Fun With Bureaucracy (No Title Bike)

[inanecathode]

So, good news bad news.
Good news, my tt500 is street legal and i have a temp tag, its finally a dualsport bike.
Bad news, is the reason its street legal is because it already has a title. Under a different person. From a different city. This should be good reference to people who have wondered how you get a title issued without paying some shiesters in las vegas hundreds of dollars.

Now heres where the fun comes in. I have to go through a length process of bonding and certification to issue a title for the bike in my name. Heres the steps i have to go through to get a valid colorado title:
1) Have the vehicle inspected and the "Colorado Certified VIN Inspection" completed by a certified colorado law officer
2) Request a "Colorado Title Record Search"
3) If theres an active lean it has to be released
4) Establish the retail value either by having a dealer appraise the vehicle or consulting NADA, KBB value (if under 7 years old)
5) Purchase a surety bond for twice the retail value
6) Write a statement under penalty of perjury saying the following:
     Why bonding for ownership is required and why there is no title for the vehicle or what is wrong with the title
     What attempts were made to contact the owner of record to insure they have no interest in the vehicle
     From whom and when purchased, and the amount paid
     Describe the vehicle by year make and VIN
     That there are no liens against the vehicle
     Whether the vehicle is or is not roadworthy
7) Apply for title at the county motor vehicle office

I have a couple questions, maybe you guys can help, but first whats a surety bond? It says twice the vehicle value, which according to the subaru dealership local (wut) is 300 dollars, i dont have to shell out 600 bucks do I? Second, i'll be quite honest, i dont want to contact the original owner. I know how it works, i'll call the dude who sold a piece of crap bike 10 years ago and tell him it looks and runs great, and he'll say "i'll be there in two hours with a trailer, thanks for your time". What counts as an "attempt" at contacting the dude? Can an ad run in the paper saying "Hey guy who used to have a white tt500 i have your bike please call me at (phone number)"?

[Tanno]

My thinking is that you call the guy and if he says he's coming to pick it up, ask him to pay for your time and expense to get it running.

If he refuses and still takes it, file a lein on it.

Advise him of this....maybe he'll just let it go.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surety_bond

[Brian Moffet]

Second, i'll be quite honest, i dont want to contact the original owner. I know how it works, i'll call the dude who sold a piece of crap bike 10 years ago and tell him it looks and runs great, and he'll say "i'll be there in two hours with a trailer, thanks for your time".

I am assuming you have a receipt for the purchase of the bike?  If so, you have a valid claim of ownership on the bike.  It is unlikely that the unknown person can just take it away without compensation. 

Hmm, I think we need a lawyer  ;D

Brian

[Tanno]

....and we happen to know one crawling among us.  ;D

[Brian Moffet]

I don't know, does he crawl before he has gotten to the scotch or beer?

[inanecathode]

Well i'm hoping, assuming, a surety bond doesnt mean i'll have to pony up 600 bucks to get the bike titled. If it does i'll just part the sucker out and get whats mine out of it.
The kicker is i traded a clear titled xt250 for the no title tt, i, and the guy i got it from, thought it was just a regular non titled offroad bike. Turns out it was first titled in 1997 and last registered in 2003.

[Tanno]

http://www.southcoastsurety.com/surety-bond-colorado.htm

Like a bail bondsman....this site says that for $100 you get a $5,000 surety bond.

So, no....I don't think you'll be out $600.

[h2olawyer]

Now you see why I didn't try to get the title for partsbike.  Just too much bureaucratic BS.

Many bonds require that you put up 10% in cash property value for the bond to issue.  Look in your yellow pages & call a few of them.

The proper legally recognized 'receipt' for any conveyance of a motor vehicle in Colorado is a Bill of Sale.  See if you can get the guy you traded with to fill one out.  They are a basic form, just fill in the blanks.  This one works well - it came from the Larimer County Clerk & Recorder.  It contains the necessary perjury statement so it does not need to be notarized.  As for value, put the value of the bike you traded.

www.co.larimer.co.us/motorv/billofsale.pdf

I only crawl after too much Scotch / beer -- or between pubs.  Since the sun isn't yet below the yardarm here, I am still relatively sober.   ;D

H₂O

[inanecathode]

Well ok cool then. Thats not too bad. apparently the BOS i have is good enough for motor vehicle, they (comically) gave me a temp tag even after i pointed out i'm not the legal owner, i guess the BOS means that i am the legal owner :)

This might be actually pretty easy actually. Honestly its not that hard after looking at it some more, kinda like getting an offroad bike titled. It took me (what should have been) literally 30 minutes. Vin verification, affidavit of road worthiness, bill of sale. Its just. That. Easy!

[Brian Moffet]

Usually the person with the bill-o-sale is the legal owner. 

You're lucky, with an airplane, unless the registration is in proper order, you pretty much have to get it in the correct order.  Contact relatives of deceased persons, etc...  There is no back door..  Just transferring a plane to a trust fund can cause some exciting times.  I was working on the registration on my airplane for about 8 months.  Went through two extensions.  And I knew the previous owner and was dealing with him to get it all sorted out!

Brian

[Rick G]

There's an outfit in Vegas that does pre 1974 bikes for 85.00 , but I suspect yours is newer.
I have a '74 Xl 350 that has only the auction receipt , so I'm going to have to work it out to sell it.

[Walt_M.]

Can't believe it can be that easy! There is an '84 RZ350 in Canada on ebay right now, seller does not have the title but it is titled. The bid is $676, those things easily bring $3000 with a title.

[Brian Moffet]

seller does not have the title but it is titled.

Hmm, that sounds strangely like stolen property...

Brian

[kwells]

that's the fun of the process
all you have to do is call in the VIN to the sheriff dept and they'll tell ya.  Then when they say it is...u hang up and only ride it off road

[h2olawyer]

You could always swap a plate from another bike & take your chances . . .   ;)

H₂O

[kwells]

that would work too
but if it's a dirt bike no need for any of the bs at all

[inanecathode]

Actually they cant tell you if its stolen over the phone, they have to do it in person.
All the vin checks are in person, unfortunately.