• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Getting a dirt bike road legal

Forums New posts
Thrasherg

Thrasherg

0
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
3,338
Reaction score
396
Location
Princeton, Texas
First Name
Gary
Last Name
Waugh
I apologise in advance if this is not the correct place to ask, but I couldn't see any other forum that seemed a better fit..

I am going to try and get my wife's 2004 CRF230F registered for use on the road. Can anyone tell me what the procedure is? I only have a bill of sale for the bike (Bought it privately a while ago). I am intending to fit indicators, horn and lights (Head light and tail/brake light) to the bike, I have to find if the alternator is the same as the 230L or purchase a 230L alternator to run everything. Then fit DOT dual sport tyres, Then I assume I get insurance, take it to a bike shop and get an annual safety inspection with the green sheet, then take the bill of sale, insurance and safety inspection papers to the DMV and try to register it (At least that is what I did to register my RG500). Have I missed something or is there more to it than that? Thanks for all constructive comments!! If this works out then I will try to do the same thing with a new CRF450, but I want to make sure this works before purchasing the CRF.

Regards Gary
 
I have done two. It depends on how much you want to spend. My Ktm is barely legal I don't ride it much on the street, but the XR650R had a Baja kit. I tried to search for the plating a dirtbike thread but I lack skills to find it. The title on the 230 might be my only concern.
 
We want to ride the TAT next year, so I only need it barely legal!! Most of the time we will trailer them to a park..
Is it possible to get a replacement title if the previous owner had lost it? I have the VIN number (Obviously) and a bill of sale..
I also did a search (well several) but couldn't find anything on this topic, which really surprised me!!

Regards Gary
 
You must get the title straightened out first. If the person you bought the bike from simply lost the title then they can request a new one at very little cost. If they never had title from when they bought it you might be up a creek. I think the 230s might be too new to go the bonded title route.

In any event, no way will Texas issue a new title on just a bill of sale when they already have a title on record.

Once you have title in hand then all it needs is high/low beam with indicator, horn, mirror, and brake/tail lights. Then you can go get insurance and a green sheet.
 
Thanks Ed,

I was looking at the link from Jar675 (Many thanks Jar) and it implied I would have to get a bonded title, I have no idea what is involved in that!! I will try to dig out the bill of sale and try contacting the previous owner to see if he ever had the title, I suspect that if he did, he never transferred it to his name so I will still be out of luck. But it's worth a call.

On a seperate note, if I get a CRF450X (05 to 09 model) will there be anything different to getting it road legal (I will make sure it comes with a title or I wont buy it!)?

Thanks Guys
 
If he still has the title and the owner prior to him signed it you might be able to sneak one through. Do it right and your seller will never be on record having owned it. I had to do that on an XR I bought some time back.
 
Thanks ed,

when we bought it I asked about a title, but he said had lost it and I didn't push the matter as I had no intentions of making it road legal back then!!:oops:

Hope he still remembers the bike!!

Gary
 
Calgary-Yogi has street legal 450x he has been talking about selling. You might pm him about it if your interested.
 
Yep, have to have an MSO or a title without exception.

I wouldn't bother with turn signals either. You said barely street legal and Texas does not require them.

On the crf450, you would be miles ahead starting with a "X" instead of an "R". You didn't specify, but you don't want to try and street title a full on motocrosser like the "R".
 
Thanks Guys, I will try and contact Calgary-Yogi.. If I didn't specify it, I only ever had plans to get a CRF450X (Stainless valves and electric start!!) the R was never on the cards.. Thanks for the link on the bonded title. I will have to have a read, as the bike is a 2004, it might not qualify for a bonded title.. Is there anyway I might be able to get the name address of the owner on the title (Having police check the VIN number) so that I could contact them and see if they would be willing to apply for a lost title and then sign it over to me? This seems a trivial problem (There must be many people that have lost a title) but it seems amazingly complicated to resolve.. Still discovering the American way of doing things..

Gary

PS. what is an MSO?
 
MSO = Manufacture Statement of Origin - basically the birth certificate for the vehicle. This is the paperwork from Honda (or manufacture) that a dealer would use when applying for your title on a new bike.
In some states you would get this for a dirt bike. In Texas a reputable dealer will give you a title for many years now. But if you buy a dirt bike in another state new and tell them you live in a different state often you will still get an MSO. Since it comes right from the dealer and never goes to a state entity, no taxes are paid - so you can usually assume if you buy a bike with an MSO that it was never registered anywhere.

