. Given the level of modification done already no mot tester is ever going to twig that it is not an f2. at this point, once the papers for the new frame arrive (any day now) I am going to got this route

[Blaize]

And thanks by the way for all the advise

[Johnie]

Just a thought...any chance that title number matches your engine number?

What I meant Blaize is I went through the same scarey scenerio when I saw my frame did not match the title number on my title.  Turned out the engine number is what was on my title of my KO.  Then I saw on this site where someone posted the engine number was used on the title in the early bikes.  But if yours is a bunch of parts that would not be the case.  I had no problem titling mine but I did get a scare at first.

[Blaize]

Oh, I hadn't even thought of that. You got me pretty excited for a second but a trip down to the garage shows no. That isn't it either. Christ that would have been an easy answer. I had no idea that happens.

[mcpuffett]

Hi Blaize, i have followed Bryan j 's advice when i bought an early framed number cb750 , i wrote to Honda uk with my frame number details and asked for a year of manufacture letter sent the fee of £30, and a few weeks later got my letter from Honda, moted the bike on the frame number , insured the bike on the frame number, when i had these i went to my local dvla office joined the queue & after paying another fee of £30 odd pounds for first registration ( i think it was called), i left with my age related number, a road tax disc (free of charge coz its classed as a historical vehicle ) in my hand and a registration document in the post, happy days dont give up its dooable, if you need the address for Honda uk i'll get it for you  , cheers Mick.  

[bryanj]

try George Nuttall
79 Fir Street,
Cadishead,
Manchester.
M44 5AR
0161-775-9567

He supplies appropriate letters but only gives MODEL years Not actual build which can make a difference if its 73 due to the UK "Historic Vehicle" tax class laws/

Also if you have a letter from anybody EXCEPT the manufacturer DVLA local office will want to inspect the vehicle by appointment at either your home or the local office (must be trailered), and these inspectors are trained to spot possible "ringers" so re=stamp is a NONO.

If you want more info ring 07795162623 after 8pm tonight (Thursday 31) or Sunday to thursday next week same time

[oldbiker]

Nobody elese said it, so, Welcome to the UK Blaize.

[SteveD CB500F]

Hi Blaize. I see that you posted the same question on the HOC UK Forum.

If your bike is a 74 then you won't get free road tax (got to be <73). Shame.

Go with Bryan on this, as Mick says, it's a bit bureaucratic but works in the end.

Where are you living in the UK?

Steve

[Blaize]

Oh alright I will play the straight and narrow. I was planning to use a frame number that I have a v-5 for to re-stamp, so it wouldn't have needed to be inspected by anyone but the mot tester. But you guys are probably right, I should just do it the right way.

 I will mail a letter to G. Nuttall. Does he require a fee? what info does he need? just the frame # and my address? I would call and ask him as you were good enough to give me his number, but I once dated a girl from manchester and if she was anything to go by I wont understand anything he says. I presume return postage would be a good idea at least.

 Thanks for the welcome, I have actually been here for 9 months now, and my mother is english so I have been here many times before. My wife got a job with the BBC so we moved over. So I have actually been dragging my feet about registering the bike, its only the warm weather that has got me motivated all of a sudden. I suppose if I had started all this in winter the long waits wouldnt matter. So my own fault there.

 Oh and I am in Lymington, just south of the New Forest, and I/we work in Southampton.

 Thanks for all the help, and thanks Bryan for the contact details

[SteveD CB500F]

So a Southern UK SOHC day out to Sammy Millars could be arranged? (tea and cakes at Blaize's...)

[Blaize]

You know I pass that museum twice a week taking my kid to sea cadets and I STILL have not actually gone in. So yes, once I get this all worked out, that sounds like a plan.

[mcpuffett]

i used to go out with a girl that lived in Lymington  , many moons ago  , good luck with the bike Blaize

[bryanj]

Not that far from gloucester and yes the man does charge but cant remember how much as i use honda now to get the build as i try to get all mine free tax!!!