| Author | Message | ||
     Tankhead |
I might have my bike sold and I really want to help the guy out. He is from TN and I am in NJ. I have the title. If he wants to ride it home, other than insuring the bike, how does he go about getting a temp tag. Or is that out of the question and he just needs to trailer it home and get that all sorted out when he gets home? Let me know how some of you have done it. tanks | ||
| Ulywife |
We trailered home the bike we purchased in VA back home to NC. When I asked the DMV about a temp tag, they couldn't issue one without a title, but told me we had 10 days to transfer a tag from a current motorcycle. I told her we had no intention of selling our other bike...she repeated her statement and gave me a look. Then I got what she was saying! The buyer needs to make contact with their local DMV and see what their options are. They may have the same "transfer time" as NC. If that's the case, be sure he brings his registration card that show he owns the tag and be sure he has a bill of sale from you on his new bike. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
from my understanding, you don't need a tag for x amount of days after the day of sale. when rotzaruk and wife bought their bike in tampa. she rode up to chattanooga without plates. i rode my m2 with her and we didn't have any problems. just as he has the title and bill of sale and insurance if required(not required in florida) they should be alright for a nice ride home. | ||
| Froggy |
Last time I helped someone with a bike sale, we borrowed a plate off another bike. Obviously if we were pulled over we were screwed, (assuming the cop could tell the difference between the 04 Yamaha R1 I was riding and a 89 Sportster the plate came off of  ) but I ended up riding it at about the speed limit the whole way no issues. | ||
| Garyz28 |
I'm sure the laws are different from state to state. Here in California the seller and buyer just sign and date the appropriate lines on the title and the new owner immediately assumes all responsibility. It is however a good idea for the seller to make photo copies of any and all documents just in case the new owner flakes and doesn't re-register the vehicle in their own name. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
In Florida, if you ride a bike w/o a tag, but with a bill of sale, a title and insurance where required... you should not have a problem. Affix tag not assigned and you have just committed a misdemeanor offense.... | ||
| Iamike |
When I sold mine he paid cash so I signed the title and sent him on his way. I have bought bikes before by writing a check and then telling them to hang on to the title until the check clears. I've heard some bad stories from people on sales like that but so far I've had good luck. | ||
| Sekalilgai |
I'm sure the laws are different from state to state ditto that..here's a website that may help http://www.dmv.org/ I personally would make sure that there is a bill of sale with copies made for both of you. Some states require this to be notarized and it is mostly an issue of the destination state (Tn in this case) wanting to make sure they get their share of taxes. Not sure how it works in an interstate (multiple state) transit, I'm guessing the rules governing the state of origin apply... in any case a bill of sale, proof of insurance and a signed title should be enough to satisfy a state trooper. I bought a bike in SC and they have a similar window of time (2 weeks I think) for you to 'transfer your tag'. I actually tried to get a temp tag and was told they were only issued by dealers and that private party sales were exempt. Years ago I bought a car in Fl but completed the licensing prior to picking it up and so showed up with tags and all paperwork to drive it home. That could be an option as well....but it requires that bought-sight-unseen scenario. good luck! | ||
| Bikertrash05 |
I bought a bike from Johnnymceldoo. The bike was titled in OH, we met in IL, and I rode it home to WI. In WI, you can ride it with a bill of sale for 48 hours. Not sure about the insurance, but I really didn't care. I also rode a few days to work without plates. I once rode a bike from the dealer to my house, with no plates, and a cop behind me for about half the way. | ||
| Smoke |
i bought a road king in NC with a bill of sale, rode home to louisiana on his plate and mailed it back to him when i got home and registered. left goldsboro,NC sat morn and got home sun morn. registered and mailed his plate back monday. no problems. tim | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Brings back memories of days gone by, when Massachusetts used to issue front and rear plates. Nobody mounted the front plates,(wasn't any way to), except on the back of a new bike to ride it home. I remember me and my buddy Ray riding down to the DMV with the same plate on our bikes. We parked on different sides of the street. No insurance required in those long forgotten days.  Seriously, if he wants to ride it home, have him send you a bank check for the full amount, then Fedex him the title, and have him register it in his home state. He can get insurance on line from Progressive in a matter of an hour. Or he can bring his old plate from his state, give you cash, and let him worry about the details. Make sure you have a bill of sale and have signed the title over to him so there is no doubt who owns it. Bottom line: a bit older and wiser now, I always trailer a bike home, as I am a bit more concerned about even getting home on an unknown used bike. If it's a car, I meet the guy at the DMV and do the sale and registration at the same time. What you don't want is to have the guy get into an accident on the way home, (the prime time for them), and then have the consequences impact you because you are still the legal owner, and then cancel his check and leave you to straighten out the whole mess, having lost the bike and the payment for it. Confused yet? | ||
