hm. How can I find out if I just bought a stolen motorcycle?

[zixxer]

I paid cash for it, and it *seems* legit... but I'm having some problems with the title. The guy I bought it from never transferred it into his name... he just signed it, then had a really nice bill of sale typed up. Seemed like a very honest person.. I know where he works and lives; and he can't really move quickly.. (I met him at his house..)

Now.. I bought it in north carolina. My local tag office won't let me transfer the title even with a bill of sale. She told me it's "probably stolen" and gave me a form to send to the guy I bought it from to get notarized.


Basically, NC police won't help me. My local police station said to check if it was stolen an officer would have to come out... Now if it IS stolen I want to take it back to the guy I bought it from and let him deal with it.. not have it taken by the cops.

 

[zixxer]

also... I bought a carfax and it came up as "no registered owners" ... but said nothing about being stolen..

 

[SurgicalShark]

Wait until cops come finding you, it's that simple.

 

[zixxer]

if it IS stolen then the guy sold it to me without knowing it. I would rather it take it back to him and get my money back.

 

[zixxer]

farking sweet. I coerced a police department to do it over the phone. It's not reported stolen..

 

[Pliablemoose]

I had something similar happen once, since the statute of limitaitons is expired, I can fess up, it was me that forged the signature on the extra paperwork.

Orig owner had moved overseas....

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I had something similar happen once, since the statute of limitaitons is expired, I can fess up, it was me that forged the signature on the extra paperwork.

Orig owner had moved overseas....

the problem is this:

original owner.. let's call him Mike. Mike sold it to James.

Mike signed title, James signed title.

James never registered the bike; and never transferred the title. He planned on selling it anyway (dunno why he signed the title in the FIRST place..)

So.. james sells bike to Jacob. Now Jacob (since he lives in ga) can't register bike.. even with a bill of sale.

 

[Rustynuts]

Where is the title then? Someone HAS to have it. Find it, get it signed off, and then you can register. What am I missing here? Mike or James should have the original title.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Rustynuts
Where is the title then? Someone HAS to have it. Find it, get it signed off, and then you can register. What am I missing here? Mike or James should have the original title.

I HAVE the title. It's in my hand... but it's signed by the guy that I bought it from... there's no place for me to sign because the guy I bought it from never went and got a new title..

 

[Tom]

so he never paid sales tax on it ? I doubt if that's legal.

(In Ohio you pay sales tax when you get title transferred.)

 

[FrustratedUser]

If it's not in your driveway, you know it's stolen.
:laugh:

Couldn't resist.

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: armatron

Originally posted by: Rustynuts
Where is the title then? Someone HAS to have it. Find it, get it signed off, and then you can register. What am I missing here? Mike or James should have the original title.

I HAVE the title. It's in my hand... but it's signed by the guy that I bought it from... there's no place for me to sign because the guy I bought it from never went and got a new title..

the guy you bought it from is probably going to have to get a title, i dont think someone's allowed to sell a motor vehicle without a valid title. as Tom said, he probably skipped out on paying sales tax by not getting one. after he gets his title, then he signs it over to you. it generally takes about 4-6 weeks for him to get his title. looks like you bought yourself a load of trouble

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: armatron
I paid cash for it, and it *seems* legit... but I'm having some problems with the title. The guy I bought it from never transferred it into his name... he just signed it, then had a really nice bill of sale typed up. Seemed like a very honest person.. I know where he works and lives; and he can't really move quickly.. (I met him at his house..)

Now.. I bought it in north carolina. My local tag office won't let me transfer the title even with a bill of sale. She told me it's "probably stolen" and gave me a form to send to the guy I bought it from to get notarized.


Basically, NC police won't help me. My local police station said to check if it was stolen an officer would have to come out... Now if it IS stolen I want to take it back to the guy I bought it from and let him deal with it.. not have it taken by the cops.

here's how it works in michigan....

first you make an appointment at the police station to inspect the vehicle. They will run the # for you and give you a document saying that its roadworthy and not stolen (show em the bill of sale).

you take that to the SoS and they make your fill out even more paperwork. if everything looks good, they make you pay the tax per the bill of sale value and youll get a new title in a couple of weeks.