Seeking ideas on how to title / register a junk bike basket case resurrection

Wharfcreek

Near 50 Yrs of Experience
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Pasadena, MD 21122
This is a long shot, but I'm amid a project that just started sort of taking on a life of it's own. I purchased a junk bike / basket case for $100 here locally, and brought it home thinking it would be a good 'parts' bike and have some decent donor parts on it. I made the mistake of fixing the front brake system; rebuilding the caliper and master cylinder and installing some new brake pads. Then I pulled the carbs and overhauled 'em. Then swapped out handle bars, the front wheel, etc, etc, etc. I now have the engine firing over, and I'm hoping to maybe have it to a point of being able to drive up and down the block by this coming weekend. In any case, before I get way too deep into restoring this bike, I need to address the problem of 'not' havint a title. I believe there are some title services that work with this kind of thing.....titling or registering the bike in like Maine or Vermont or something? I don't know, but hopefully someone out there does. The bike's 40 years old...and was actually acquired from the son-in-law of the owner who sadly had a stroke and is now virtually completely incapacitated. The son-in-law is aware that the owner (his father in law) did have a title to the thing, but he doesn't have a clue where it is, and as he's not the registered owner he can't apply for a duplicate. But, the point is....it's not a 'stolen' bike....it was legitimately obtained!! Just badly neglected for perhaps 20 or more years! Anyway, any help here would be greatly appreciated. I'm also open to doing a frame-swap if I can come up with a frame and title, and I've posted in the want-ad section there to see if that produces anything. Many thanks!! Tom D.
 
Not sure what the laws are like in Maine or Vermont, but I just went through this in Michigan. I bought a 73 TX650 in rough shape. Guy I bought it from gave me a title and bill of sale, but stupid me didn't verify the VIN on the title to the frame or motor. They didn't match, so all I had was the bill of sale. I got the motor running good and decided before I put any real time or money into a proper restoration, I better try to title it. I was successful! In Michigan, you can sign a paper that self certifies that the bike and VIN are legit, you need a bill of sale, and you need to prove the value is less than $2,500 (NADA value worked for me, but a dealer can write a letter on their letterhead indicating the value). They ran the VIN number (and of course nothing came back), paid my sales tax and small fee, and my new title should show up in 2 -3 weeks.
 
What does the Maryland DMV say? Start there. Also, talk to your insurance agent. In some states, they can get you a bonded title.
 
I went through it in MD and I'll tell you it is not easy, cheap or fast. You basically file a Civil suit against the MVA and ask the Judge to issue a Writ of Mandamus ordering the MVA to issue you a new title. I think it was $180 to file in my County Civil court, and then another $25 to $30 for registered mail fees for the service. It took about 6 months for the entire process.
If you go to the MVA, they will tell you if they have a title on fill for your VIN, but they won't tell you to who. The MVA's first response is to request the case be dismissed because you didn't include the owner on file as an interested party. However, this will also tell you who the registered owner is. You then file an amendment to your case adding the owner. At the same time, you can try to contact the owner and see if they would be willing to request a lost title and sign it over to you. I think it's $25 for a lost title fee and you may want to offer some additional $ for their time.
In my amendment filing I wrote that I had in fact requested the owner on file information from the MVA previously and they refused to give it to me. I tactfully stated that the MVA's actions wasted both mine and the courts time for something that could have otherwise been resolved without a court case. I guess the Judge agreed and didn't even wait for the MVA's response. He issued the Writ a few days later.
I'm not sure I would do it again. I definitely won't buy another big street bike without a title. I am not a lawyer and have no legal training. The MD MVA was completely unhelpful and basically pissed me off to the point that it became a fight of principal. I did research and used examples of filings found on the internet.
I must say that I had a pretty big smile on my face when I walked into the MVA with a Court Order telling them to do what I had asked nicely for and they just blew me off 6 months earlier.
 
I gotta laugh!! I went thru all this once on a puckup truck. Long story short, I had owner name and an address.... in Scottsdale Arizona. I sent registered letters to the guy that were returned as 'undeliverable' I gave those to the judge thinking he'd order MVA to grant title. He just tossed me out of court telling me to try harder to contact the owner. I sold off the truck for parts!!

Regarding this bike, its prior owner had a stroke and is unable to talk. Owner's son-in-law sold me the bike, so maybe with some affidavits from him I can get the MVA to grant title. But you pegged the MD MVA right on the nose with that 'not very helpful' comment. I doubt they'll do anything willingly or cooperatively without a court order.

I think the Maine or Vermont program may be the best route. Or, find a wreck with a title.

The search continues...
 
Thinking out loud here .. Not knowing how it works there in the US
But the seller of the bike to the man who is now in bad health. Perhaps can be found.
and have some type of paperwork.
I am thinking of a bike in a club or a couple of friends riding together ..
Here it is not unheard of finding previous owners all the way to the first Buyer.
Mostly happening when the first owner are looking to buy or find a bike .He had when he was young
I am looking for a 1968 Bonneville .In my then Hometown ... And will get the story when I meet the people around it then. Or contact the club members.
Where it is today if it still exists. Owner is dead and it was sold but the Widow knows and his friends.

With that documentation perhaps a timeline of ownership combined with the stroke perhaps some Doctors paper
could convince the authorities ..This is the bike and the paper is just gone. Its legit.
the paper is there somewhere in the old mans files but at present time cant be found.
Again speculative .. but as a suggestion.
 
Rusty, wanna make a deal!!..........

Jan, the 'owner' of the bike is the one in poor health. And by 'poor health', I mean virtually 100% incapacitated. The poor gent can't speak, walk. or otherwise transact any kind of interaction. Sad, but this is what a stroke can do to you, particularly at an elderly age. I believe the man is in his 70s, so...... a sad way to spend the last days here on the planet. Anyway, it was his son-in-law...... or the husband of the man's daughter, that sold me the bike. The son-in-law is inhereting some the man's projects and posessions, but as the man is still alive, no legal change of ownership has been effected. Essentially, the son-in-law is just cleaning out the man's garage. So, very little hope of anything ever coming of any claim of ownership through them. Just how it goes with some of this old stuff. I've got a few engines and a frame and a complete 'parts' bike out there in my yard, not including this one I'm working on now. If I go, the next person in line will be just as screwed as I am if my kids or my girlfriend try to sell any of this stuff off. More than likely it would all go at some kind of 'estate' auction. But, hopefully that won't be any time soon!!
 
So, very little hope of anything ever coming of any claim of ownership through them.
Not necessarily true. If he is incapacitated someone has "Power of Attorney" for him whoever that is can sign the title for him. The son-in-law better have it or the blessings of whoever does or you bought a stolen bike. I know you are in MD and I'm in IL but I think most states are pretty close on these things.
 
MDZ1rider---Vermont is definitely NOT limited to 300 cc bikes. As long as the bike is more that 20 years old. I have done this 5 times, the latest in January of this year.......

tim
 
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