New York State title issues

[Encabulator]

-Bought a CB500t from New York state. Seller couldn't find the title when the bike was picked up.

-A couple of weeks later he offered to take the bike back as he still couldn't find the title.

-Applied for a new title with the dmv in his name, 6 weeks later this was rejected as he was not recognized as the owner.

-Applied for a new title this time with the previous owner who he knows and bought the bike from.

-Its been nearly 2 months since this last application and still no sign of any title.

I am in touch with the seller and he's said he has heard nothing yet which should mean it is being processed ok, seems like a genuine guy, so I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. Only thing that worries me is the bike was sold without any plate / plate removed. He did offer to take the bike back due to him not being able to find the title, but I wanted/want to keep it.

Was wondering if anyone else knows anything about getting a title in New York state, the difficulties and whether or not it can take such a long time. Apparently the dmv are unpredictable and bureaucratic?

[guernz]

Did you look into the title companies that are advertised in the back of Walneck magazines. They used to advertised, I have not bought one in two or three years. There used to be one in Rochester, one out of Vegas, and one out of Alabama. I always wondered how they worked.

[Encabulator]

Trouble is I'm in the UK now and won't be back in the states until maybe mid next year. 

[teddpage]

Ive never dealt with a lost title through NYSDMV, but they are a bitch to deal with.  Chances are it is taking a few months for them to process the paperwork. 
The dude you bought it from should just keep calling DMV and bugging them for info.

[surffly]

73 and up in NYS needs a title.  Before that we used a transferable regi. 
Getting a title for a bike that has been out of the system for a while is almost impossible.  To be honest the DMV just doesnt care about what it sees as old bikes. 
To have any chance YOU need to find out who the last person that registered the bike was, and then have THEM apply for a lost title.  Now if the bike has been off the road for years and years the last registrant might actually have never had a title since they didnt always use them.  IN that case the DMV will be almost zero help.  IF there was a title issued to that guy then HE will have to apply for a replacement, cost about $15.  and then sign that over to you.  But most of the time when a title is lost its gone forever in NYS.
In NY the plates never go with the bike
How did you get the bike back to the UK with no paperwork?
In NYS you can not use those "title services" much any more.  The DMV is kicking them back now more and more. 
Always read up on the states ownership laws before you buy. 
There is no easy answer to your issue, and you probably are better off getting out of this deal and finding something with a current and clean title

[surffly]

If the DMV is saying that the dude you bought the bike from was not the last owner then they will stop talking to him as they see him as just some random guy that has nothing at all to do with the bike

[Encabulator]

To have any chance YOU need to find out who the last person that registered the bike was, and then have THEM apply for a lost title.

Yes this is what we've gone ahead and done.

IF there was a title issued to that guy then HE will have to apply for a replacement, cost about $15.  and then sign that over to you.  But most of the time when a title is lost its gone forever in NYS.

Good knowledge will speak to the guy about this. There was a title he insists.

How did you get the bike back to the UK with no paperwork?

I didn't its at my uncles, but if I was in the states it wouldn't be too much of an issue getting it over and then getting papers eventually, not an issue but very convoluted and a hassle yes. While I'm in the UK the only way to get it over is with a title.

There is no easy answer to your issue, and you probably are better off getting out of this deal and finding something with a current and clean title

Ouch the guy insists there was a title, to be fair would like to keep the bike very much..

In NY the plates never go with the bike

Ok this is a good sign, I'll give the guy a call on Monday see where it goes.

[Encabulator]

To have any chance YOU need to find out who the last person that registered the bike was, and then have THEM apply for a lost title.  Now if the bike has been off the road for years and years the last registrant might actually have never had a title since they didnt always use them.

The bike did have a 1975 title, and the last person that the bike was registered to has applied for a title, its been 2 months, 2 weeks more than the estimated time for a title to be processed.

I can't see how age makes a difference? In the UK you can apply for a lost title for an old vehicle, even before the modernisation of registration, I know because I lost the papers to a 1960 vehicle and applied for it, took a while but it came through. Surely its an official process, people lose titles all the time?

[650hardtail]

i know here in pa if the last titled owner was before computerized records they will physically search the paper copies in archives to find it...sadly most state employees arent too motivated to perform..hence the snails pace on sorting your issue

[mtmooradian]

Get a signed bill of sale from the last owner, and go to Vermont. You don't have to be a resident and they'll issue you a transferable registration on anything older than 15yrs with just a bill of sale. And it's cheap.

[Encabulator]

Get a signed bill of sale from the last owner, and go to Vermont. You don't have to be a resident and they'll issue you a transferable registration on anything older than 15yrs with just a bill of sale. And it's cheap.

This sounds like a good idea, trouble is I bought the bike off a guy who still had the title in the previous owners name.

Luckily the previous owner only lives down the road from him. I'm not in the US at the moment, would I need to get the transferable reg in my name to ship it to the UK? Not sure how to work around this, maybe he can take a bill of sale in my name up to Vermont?

[surffly]

The VT loop hole was all but closed do to fraud and theft.
I would think you need alot of paperwork that proves the bike is yours before you can ship it.

[mtmooradian]

I just registered mine two weeks ago in vt

[Encabulator]

The VT loop hole was all but closed do to fraud and theft.
I would think you need alot of paperwork that proves the bike is yours before you can ship it.

Not really. A title in another persons name and a deed of sale. Thats it.

Something connecting the bike to some papers thats all that is needed. All they want to know is its not stolen.

I have to have a dating and identification service done in the UK anyhow.

[Encabulator]

I am not in the States and won't be until maybe June next year I can only organise things through a relative who I cannot ask to do things like drive up to Vermont.

Presuming going down the normal route of a title falls flat on its face, is there anything I can do to acquire a title/reg while I'm over in the UK?

Please note in the past I've been quite capable of organising the buying of a bike in the states and having it transported & shipped to the UK without ever stepping foot on US soil. But then I've never had a situation without a title.