Buying a bike without title?

Hollywood009 3/2/2023 6:55am
3/2/2023 6:55am

I am not as worried about a 20 year old bike with out a title.  At that point the bike has probably been bought and sold a few times, and not every buyer is going to pay the taxes to swap the title over.  However a 2 year old bike is a different situation, thats still with in the financing period, so if they dont have the title in hand that means the bank is still holding it.  You can have them sign a document stating that there are no liens, but thats not going to stop a repo man from taking possession.  In that case your only legal recourse would be against the guy who sold it to you, and he didnt pay the bank, so hes probably not going to be able to pay you.  

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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 3/2/2023 7:14am
3/2/2023 7:14am

The best you can do is verify with the dealer/OEM that the seller was the original owner, run a UCC search to see if the bike is collateral for a loan, run the VIN to see if it has been reported as stolen, and get a detailed bill of sale with the seller's information. I would be semi-comfortable if all of that checks out.

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WFO Dave
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WFO Dave 3/2/2023 7:16am
3/2/2023 7:16am

I've purchased many dirt bikes out of state and there is no way to get a title when you're out of state. An MSO is all you get.

If you need to plate it you will have to pay sales tax and apply for a title in your state. Everyone gets a receipt when you buy something. I'd be Leary if a guy didnt even have a receipt unless it was 10 years old or more.

bvm111
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bvm111 3/2/2023 7:23am
3/2/2023 7:23am
bvm111 wrote:

most states are going away from titling Off Highway vehicles … I know AZ and NV are no longer issuing them 

FGR01 wrote:
Not true in AZ.  Still titling every dirt bike.  Now, they are going away from hardcopy paper titles to E-titles.. but that's all vehicles, not just...

Not true in AZ.  Still titling every dirt bike.  Now, they are going away from hardcopy paper titles to E-titles.. but that's all vehicles, not just dirt bikes.  You have to pay a few bucks extra if you want a paper title.

I was just at the Third Part DMV in Fountain Hills a few weeks ago transferring a vehicle title for my mom and asked the person there about OHV titles. I will be moving home when i retire from the military in August and was curious what the process was. She said that they are no longer going to be issuing them and only doing the registration for OHV, maybe she was mistaken, or maybe that hasn’t taken affect yet? Be interested to know the details. I was told similar information for NV but asked at the dealer day before yesterday and they said they are still processing titles so not sure what’s going on! 

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resetjet
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resetjet 3/2/2023 7:31am
3/2/2023 7:31am

I do often.  There is a free vin check for insurance stolen bikes.  
get paperwork and pic of license of seller.  You can get titles for it if you know how.  

Hollywood009 3/2/2023 8:48am
3/2/2023 8:48am
resetjet wrote:
I do often.  There is a free vin check for insurance stolen bikes.   get paperwork and pic of license of seller.  You can get titles...

I do often.  There is a free vin check for insurance stolen bikes.  
get paperwork and pic of license of seller.  You can get titles for it if you know how.  

NCIB is not reliable, and the only theft reports the have are the ones that have been reported to them, not everyone does that.  Best thing to do is contact the dealer where he said he purchased it from and get the information from them. 

RightHookNoCandy 3/2/2023 1:30pm
3/2/2023 1:30pm

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

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Pete The Fisherman 3/2/2023 1:59pm
3/2/2023 1:59pm
RightHookNoCandy wrote:
Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of...

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

The bike I was looking at didn’t have a title or certificate of origin. Plenty of pictures of him riding it at local practice tracks and he knew a lot about bikes when I asked questions, but when I pressed him on why he has no paperwork from Yamaha he went silent. I don’t care how legit someone looks/sounds I’m not risking buying a stolen/unpaid for bike.

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RightHookNoCandy 3/2/2023 2:13pm
3/2/2023 2:13pm
RightHookNoCandy wrote:
Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of...

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

Pete The Fisherman wrote:
The bike I was looking at didn’t have a title or certificate of origin. Plenty of pictures of him riding it at local practice tracks and...

The bike I was looking at didn’t have a title or certificate of origin. Plenty of pictures of him riding it at local practice tracks and he knew a lot about bikes when I asked questions, but when I pressed him on why he has no paperwork from Yamaha he went silent. I don’t care how legit someone looks/sounds I’m not risking buying a stolen/unpaid for bike.

Yeah just my $0.02 from being on the selling end - anytime someone is asking me a million questions and seems like they aren't actually going to come look at it I don't bother. It's gotten bad with FB marketplace people will message you all day and ask you every fucking question known to man then just ghost you. Dude probably realized if you were that hung up on it you weren't actually going to buy it so stopped wasting his time with you. 

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mxb2
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mxb2 3/2/2023 2:20pm
3/2/2023 2:20pm
RightHookNoCandy wrote:
Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of...

