Getting a title in PA--International Title Service?

[astehn]

Hi all,

I've got my 82 GS850 to the point where it might even pass inspection, and so I went to get it titled today. New to the state of Pennsylvania, I had no idea that my paperwork was going to give me trouble. I have the original title (1984) and it's signed over to me, but it was never notarized. I didn't even know it had to be. The guys at the tag place said that the record for the title had been "purged" and that legally the bike still belonged to the original owner and they couldn't help me. They said either: 1) Find the original owner or 2) get a court order, which will end up costing more than what I paid for the bike.

I don't have a clue how to get in touch with the original owner, so I've been looking around online for alternatives to getting a court order. Anyone have any experience using International Title Service? In particular, are there any folks who have experience working with the Pennsylvania DMV to get something like this done? I've just spent the last hour looking at their website, and I can't figure out any way to get a title for it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated,
Alex

[earlfor]

Some states dont require a title on a bike over xx years old. I guess you could get a favor from someone on the GSR that lives in one of those states to register the bike in their name and then "sell" it to you for $1.
Most states have a reciprocal agreement to title from states that dont require a title and only a bill of sale.

You could buy a titled junk bike, but you would have to transfer everything to that frame.

Its not legal to have a "friendly" notary stamp your title,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hmmmm

Earl

[frosty5011]

If you can't get around the "notarizing" deal, then look into getting a surety bond on the bike.

Your local DMV office may not be able to help you with this, or even know what the hell you're talking about. Start right off with the state DMV. Tell them your situation. If the process is the same as here in AL, then they'll do the following:

1. Send you a form to fill out (Why you cannot get title, how you came into possession of the bike, bike info, etc.)

2. Upon receipt of the form, they either "Yeah or Nay" it. If they approve, which in your case should be a no-brainer, they send you a special form, that says for how much you need to get the bike boneded for (usually 2 or 2.5 times the blue book value). You take that form, take it to an insurance office which does surety bonds for titles, and you pay them a minimal fee ($100 max) as a premium for the bond. They then give you the surety bond, which you take to your local DMV office and wave in their faces.

3. After waiting around at your local DMV office for 45 minutes or so, while they call the state and ask what the hell it is that you have just given to them, they then register your bike, and give you tags.

4. After two years, assuming nobody has come in the meantime and claimed (as well as proven) that your bike is stolen, they give you a new title in your name.

PS - Entire process took me 8 days using snail-mail.

[Tarbash 27]

THE LAST POSSIBLE THING IF ALL ELSE FAILS IS TO BUY A FRAME WITH A TITLE OFF EBAY OR SOMETHING AND SWAP PARTS.

[snark]

My friend is going through International Title Service right now for his bike in PA. Use them. Its easier and once your done your done. No waiting for a bond (which I don't think they do here in PA.

[RabbidRetard]

i'm gonna have the same damn problem... i'm lookin forward to that!!

[lberkhei]

I used ITS about 2 years ago for my GS250. It wasn't difficult at all; they eventually sent me a bill of sale, from Maine, along with a letter from Maine indicating titles weren't required for older bikes there. My situation was a lot like yours; I actually had a good PA title for the bike, signed, but not notarized, by that owner. But it had been sold to someone in Maryland who never titled it there; I bought it from the Marylander. I used my local AAA for the final PA registration process; good people, but we missed one item in filling out the paperwork for PA; PENNDOT sent it back; we had to fill in that space, notarize it, and resubmit it. That worked.

For Earl and the others not familiar with PA; titles are required for all vehicles, regardless of age. Notaries (at least in my area) used to be pretty flexible, but have gotten a lot more strict over the past decade or so. I had talked to three different notaries before I gave up and went the ITS route.

[astehn]

Thanks for the advice; Update

Hi all,

Just wanted to thank everyone who posted with advice. I've resigned myself to using ITS if it comes down to it, thanks to people's recommendations. But 1st, I paid 10 bucks to one of those internet people finder sites to get listings for the name printed on the original title. I found him, and his old address, but no current phone number, and no way to tell which of the 7 addresses in his name was current. But I have managed to talk to his cousin's wife, just by dialing all the people with his last name. She was a real gem, and is going to call me back soon (hopefully) with his contact info. So hopefully, I'll be able to save myself the $125 to use ITS.

Thanks,
Alex

[Anonymous]

Good luck ... you should get a job with the Penn State Alumni Association - they seem to have a knack on tracking me down.

There was a ride I would do on my bike (pedal powered, not motorcycle) when I was in Happy Valley - up North Atherton (West Business 322).
Right on 550 (Buffalo Run Rd).
Left onto Julian Pike Rd.
Up and over the mountain, down into Julian to 220.
Lot of nice roads back there.

- Tony

[duaneage]

I live in Delaware and we are not required to notorize titles. I feel your pain, it is such a hassle to transfer vehicles in PA, plus they collect sales tax and that is part of the Notory Trap

It's reall something how a state can collect sales tax over and over again because something is sold. The first owner pays the most and the subsequent owners continue to feed the state.

[renobruce]

Get a buddy with a tow company or a body shop/mechanic shop and do a lien sale on the bike. Check and see how that works in PA. It might be less money and less hassle.

[snark]

To enforce a mechanic's lein you need an order from a magistrate in PA. The ITS way is probably the easiest and cheapest. If you want to save some money on the title transfer...go to your local councilman's office. They usually handle the paperwork for free and all you pay is the $22.50 title free and the sales tax which shouldn't be nuch for a bike that old.