| Jramsey |
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to be sure the sellers signature is spelled exactly as typed on the title. The title for my S3T was signed Nick E. last name instead of Nicklaus Edward last name. The tag office gave me an affidavit to send to Nick(500 miles and 3 states away) for the correct signature before they would do anything. I went out in the lobby and low and behold ran into "Nicklaus Edward last name" had him sign the affidavit, turned around went back in and was issued a tag. | ||
| Hr_puffinstuff |
make sure you get your plate off the bike i totaled my wife's pontiac a couple years ago, and the guy from the salvage yard sold the car with the plate still on it. we received notice of this after the car was wrecked while parked (hit and run) and a pile of parking tickets came in the mail always remember: COVER THINE OWN ASS FIRST | ||
| Tramp |
This is a simple scenario- Ask him to pay you (by post or payapl) and then send him the title AFTER you receive payment, and let him sort it out as he would anyway, at home. | ||
| Ulywife |
make sure you get your plate off the bike I personally would make sure that there is a bill of sale with copies made for both of you. Absolutely! Both of these statements will protect you as the seller of the bike should something happen before the new owner applies for a transfer of title and tags. Make sure the bill of sale is dated and signed by both of you. You as the seller, and he as the recipient of the bike. | ||
| Court |
I just sold my BMW. Took a $500 deposit via mail by check. Check has his name, home address, etc. Deposited and let clear. Loaded the bike in a truck - met him in MD. I had the executed title and I prepared a bill of sale and we both signed it with the make, model, vin, date, price and all the terms of the sale. He handed me CASH. The only bad thing was he handed me $20 bills . . but what the hell. The Bill of Sale is critical. There are samples on the web. | ||
| Bill0351 |
It's easy to cover your ass when you are selling a bike. In fact, you have to work pretty hard to get scammed. I never accept anything but cash, and I always make the buyer sign a basic bill of sale. I also make a quick copy of the signed title on my copy, scanner, fax machine. Buying always makes me nervous though. Anybody with photoshop and a good printer can make a convincing Wisconsin title, and a bill of sale is all but useless. I do know in Wisconsin, you have 2 days to ride it without completing the registration or needing temporary plates. The last bike I sold, I just left the old plates on for the guy. They were close to being expired anyway. I told the guy to just toss them when he got new ones. I thought about it, and I couldn't really see how that was going to hurt me all that much. The guy called me the next day and said he cut the plate in half and threw it out. I never heard from him again. Bill | ||
| Tramp |
" The Bill of Sale is critical." In NYS, a bill of sale is unnecessary for transactions involving vehicles of 10 or more years post-manufacture. Further, NYS conditions odometer readings as "exempt", electively, for vehicles of same age | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I sold my XB a month ago to a local guy. He paid cash and rode home, plates on it. If memory serves, in Wisconsin, the registration stays with the bike until expired and not renewed. | ||
| Tramp |
Much like california, where illegals can simply purchase your car and rive it into the ground without even applying for a license, let alone reggie. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
I read your question, but not all of the responses so this may have already been answered.. With a Bill of Sale the buyer will be good to go. He then has 30 days from the date on the BoS to title and register the vehicle. It's the buyer's decision, but any time I purchase a vehicle I wait until my 30 days is almost up because it's 30 days of free license. I put slips of paper in place of the plates, with the writing "IN TRANSIT" and the date 30 days after the BoS was signed. The paper temp tag idea may not be legal, but it never gets me any attention from LEOs. | ||
| Bill0351 |
"If memory serves, in Wisconsin, the registration stays with the bike until expired and not renewed." No, it's just like automobile registration. Plates can't be transferred to the new owner, and each new plate needs a registration fee paid. Though, if you have a current sticker on an old plate, and you put that on your new bike, you don't have to renew that until it expires. Bill | ||
| Tankhead |
tanks to all for your information. I will direct this forum to the potential buyer. I do appreciate it. | ||
| Cruisin |
The best thing is to have him check with his DMV. Things vary by state. An In Transit permit may be applicable, but I don't know the rules. Whenever I've bought a new bike I just bring my current plate with me and ride it home. In Vermont, the transfer is legal the moment I drop the registration paperwork in the mail - even if it's in another state. If I get pulled over, I just tell them that it's in the mail. Assuming everything else is legit, no problems should arise. | ||
| Garyz28 |
The important thing to remember is that every state makes it's own laws. When you ask here you get answers from all over the country, and beyond. Call your local DMV and you'll know for sure how it's done where you live. |