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

Good luck getting it from the impound lot. Without proof of ownership. If a bike was ever stolen, recovered impounded. It will sit there until you show a title.
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Jaybird67k
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Jaybird67k 3/2/2023 4:59pm
3/2/2023 4:59pm

I don't mind buying them without titles. Haven't had a problem yet here in Texas.

user760a
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user760a 3/2/2023 5:00pm
3/2/2023 5:00pm
WTF_M8 wrote:

Yeah, no titles here in NC.

 

yep, but pretty much every newer bike being sold with no paperwork of any kind is either stolen, or has a lien on it. The latter accounting for the majority of them. I am in NC and will no longer consider used bikes without the certificate of origin.. That 2023 KX450F being sold for 6 grand? dude still owes 9000 and has made one payment

 

 You may say that makes no sense, that seller  would quickly ruin their credit that way. Yes they would...but there seem to be an increasing number of people who do not care , would rather  have 60 cents on the dollar (owed). Drugs? probably...

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dcg141
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dcg141 3/3/2023 12:41am
3/3/2023 12:41am
SPYGUY wrote:

Why should off-road only dirt bikes be titled but not mountain bikes that cost just as much, if not more?

No VIN number on bicycles 

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neysbo
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neysbo 3/3/2023 2:11am
3/3/2023 2:11am
mxracer816 wrote:

Good deal+no title=Sketchy

 Not always true as people have said many states don’t title dirt bikes. Just make sure it has a certificate of origin and run the VIN

mxracer816
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mxracer816 3/3/2023 3:00am
3/3/2023 3:00am
mxracer816 wrote:

Good deal+no title=Sketchy

neysbo wrote:

 Not always true as people have said many states don’t title dirt bikes. Just make sure it has a certificate of origin and run the VIN

99% always true.... certificate of origin works for me as well, but no paperwork showing actual ownership and I'm gonna pass. There is NO dealership that will provide you zero paperwork if you request it. 

I know most all of the "good deals" go to other people "in the know" they hardly ever make it to a social market place. If you see a smoking deal on ANYTHING on those sites be very leary. Especially newer model ORV's without a title. Places are basically the middle man in super shady deals. Show a deal too good to be true to enough people, and eventually one will be dumb enough to risk it. 

I'm definitely not saying you can't come across a good deal on those sites now and again, but me personally. I'm not risking my life or the item for a little better deal than I could get making sure everything is legit. 

MX558
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MX558 3/3/2023 4:24am
3/3/2023 4:24am

If the bike in 5 or so years old I'd expect some paperwork but a 10 + year old bike maybe not so much. I've boughten and sold both ways with no problem whatsoever. 

RightHookNoCandy 3/3/2023 9:26am
3/3/2023 9:26am
RightHookNoCandy wrote:
Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of...

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

mxb2 wrote:
Good luck getting it from the impound lot. Without proof of ownership. If a bike was ever stolen, recovered impounded. It will sit there until you...
Good luck getting it from the impound lot. Without proof of ownership. If a bike was ever stolen, recovered impounded. It will sit there until you show a title.

I dont think you grasping that THERE IS NO "TITLE" lmao. Read. 

mxb2
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mxb2 3/3/2023 10:15am
3/3/2023 10:15am
RightHookNoCandy wrote:
Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of...

Don't know why people care about titles. You don't need it to get the bike insured, just need the certificate of origin and a bill of sale when u buy used. Like others have said a ton of states don't even give you a title (I dont think I have ever had one on the 15+ bikes I've had). Also, if you are going to go the "the bike might be stolen" route. Most people who have been around dirt bikes for a while can usually tell if someone knows what they are talking about or not within 5 mins. Hell you can usually tell just by someones profile or the way they write the post whether or not the bike was bought legitimately or not. Don't think you need a piece of paper to tell u its stolen or not. 

The funniest thing to me is when you see someone selling like a 2006 250 two stroke and someone asks "title?" lol like why the fuck would you ever need a title for a bike that's 17 years old anyways. 

mxb2 wrote:
Good luck getting it from the impound lot. Without proof of ownership. If a bike was ever stolen, recovered impounded. It will sit there until you...
Good luck getting it from the impound lot. Without proof of ownership. If a bike was ever stolen, recovered impounded. It will sit there until you show a title.
RightHookNoCandy wrote:

I dont think you grasping that THERE IS NO "TITLE" lmao. Read. 

And. You missed my point , dont buy without paperwork. Lmao. You read.

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SPYGUY
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SPYGUY 3/3/2023 10:46am
3/3/2023 10:46am
SPYGUY wrote:

Why should off-road only dirt bikes be titled but not mountain bikes that cost just as much, if not more?

dcg141 wrote:

No VIN number on bicycles 

I'm asking in theory why are off-road, closed course dirt bikes titled in the first place.  There are a million other things that you buy that aren't registered with the state.  Why dirt bikes that will never be ridden on the street?

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