Posts
1083
Joined
6/29/2014
Location
Temecula, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
11/7/2015 1:02pm
Hey guys from CA I need your help here.
I'm currently living out-of-state, but will be moving back to CA in about 2 years. I just bought a new '16 KTM 350SXF a few weeks ago. I rode it around the block, then pulled back into my garage and started stripping it down so I could powder coat the frame.
The powdercoater called my just a little while ago with bad news.
Even after talking with the owner at length about the issue, the guy sandblasting the frame completely blasted off my VIN number. Now where I live currently (Hawaii), the state doesn't issue pink slips (titles) for dirt bikes - all you ever have is the sales contract from the dealer. So not too big of a deal here, but I'm concerned when I move to CA in 2 years.
Doesn't CA require dirt bikes to be registered/have titles? Could someone chime in that has brought a dirt bike into CA from another state and got a CA title for it. Does the DMV inspect the bike, of do they just look at your bill of sale from when you bought the bike?
And how about a few years down the line when I want to sell it, if I don't have a VIN and/or CA title, will there be issues trying to sell it? Or does anyone even care about that when buying a used dirt bike in CA?
And if it matters, I'm strictly a track guy - bike will never be ridden off-road on any public land.
Thanks Guys
I'm currently living out-of-state, but will be moving back to CA in about 2 years. I just bought a new '16 KTM 350SXF a few weeks ago. I rode it around the block, then pulled back into my garage and started stripping it down so I could powder coat the frame.
The powdercoater called my just a little while ago with bad news.
Even after talking with the owner at length about the issue, the guy sandblasting the frame completely blasted off my VIN number. Now where I live currently (Hawaii), the state doesn't issue pink slips (titles) for dirt bikes - all you ever have is the sales contract from the dealer. So not too big of a deal here, but I'm concerned when I move to CA in 2 years.
Doesn't CA require dirt bikes to be registered/have titles? Could someone chime in that has brought a dirt bike into CA from another state and got a CA title for it. Does the DMV inspect the bike, of do they just look at your bill of sale from when you bought the bike?
And how about a few years down the line when I want to sell it, if I don't have a VIN and/or CA title, will there be issues trying to sell it? Or does anyone even care about that when buying a used dirt bike in CA?
And if it matters, I'm strictly a track guy - bike will never be ridden off-road on any public land.
Thanks Guys
I'll be moving to Murrieta, so plan to race Pala, Glen Helen, Lake Elsinore, Perris, LACR, etc. Maybe venture up to Zaca. Plus any other tracks that OTHG, Old Timers, etc race on. I'm assuming all those tracks are private?
Getting a new frame is not really reasonable either. Almost $1700, plus shipping to Hawaii would put over $2K probably.
Plus, you can't really sell the bike in CA if you don't hold title.
The Shop
CA DMV Code
BTW. I don't know about bikes but for cars, expensive ones anyways, the VIN is done with special stamps. There are small unique peculiarities about each digit even the asterisks. The CHP took several photos of my VIN.
I think my best idea is to have a company create a thin aluminum plate to look like a factory VIN plate - with black lettering. Possibly stamped VIN if they can do it. Then maybe rivet it on so it looks as OEM as possible. Plus I do have the paperwork with the engine number too.
That, plus the fact I will by that time be a retired LEO, hopefully I would get a little professional courtesy from the local PD or CHP
I bought an out of state KTM 50 and it had no numbers on the engine case. After the inspection, the officer placed a sticker on the engine, and that number became the official engine number for the title.
Remember, even if you don't plan to ride on public lands, you must have the bike registered to transport it on public roads in your truck. Plus, the cops here hate off-roaders for the most part. Get your stuff lined up properly or your life may become a bacon-wrapped nightmare.
read this
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/ktm-vin-number-is-gone.942044/
http://motorcycle-vin.weebly.com/ktm-vin-locations.html
Post a reply to: Getting a title for a MX bike in CA