I'd go back if you can to the trail of previous owners, At a minimum the one that is listed on the title (assuming it started life in Texas) can sign a form to get a replacement title (I'd have it sent to your address just in case - :trust:) then get his signature on the back.

My experience with my xr400 is posted here - but they are right that you need some kind of pedigree - an MSO or title to start out with, get that straight first.

BTW you will be charged taxes when you register it for what ever NADA current value is at that time. (At least that's how the DMV in Tomball does it)

Note the links in that post have changed : http://www.texasoffroad.net/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/230367/2

New links to Texas forms : http://www.txdmv.gov/whatyouneed/forms/titles_registration.htm
 
Thanks guys, I contacted the seller and he says he never had the title, he bought it without the title. I have started the bonded title as listed by Jar. Sent all the forms of today so will see what happens.. Also contacted Calgary-Yogi, he is currently in Scotland and will get back to me when he returns!! Fingers crossed.. Many thanks for all your help.

Gary
 
Thrasherg said:
Thanks guys, I contacted the seller and he says he never had the title, he bought it without the title. I have started the bonded title as listed by Jar. Sent all the forms of today so will see what happens.. Also contacted Calgary-Yogi, he is currently in Scotland and will get back to me when he returns!! Fingers crossed.. Many thanks for all your help.

Gary
Click to expand...

Just by chance, is your crf230 a 2003 with a Powroll header (you can tell by it not having a heat shield or mounts for one - and it is slightly larger diameter than stock) and extra aluminum section on the muffler? maybe it was mine :lol2:

DSCN0299a.jpg


I sold one to a lady several years ago because I could not get a title for it. the guy I got it from said he got it from another bud whose trailer burned down with title in it, Well I could never get a hold of that previous guy or even his name - he moved on. I might have been able to get a bonded one but after trying to title that one I just sold it vowing to never buy another bike with out good clean paperwork again unless it was sooooooo firckin cheap to make it worth my while for the bond.

Anyway if this in your bike - forget ever finding the guy it was titled to!
 
No that's not my wife's, hers is a 2005 with a white bros exhaust.. If I can't get a title we will buy a crf230L (with title) and then sell the crf230f and use the L for road and dirt fun.. It all depends what happens with my bonded title application. I was hoping I could find a friendly police officer that could run a Vin# check and tell me the name and address of the owner currently on the title so I could contact them and ask them for the title or ask them to apply for a lost title, but it doesn't seem to work like that in the USA!!

Gary
 
This is an old dead thread but for search purposes here is how to get a title and plates for a dirtbike that was manufactured for off road use only in Texas.

1. Get insurance and take a pencil rubbing or photo (print the photo) of your VIN $100
2. Install front light, license plate light, brake lights, mirrors and a horn. (turn signals optional) I'd also recommend a Inspection sticker frame and DOT road worthy tires (to follow letter of law) as well as license plate frame although they are doing away with the stickers in March 2015. $300
3. Get bike inspected and pass inspection $14
4. Request a statement of Vehicle inspection from the DPS in Austin. They can fax it o you. The sticker or vi-30 that an inspector gives you will not be enough for the DMV. Although the VI-30 is jsut good to have.
5. Go to the MAIN DMV OFFICE in your city (not DPS) And request an application for bonded title. Fill it out and describe the reason for bonded title request as follows: (horn, lights mirrors) street legal modification made to motorcycle to make street legal. Never titled or plated before. Provide the insurance, DPS statement of inspection and a pencil rubbing of the VIN (If you have an MCO or Bill of Sale with VIN, this will work as well as the pencil rubbing of the VIN) $15
6. Go to a surety bonding company and give them the packet from the DMV and buy your bond. $100
7. Take the bond and the DMV packet, Insurance etc. to your County tax assessor collector's MAIN OFFICE. You should walk out of there with plates and a title will come in the mail eventually. You will pay tax at this point based on blue book of dirt-bike. $100

Good luck and I hope this helps you plate your dirt bike here in Texas. :rider:
 
