More on titles for old dirt bikes.

[ShawnR]

Like a lot of people, I have a couple of older dirtbikes in the barn (1976 and 1985). Of course, neither of them have titles. There is now a law requiring you to have a title to legally sell it.

This is from the Ohio BMV website:

TITLING OF APV's AND OFF-HIGHWAY MOTORCYCLES

All dealer sales of APV's and off-highway motorcycles are required to be titled in the purchasers name. Any Ohio resident that purchases a APV or off-highway motorcycle and intends to apply for registration to use the vehicle on Federal, State or County parklands must already have an Ohio title prior to applying for registration. As of October 1, 2005, House Bill 66 states in part "Anyone wishing to sell an APV must have a Certificate of Title and assign it to a new owner." Contact your local Clerk of Courts title office for further information.

I sent a nice detailed letter to the Ohio BMV with details and VIN numbers and they sent back a letter for each bike indicating that I needed to get a court order to issue a title. This was expected.

Here in Morrow county we have 2 judges and neither of them will do it. The clerk of courts said that "it takes too much time and they won't do that". Isn't that your freakin' job?

Knox county says I need to get a lawyer and petition the court to issue a title. Even if I figure out how to do that myself, there is a $100 filing fee.

WTF? They bikes are only worth about $600 total. This sucks.

Has anybody here successfully jumped through these hoops and got a title?

[socaln8tv]

stupid. and a waste of time. just so they can fill their coffers.

[siggywiggy]

yeah, its a scam..nearly impossible to get...plus if you venture out onto a back road, you lose your license like i did for something ridiculous

[redkow97]

is there a reason you're concerned about a 'legal' sale?

unless someone is trying to put the bikes on the street, I can't think of a scenario where they'd need a title for a dirt bike.

you get pulled over with the bike(s) on a trailer, and explain to the officer that they're pre 198X - what's he going to say?

i mean, if the cop is a total douche, he might be able to impound the bikes, and you'd have to go to court, explain the same thing you just said here, and then the presiding judge might actually help you out in getting a proper title.

[ShawnR]

I was mainly trying to "play the game" the right way and sell them with titles.

It just ticks me off when they go an require something that is nearly impossible to actually get done. You are basically forced to break the law by selling without a title.

Note: A bill of sale is a completely worthless peice of paper according to the BMV.

[redkow97]

It just ticks me off when they go an require something that is nearly impossible to actually get done.

agreed. you're being penalized for trying to follow the rules, rather than rewarded for your efforts.

<insert your own politic reference here >

[Angrish]

Yes,420 has I'll call him and tell him to post up and tell you how he did it.

[buildit]

I went through a similar issue with a row boat my dad had given me from KY. In the end I wrote the driector of Natural Resources and complained that the law could not be complied with and I was therefore wishing to file a complaint with the Attorney General. I was contacted in two days and recieved an official permit for the boat shortly afterwards as they did not have a provision for watercraft gifted from out of state.

I suppose if you really wanna stir the pot you should file an online complaint with the AG similar to the one I threatened to file. Use the govn't against itself.

Your 1976 bike might fall into a historic class and be able to be titled as such? Take a piece of paper and do a pencil rub of the stamped vin and anything else stamped on the bike. Digital images might work too especially if there is a date of manufacture on the bike.