Purchase of dirt bike with no title

[copb8]

I have a friend who's selling his 2008 Yamaha YZ450F that I want to buy. He's owned it for a couple of years and bought a newer bike. He doesn't have the title for it, just a bill of sale from the previous owner. He said he didn't care about the title since it's only ridden in the dirt.

I'd prefer to have a title but I don't know how important that really is? Would the resale plummet without one?

If I wanted to pursue getting the title what would be necessary to get it?

 

[JMZ]

If you don't want to plate it then it's not important

 

[Aspear]

I didnt have a title for 5 out of 8 dirt bikes. As long as it was never stolen you should be good. You could get a bonded title if you really want it, but if you're not planning to get it plates i wouldnt worry about the title

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[Kilgore74]

Run the VIN at the sheriff's office. Document you were there. Trust me.


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[jsb223]

In my experience, without a title it will be harder to resell
and some people just won't touch it.

 

[copb8]

In my experience, without a title it will be harder to resell
and some people just won't touch it.

So this is my fear. I know I'd stay away from a bike that had no title. In this case I've known the seller for 15 years and that's he's as honest as the day is long.

I definitely don't plan on plating it as I have a different bike for that kind of thing but I think I'll at least try and get it titled if it isn't too big of a hassle.

 

[Kilgore74]

My brother is just as honest he bought and sold one that was stolen 5 years earlier 3 guys that had nothing to do with crime had their lives seriously jacked with


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[tshelfer]

So this is my fear. I know I'd stay away from a bike that had no title. In this case I've known the seller for 15 years and that's he's as honest as the day is long.

I definitely don't plan on plating it as I have a different bike for that kind of thing but I think I'll at least try and get it titled if it isn't too big of a hassle.

It's not about your friend's honest or integrity; it's about selling a bike a bike without a title, which is harder than selling the same bike with a title. You considerably narrow the market to whom you can sell, and some people will use that fact as a hammer to beat the price down (refer to any of dozens of TWT threads for verification of that). And of course, no matter how well you know your friend, the next buyer doesn't know him (or probably you) from Adam.

I would agree with what was said above - run the VIN as verification, and hold onto the documentation you get from that. At some point, you can put the bike through the Bonded Title process; it'll cost you around $125 total (and registration fees, of course), and a very tiresome half day of your life. And then it's done.

 

[weekend_warrior]

If you do get it make sure to run the VIN with the sheriff's office, and also a dealer of the brand. Then jump through the hoops to get a title for it. Will pay off when you sell it. If your buddy has the MSO then have him get a title and change it over to your name. It will cost taxes. If you ever plan to insure it against theft or recover it if its stolen you will need a title to prove ownership.

Every bike I have bought has had one. How else would the state get their cut of the Taxes! Some folks don't bother to get one when they buy it to avoid paying taxes. Others sell stolen bikes that way. They give you a bill of sale with a fake name.

Like it was said above, it could be stolen and your buddy had nothing to do with it.

 

[copb8]

Yep, I'm convinced. No title, no sale.

It was my gut from the beginning but I wanted to make sure I wasn't making it more complicated than it needed to be.

Thanks all

 

[Johnf3]

Would the resale plummet without one?

To me the older the bike the less important a title is. I am talking real dirt bikes only--not dual sport or collector bikes or anything else. In Texas I would guess the majority of older dirt bikes sales don't include titles. This is because they have generally changed hands several times and usually with younger folks who don't want to pay the sales tax and could care less about a title.

That all being said, it does affect the value. On your particular example of a 2008 YZ 450, if it is in really nice shape (I wouldn't consider a 10 year old four stroke in any other condition) I would have to be at $2500 or under to consider that bike at all. The seller's only other option with no title besides a private sale is to sell to a Salvage outfit. You would be lucky to get 1K for that bike from them.

Point being that I would use the no title deal to negotiate a better deal, even from a friend. I also would not wring my hands over not having a title as long as it is a bike I want. The bonded title process has come up here a million times already.

 

[copb8]

To me the older the bike the less important a title is. I am talking real dirt bikes only--not dual sport or collector bikes or anything else. In Texas I would guess the majority of older dirt bikes sales don't include titles. This is because they have generally changed hands several times and usually with younger folks who don't want to pay the sales tax and could care less about a title.

That all being said, it does affect the value. On your particular example of a 2008 YZ 450, if it is in really nice shape (I wouldn't consider a 10 year old four stroke in any other condition) I would have to be at $2500 or under to consider that bike at all. The seller's only other option with no title besides a private sale is to sell to a Salvage outfit. You would be lucky to get 1K for that bike from them.

Point being that I would use the no title deal to negotiate a better deal, even from a friend. I also would not wring my hands over not having a title as long as it is a bike I want. The bonded title process has come up here a million times already.

Historically I don't keep bikes all that long (you can see evidence of that on this forum) so resale makes a difference to me.

The bike is in excellent shape with good upgrades and is under $2500.00. But not by much.

 

[RWhitehouse]

If you're not planning to plate it, I would just contact local PD/sheriff and have them check the VIN to make sure it hasn't been reported stolen. As long as that's clear, I wouldn't have any problems buying it sans title. As said, a lost title can be a good bargaining chip. When you go to resell, provide the proof from the PD of the VIN being clear if a buyer is giving you flak about it.

You can get a bonded title for something like $80 or $90 if it's really important to you, but can't say I'd bother for an off road only bike. The Vermont method wouldn't work here

 

[Johnf3]

The bike is in excellent shape with good upgrades and is under $2500.00. But not by much.

That generation of YZ450 has a very good reputation as being basically bullet proof. The engines run forever and the valves stay in adjustment. They are a solid handling and performing motorcycle. I have first hand experience seeing Charlie Mullins flying on that model at a National Enduro back when he was factory Yamaha rider.

I would still hit him up for another $200 to cover you on the bonded title.

Since you may or may not hold onto it having a good title will greatly simplify the selling process when you are ready.

 

[Annhl8rX]

Man...we're quite divided over this one. I've had a dozen or so dirt bikes over the years, and have only ever had a title for one. It has never been an issue for me when buying, and nobody has ever brought it up when I was selling. I think most folks that are intending to ride something off-road only don't care.

I think this may be one of the instances where the vibe of an enthusiast forum doesn't really mirror the thoughts of the general public.

If you browse craigslist for dirt bikes the vast majority of them don't have a title. For something that isn't registered or ridden on the street, most people that buy them new don't even bother to keep up with the title or MSO.

I wouldn't think twice about buying a dirt bike without a title (assuming I intended it for dirt use and was satisfied it wasn't stolen). I also wouldn't expect a discount for it not having one.

 

[budzrex]

Concerned have a VIN search for it as a stolen vehicle, worried about resale do it at the sale time and offer it with the bill of sale.

Most offroad bikes sold in the 60-early 2000s only came with a bill of sale not a tilte anyway

I would not lose any sleep over it nor would I think it was worth less without a title if I was buying a purely offroad toy.