I would never buy a bike, etc. without a title or the MSO, just for the reasons you are now having these problems. Plus when you want to sell the bike, etc. you look like you may have stolen it, even if everything is on the up and up. As far as making it street legal, buy the switch that goes on the left handlebar that has every thing in it, ($65.00) online, high beam light and switch, turn signal switch (optional), horn button, are all included in this switch. Buy a double filament headlight plug and bulb and put it in the headlight (auto parts store), brake light switch and double filament tail light socket, RV mirror, license bracket, and a horn. You should be able to do this for around $150.00 parts, labor free. I've done it several times and all passes to get your Green Sheet at State Inspection. You will need insurance on the bike to get it registered, inspected, and your plates. Biggest problem, is all paperwork must be in order.

John
 
Just fyi, the thread above yours when I posted this was, "get ready to meet your maker" and the one directly below was "Spooky ride". Good luck, but don't go to Vegas today.
 
SATXUSA said:
This is an old dead thread but for search purposes here is how to get a title and plates for a dirtbike that was manufactured for off road use only in Texas.

1. Get insurance and take a pencil rubbing or photo (print the photo) of your VIN $100
2. Install front light, license plate light, brake lights, mirrors and a horn. (turn signals optional) I'd also recommend a Inspection sticker frame and DOT road worthy tires (to follow letter of law) as well as license plate frame although they are doing away with the stickers in March 2015. $300
3. Get bike inspected and pass inspection $14
4. Request a statement of Vehicle inspection from the DPS in Austin. They can fax it o you. The sticker or vi-30 that an inspector gives you will not be enough for the DMV. Although the VI-30 is jsut good to have.
5. Go to the MAIN DMV OFFICE in your city (not DPS) And request an application for bonded title. Fill it out and describe the reason for bonded title request as follows: (horn, lights mirrors) street legal modification made to motorcycle to make street legal. Never titled or plated before. Provide the insurance, DPS statement of inspection and a pencil rubbing of the VIN (If you have an MCO or Bill of Sale with VIN, this will work as well as the pencil rubbing of the VIN) $15
6. Go to a surety bonding company and give them the packet from the DMV and buy your bond. $100
7. Take the bond and the DMV packet, Insurance etc. to your County tax assessor collector's MAIN OFFICE. You should walk out of there with plates and a title will come in the mail eventually. You will pay tax at this point based on blue book of dirt-bike. $100

Good luck and I hope this helps you plate your dirt bike here in Texas. :rider:
Click to expand...

The only thing I would add, is one of the testing stations I went to (Have now registered 4 off-road bikes for road use), insisted I fit a DOT approved front brake line to my bike!! Other centers never asked for this, so just be watchful that they may ask. I used a WR450 brake line on my CRF450X and it was just the right length and fittings. Different test centers have slightly different interpretation of the rules, one center insisted the brake light operate from both front and rear brake levers, other centers where fine with just the rear brake operating the brake light!!

Gary
 
Anybody done this in 2016? Still possible? thanks
 
I've done it twice recently (2015)

Assuming you have a dirtbike, with no title....

Install stuff to get the bike to pass inspection
Get a letter of denial for title from regional DMV office
Buy surety bond from insurance provider (must provide denial letter)
Get insurance
Get inspection
Take denial leter, surety bond, inspection, insurance to county tax lady

Get plate
 
Last edited:
I am trying to get my daughters CRF250X road legal, so can give an answeer in the next 2 weeks!!

Gary
 
If you already have a title, it's a piece of cake

Put the necessary lights, horn, etc on it. (Blinkers not reqd in TX)
Get insurance
Get inspection
Get plate
 
Last edited:
Just did it with my Beta 300RR. Easy... and it's a 2smoker no less. Toughest part was the inspection. I took it to my nearest place, a jiffy lube. Couple of guys there ride so they were real friendly. Still, he tried to deny me because of the knobby tires, till I showed him the DOT markings on the tire. But... he didn't say anything about my not having any license plate light, which is a requirement.

So... make sure you go over the check list and be prepare to refute the inspector, if necessary. Some are easy going, some less so.

Same at the tax accessor's office. Some have experience with the process, some not. Be prepared to help explain to them with what they need to do for you, so do you homework up front and print out some docs that list the procedures to bring with you just in case. I suppose it's their job to know already, but honey goes over a lot better than vinegar.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top