Titleing a derelect bike

[HankPfister]

Now I have a problem. I am about 90% thru a complete restoration on my barn queen project ( http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22579 ). Today I went to the Virginia DMV with a Bill of Sale hoping to come home with a clear title. It dint' work out that way. Seems Virginia DMV wants to see an uninterupted chain of ownership. They told me the sellers can not legally sell a motor vehicle without a title. They suggest that I go back to the seller and demand a title. Well, thats not really an option. I bought the bike over a year ago. The sellers told me upfront that they bought the bike over 10 years prior and did not get a title with it. They never got around to working on the bike and never titled it. So any suggestions on how I can obtain a legal title? I think other states have more lenient titleing laws.

[heavyjetpfe]

I'm not suggesting this as a way around virginia law. But some states don't require titles for vintage motor vechicles. GA I believe is 18 years old and no title need for registration just a bill of sale. Most states will accept a GA current registration as a title. If you project is older than 18 and you know and trust someone in GA you might be able to work around the problem.

[m0rbid45]

maybe file for a lost title? Or possibly a salvage title?

[Sit]

I tried to do something similiar with an old jeep here in Oregon. The title was long gone and the thing had been sold on a bill of sale several times. No way to trace who had it in the past. I spoke with DMV and the state did have a procedure to address this. They told me it took a while and was not easy, but could be done. I got the best information oh how to do this from the main office, not a field office. So you may have to fight your way through phone tree hell and try to talk to someone at the main office there in VA.

[crazydrummerdude]

They have the right forms and procedures somewhere, I'm sure of it. I think it's their job to just give people the run-around instead of the solution.

I am about to enter a similar situation, again, and I wish us both luck.

[Bussp]

Try International Title Service. I used them to title a bike that was bought and refurbished without a title.

ITS Titles (http://www.its-titles.com/)

Hope that helps.

[rcliffor]

This is a common issue that occurs with motorcycles since many states did not title all bikes until the 1970's. I am confident that they have a procedure, you just need to go to the state DMV---in fact, there is probable a procedure on their website. It normally requires a police inspection of the vehicles to verify the vin.

[crazydrummerdude]

It normally requires a police inspection of the vehicles to verify the vin.

This was definitely the most annoying step of the process when the "DMV" (actually Department of Revenue in Missouri) typo'ed the title on my bike.

Be prepared to have all your forms lined up and everything filled out properly, but still spend all day dealing with the grumpiest people in the world.

..and I was the only one in line!