Actually, I ran into this before in a couple of states, trying like hell to get a title. Come to find out that many states did not issue titles on bikes back then. Just went by registration and or bill of sale. So you might dig into that a bit and find out.
My Commando that I registered (73) out of Colorado did not have a title. It did however have half an old registration (other half chewed up by mice) in the tool kit. I went to the DMV in Florida to get a title and they informed me that indeed Colo did not have titles back then and the old regi with the BOS would be fine. I had the BOS but when I went to hand her the mouse eaten regi she just said...no no no, that's ok. BOS will be fine. :)
I really was expecting a battle royal but in the end it was a piece of cake.
Buying a Bike with NO TitleNo titleThere is no reason to walk away from a bike without a title. Just don't be stupid. The first thing to do is call your DMV and ask if they will run a 50-state check to see if the bike was reported stolen anywhere. Always keep track of the time (and money) you spend on everything mentioned here.
If the 50-state check comes back okay then you can move ahead. If the DMV guy calls you and tells you there is a problem or starts asking a lot of probing questions you can relax (as long as the bike is not at your house). Expect a police officer or someone else to show up to see if you have the bike. If it is a stolen vehicle, you don't want to be caught with it in your possession. They may make you tell them the name of the guy who was trying to sell it. Do it. You are not being a rat. You are being smart and avoiding being part of a crime. There are way more bikes with lost titles than were ever stolen. The 50-state check will probably come back okay. If it does you should be able to get a bonded title or something like it. In my state I think they call is a provisional title. You will not have been the first one to have a vehicle without a title. Every state has a process to work things out. They WANT every vehicle to have a title. Ask them what you need to do and then do it. There may be several options. Ask. It will take a little bit of doing but, remember its the government. Nothing can be easy or fast with a government agency. That's just the way it is. If a previous owner does show up to claim the bike you can file a lien against the bike (or just present the putative owner with copies of receipts, etc.) for the value of your time (hope you were keeping track) and money you have into the bike; reasonable storage fees would mean you had the bike in your possession. That should only happen AFTER the 50-state check comes back. If you did store it you should be compensated for it. This will be a rare occurrence. Anybody on this site ever have a previous owner show up to claim a bike with no title? It can and has happened, but, not nearly as often as we tend to fear. Another thought: If you run into someone who really helps you a lot, don't forget them. On the day you get your title you will be very happy. Channel some of that energy into calling the DMV and talking to the supervisor of the person who helped you so much. Tell the supervisor that the guy deserves a raise and a promotion. Believe me, that person who helped you will find out about your good report and they will be extremely helpful to the next guy that comes in needing a title for a 305. Plus it will prove Honda right: You Meet The Nicest People on a Honda!
Check here first, its easy and it will tell you if the bike has been reported stolen.
National Insurance Fraud Bureau https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_aw ... k/vincheck im currently going this route ... my state is a pain the A$% about titles, so creative paperwork it is! :)
http://www.chinonthetank.com/2014/04/ge ... istration/
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