New Member!! here,,

[zakk]

Hello everyone, my name is Zak, im 20, and i grew up on bikes. When i was 6 months old i would ride with my uncles and dad, so they have been apart of my life for as long as i can remember. I still dont have a motorcycle license because when i was 17 i was in a terrible dirt bike accident, but now im ready to get back on a bike. Well good thing so i just moved to east texas, im originally from Las Vegas, NV, and i acquired a 1977 xs650 for free (it was left on our property that we bought) and its been my dream for the last 2 years to have a old bike and ive just fallen in love with the possibilities of the xs650, well now im ready to start everything. So i figured i would join a place where i could talk about things! So HELLO everyone!!

 

[gggGary]

HELLO der ehh.

Just a title heads up, make sure you can get one before pouring blood sweat and tears into a build or restore.

 

[zakk]

HELLO der ehh.

Just a title heads up, make sure you can get one before pouring blood sweat and tears into a build or restore.

Well i do know that the bike was owned by my stepdads cousin, so hopefully i can do something, or what about modifying the frame wont that allow me to get a new title because it would become a custom bike?

 

[weekendrider]

Hello Zakk
Nope. A modified frame still has to have good paper for the numbers on the neck.
A call to the dmv will get you started because the cousin ain't gonna have the title.
I DO NOT advocate anything illegal. But I might consider getting the bike running cut something that looks kinda like a license plate crumple it up drag it a ways then bolt on upside down and hope the cops don't notice. Not saying you should do it.
But you'll be riding.

 

[jd750ace]

If the relative had a title in the past, and was the last title holder, they can get a replacement issued for 5 bucks. Texas has recently changed a bunch of thier title laws, and it is much tougher to do bonded titles, abandoned titles, mechanic's liens, and the like. If you can find out who "has" title to it in the state records, and find them, you are WAAAy ahead. I'd reccomend a little leg work. Most of the title places can search the database and see the name of the owner of record. If it's your step-dad's cousin, and you can find him, you're in the chips. If not, for a fee they will attempt to find and contact the owner of record, and can advise you on how to proceed from there. Get a title in your name before you even dream of touching it to make it run. $0.02

Also, in
Texas, a "custom" frame has to have origination paperwork filed with the state, a compliance inspection, and all kinds of other stuff that will bore the hell out of you.

 

[ObiWonKaTobey]

Welcome to the site sir! These guys are a dream team of experts (though none will admit that) that always help out. Now, I know very little of title matters so correct me if I'm wrong, but since the bike was left on his property and has become legally his, can't he walk straight into the DMV and just request the replacement paperwork?

 

[weekendrider]

From what I understand some places(states) have provisions for that, some don't.
MO does or did recently but haven't inquired about it for a couple of years.
I did recently inquire about a bike for sale at a "store it" place.
He had received a replacement title for a '79 that was abandoned there.
They issued him a salvage title.