Bikes with no title

I ve been looking for a track bike and I keep coming across "Bill of sale only" bikes both here and on other forums. Buying a bike with no title seems really sketchy to me, why would someone not have a title to their bike if it was legit? Wrecked/salvage bikes have titles, in fact the bike I can think of that doesnt have a title is a stolen bike. What are your thoughts on buying a track/race bike with no title?

 

Depends

I'd preferably want one with a title or MSO at the very least. Often times race bikes may have never seen the street nor needed to be registered therefore they never had a title, just an MSO. I'd probably shop around and buy from a reputable seller, I'd feel more confident about it that way.

 

^^^ This.... Why pay Taxes to your County for a trackbike? Also on older bikes titles, Salvaged or Good can get lost.... Run the VIN if you have uncertainty...

 

I've bought two bikes without titles. Both were at the $300 mark. Every other bike I've had has a Title or MSO.
There was an auctioned scooter some years ago... No paperwork, but the "owners" all signed it.

 

No Title can be a bike with financial issues - theft, bank lien, abandoned, "found", etc. Or the owner is trying to make cash under the table - hiding money from a judgement collection, court ordered payments, etc.

Or it can be assembled from odd parts, however, the frame should still have a title in most cases (factory replacement frame is the only exception).

Or it can just be someone who is either too lazy or too cheap to properly title the bike.

You can find places that will check the VIN for a reported stolen bike. However, most stolen bikes are parted out instead of sold whole (at least in the US).

There is no place I know of where you can check for a title Lien, except the state where the last title was issued.

Once the bike passes into the second hand without a title, it's a huge effort to correct. You have to get each previous owner who did not title the bike to do so in their state, then once the title gets signed to you, you need to transfer it to yourself. Since states have penalties for not timely transferring title to a new owner, this also often includes payment of penalties in addition to the usually due fees.

I know that a large number of bikes out there are without title. I won't buy a bike without a title in the current owner's name or a MSO accompanied by Bills of Sale copies for each owner previous to me.

Buying/selling bikes without titles only enables the more nefarious among us to sell bikes they don't own legally.

 

your local PD (auto theft detective) can check on title status and/or liens.
Also clean titled vehicles can be insured.
MSOs dont have easy "trace" history like State issued titles do. Its more like a historical document that requires the care of one. Usually locked in a fireproof safe!

 

I picked up the F2.5 from a friend's brother's junkyard. No title. It was sitting buried somewhere for a handful of years. Complete track bike, ready to go (after giving it tons of TLC), and dirt cheap. If it's a track bike or I know I'm going to commit to finding a titled frame, it doesn't matter to me.


Also, linky to check the title status on whether it was stolen or salvaged. I check every bike I look at on here.
https://www.nicb.org/how-we-help/vincheck

 

is it possible to get a new mso/title if it was lost?

 

It depends on the state. We purchased my son's race bike new at a dealer in Ga. Brought it back home to Alabama, went to title the bike and was told by the supervisor at the probate office that if the bike would not be tagged or insured for street use then it could not be titled. She said the original bill of sale from the dealer would be sufficient if we ever needed to sell it. I've since been told by others that this is not true, so I checked with the probate office again and was told the same. If there is no title, it might just be the bike has never been street legal.