-
Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password. If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?
-
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.
The Election forum is here: Election Forum
Can I tell from the frame number if a bike is stolen?
- Thread starter eastbay
- Start date
pauls1150
MOA #24991, south of Los Angeles
Give the number to your local police department and ask; if it is, they'd love to know about it.
If it's "clear and clean", then check with your state's Department of Motor Vehicle website about how to register an untitled vehicle.
Caveat: even if it appears OK, it may have some "parts" on it...
If it's "clear and clean", then check with your state's Department of Motor Vehicle website about how to register an untitled vehicle.
Caveat: even if it appears OK, it may have some "parts" on it...
stevenrankin
Active member
Beware
No title no sale.
I don't know about how much trouble it is in your state to get a bike with no title registered but in NY, it is nearly impossible. Compounded with the fact NY only keeps title information in their system for ten years if there is no activity on the vehicle means a title search is impossible if the title is not in your hand. I found out myself what a large pain it is when I sold two bikes I had misplaced the titles on and tried as the rightful owner to get replacement titles. Lucky for me I found the two titles in a drawer in my file cabinet. I was not looking forward to the can of worms I had opened by loosing them.
Why bother with all the hassle when there are bikes for sale with titles and proper papers? Besides the possibility of it being stolen, there might be a lien on it. Both of those are two things that can bite you badly.
Let the owner mess around getting a title for it if it is not stolen or compromised. Yeah, maybe after it gets a clear title the price might go up but believe me it will be worth it.
Even the title does not always mean a clean bike, as mentioned a frame number may be on the title but the engine may be from a stolen bike. Keep it simple for yourself and you should make out alright in finding a bike. St.
No title no sale.
I don't know about how much trouble it is in your state to get a bike with no title registered but in NY, it is nearly impossible. Compounded with the fact NY only keeps title information in their system for ten years if there is no activity on the vehicle means a title search is impossible if the title is not in your hand. I found out myself what a large pain it is when I sold two bikes I had misplaced the titles on and tried as the rightful owner to get replacement titles. Lucky for me I found the two titles in a drawer in my file cabinet. I was not looking forward to the can of worms I had opened by loosing them.
Why bother with all the hassle when there are bikes for sale with titles and proper papers? Besides the possibility of it being stolen, there might be a lien on it. Both of those are two things that can bite you badly.
Let the owner mess around getting a title for it if it is not stolen or compromised. Yeah, maybe after it gets a clear title the price might go up but believe me it will be worth it.
Even the title does not always mean a clean bike, as mentioned a frame number may be on the title but the engine may be from a stolen bike. Keep it simple for yourself and you should make out alright in finding a bike. St.
First question to ask- why doesn’t the bike have a title?
It’s a lot of trouble when the paperwork is a mess.
OM
stevenrankin
Active member
at least
At least get a good registration in the owner's name, proof it was at one time registered in his name.
Some states don't require a title for a bike older than a certain year.
St.
At least get a good registration in the owner's name, proof it was at one time registered in his name.
Some states don't require a title for a bike older than a certain year.
St.
1987r100rs
Canucklehead
Bikes reported stolen in Canada
The Canadian federal police CPIC website can be searched by VIN to see if the bike was reported to the RCMP as stolen.
No charge to use!
http://app.cpic-cipc.ca/English/searchformvin.cfm
The Canadian federal police CPIC website can be searched by VIN to see if the bike was reported to the RCMP as stolen.
No charge to use!
http://app.cpic-cipc.ca/English/searchformvin.cfm
The question is, can you find out if the bike is stolen from the frame number. The answer is yes and no.
The yes part is:
If the bike has been reported stolen, there are web sites that will alow you to enter the frame number to check for stolen, or you can call your local Police department and ask them to run the frame number for you, they may or may not depending on if the bike is in your possession or not.
The no part is:
You might be dealing on a bike with no title that has not been reported stolen as if yet. A check of the frame number will yield no results.
Buying a bike without a title is risky business. Rarely do you know the peoson you are buying from and a trust issue becomes important.
That being said, I have bought several bikes without titles and have yet to be burned. They are problematic to get titles for and it takes a fair amout of time, money, patience and trips to you local DMV to complete the process. The bike has to be a screaming deal for me to consider going through the process. Which brings up the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".
These type of deals are a big gamble, My rule of thumb is do not pay more for the bike then you are comfortable loosing if the deal goes sour and the bike is stolen or otherwise unable to be titled.
The yes part is:
If the bike has been reported stolen, there are web sites that will alow you to enter the frame number to check for stolen, or you can call your local Police department and ask them to run the frame number for you, they may or may not depending on if the bike is in your possession or not.
The no part is:
You might be dealing on a bike with no title that has not been reported stolen as if yet. A check of the frame number will yield no results.
Buying a bike without a title is risky business. Rarely do you know the peoson you are buying from and a trust issue becomes important.
That being said, I have bought several bikes without titles and have yet to be burned. They are problematic to get titles for and it takes a fair amout of time, money, patience and trips to you local DMV to complete the process. The bike has to be a screaming deal for me to consider going through the process. Which brings up the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".
These type of deals are a big gamble, My rule of thumb is do not pay more for the bike then you are comfortable loosing if the deal goes sour and the bike is stolen or otherwise unable to be titled.
lkchris
Active member
Turn your question around ...
... if your bike were stolen, what information would you provide authorities?
It's a red one isn't what they want ... they want the VIN.
Frame number is a vague, meaningless term ... although perhaps you meant to say VIN (vehicle identification number)
So, try here
https://www.nicb.org/vincheck
You can search for other stolen vehicle databases, too
... if your bike were stolen, what information would you provide authorities?
It's a red one isn't what they want ... they want the VIN.
Frame number is a vague, meaningless term ... although perhaps you meant to say VIN (vehicle identification number)
So, try here
https://www.nicb.org/vincheck
You can search for other stolen vehicle databases, too
Wkoppa
Member
If the bike was titled in Florida by the present owner, Florida may have a copy of the title. I helped a friend with property in the Keys after hurricane Irma sell his place and get reimbursed for damage to a travel trailer stored at the house. He could not find the title but Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had a copy. Don't remember what hoops we had to jump thru but that was not a big problem as I remember it. I would want to know if the present owner ever had it registered with Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. If he or she did then Florida DMV may have a copy. Otherwise you may just want to contact Florida DMV and ask if there is a way to run the number.
Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
#71,449
dduelin
Unregistered User
I've tried to get bikes w/o titles titled in FL and it was impossible for me. I did read posts and threads from people that said it could be done in other states that aren't as strict as Florida but I found it could not be done in FL by an honest person that just wants to go through the DMV. You have to go out of state to find a method to title it.
pglaves
#13338
I have heard Tennessee. ?????
beemerchuck
Member
Try Vermont
People on ADV rider have said that Vermont will due registrations and titles thru the mail to addresses in other states.
People on ADV rider have said that Vermont will due registrations and titles thru the mail to addresses in other states.
