Weird title situation ny DMV mistake?

[Benha]

So here's what happened; I bought the bike about 14 years ago but my dad had registered it in his name. I guess we had done this to save on the insurance since it was all in his name and I didn't have a license yet. Anyway now no one has ridden the bike in at least 8 years so I decided to get it back up and moving. I wanted to do the right thing and register it in my name so i found the old registration and it's a non transferable. We looked and looked and found the title, here's the kicker the title is still in the old owners name. How did my dad manage to register the bike with the title still in this guys name?
My options are; go to the DMV and come clean and find out what I need to do and just stick out the long process or sign the title over to myself and hope it goes though. What do you guys think?

 

[Tullugeon]

Is the bike still their database? I know in cali after 7 years they dump it and pretty much whoever pays to reg it again has rights to it as they see it as "abandoned". Might just try seeing what a status is and go from there. I have had OK luck with just being honest and friendly with the people but then again I have heard stories about others.

If it were me I would check to see if it has dropped off, If it has I would go in and register it no bill of sale just signed title from him to you. If it has not I would call and get a live person on the line explain everything slowly and politely but do not give them any actual numbers at first feel out how it will go. If they do not stumble because it has not been in your days name just go in and tell the truth, If they hesitate and give you grief on the phone then I would make it right (you know what i mean there? )

 

[frogman]

Is the title blank on the back or signed over? IF is signed over take it down and get it switched. IF no I'd just get it signed by a friend and find another friend with a notary if need be and give em a 6er of their favorite cold ones. Then take the thing to the DMV and ACT like you just bought it. The seller doesn't need to be there if the their siggy is notarized. You'd be surprised how many people have notary stamps, just about every one I work with has one and we work at a communications company. It's the first thing the bosses make every manager get.

I've done the later once with at least 2 cars that I got when I was in the army and the guys were headed out of country and needed to get rid of a car in a hurry.

 

[Benha]

Waited my 2 hours at the DMV today and it turns out some how my dad had never changed the title to his name. He's saying he doesn't know what happened but I think he just figured out a way to get out the sales tax!
The lady at the DMV did a search and the title was still in the original owners name so I told her he was a good friend and he was waiting out side. Went out scribbled his name on the new form and I was golden. Super stoked I jumped on the bike ripped it around a bit and now the carb is puking gas. I had a feeling that would happen but at least it was running great at speed. You just can't spot at a light for too long. I guess I'll be pulling the carbs again so I can fix the broken post and set the float height.

 

[frogman]

Well good or bad at least it is yours. ;D The floats on old bikes will stick open once in a while, a little TAP with a hammer handle or screwdriver handle sometimes fixes that issue.

 

[Benha]

Well good or bad at least it is yours. ;D The floats on old bikes will stick open once in a while, a little TAP with a hammer handle or screwdriver handle sometimes fixes that issue.

Glad I own it now but unfortunately it's not a stuck float. The float pivot pin broke off! I'm going to pull the carbs today and press in a new pin.