DMV/ title question

[Mr. Toad]

So, I'm looking at a used Honda Ruckus ( a little moped). I think it'll be a great way to bypass the gates like at Tioga to get to some spring skiing before the road opens. Not to mention pick up all sorts of hot babes.

Here's the catch:

The original owner sold the moped to the current owner 2 months ago and signed and dated the title over to him. The current owner never submitted the title to the DMV for transfer of ownership. From what I understand, the title needs to be submitted within 5 days of transfer. The current owner thinks he can just give me the title and call it good.

Am I looking at a bureaucratic nightmare if I do this?

[Cruiser]

You ought to contact the DMV to ask them. In my experience the folks at the license plate office (ours are different from the drivers license offices in Colorado) are able to answer these sorts of questions pretty quickly. I sure wouldn't give dude a nickel until I had that worked out though.

[auvgeek]

^^+1, of course.

IIRC (in WA), if he just gives you the title, you'll need to pay the fee for not having registered it when it was originally dated. I would force him to register it in his name before he tries to sell it to you or it may get rather expensive (think the fee maxes out at like $100 or something).

[Flyoverland Captive]

Yep. ^^^. Might be sales tax implications from the original sale too. Call the DMV.

[climberevan]

CA is a bitch, but most states don't require registration for vehicles under 50cc displacement. Nor do they require the driver to have a motorcycle license.

More importantly, have you ridden a Ruckus at this altitude? Unless it's pretty hopped up (do-able) or is in fact a Big Ruckus (125cc), it's going to be pretty anemic here, and much worse trying to go uphill at 8k+. It may not even be able to do it with you and gear. I am a huge promoter of 2-wheeled transportation, but you have to acknowledge the influence of physics.

As a point of comparison, one of my motorycles has decent power here, and I enjoy going up Kingsbury at...the speed limit. When I take it to sea level, it does throttle wheelies so easily that it's startling--the difference is huge. Conversely, when I ride it over Ebbets, it is sort of pathetic.

You'd be better off either using a real motorcycle. I use mine as a spring approach vehicle with much success, and the ride to the access is extra-fun.

[davieboot]

If you are a AAA member, go into their office and ask. They tend to be really good at figuring these types of things out, and finding the best solution that costs you the least amount of money.

If you aren't a AAA member, sign up immediately. The amount of time it has saved me compared to dealing with DMV is shocking.

[flipsRscary]

Not filing the title with the DMV seems to be pretty common in CA. I've dealt with this (and more), and I wouldn't let it dissuade me from the really right deal. I would push on price for your trouble to sort if though.

Get a bill of sale filled out and signed by the seller (there's a nice form here:http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg135.htm) and you should be mostly fine. You may owe back fees, but I don't see them amounting to much.

Do pay attention to the notes on running an already low powered vehicle at altitude.

[Mr. Toad]

Thanks for all your replies.

[old goat]

You ought to contact the DMV to ask them. In my experience the folks at the license plate office (ours are different from the drivers license offices in Colorado) are able to answer these sorts of questions pretty quickly. I sure wouldn't give dude a nickel until I had that worked out though.

Contact the DMV? Clearly you don't know what the DMV is like in California. And Mr Toad, don't go into the DMV in Truckee. Last time my wife was there the clerk who was giving her a hard time just for amusement handed her a stack of complaint forms and told her to fill one out and give the rest to her friends. My wife had been thee 3 hours at that point.

[haydukelives]

Bypassing the gate at Tioga might cost you more than the bike

[climberevan]

Haha. When I need to go to the DMV I just walk in and maybe wait 5 minutes. After that they recognize me and I get whatever questions I need answered. Once they let me "sell" a vehicle to my wife at the counter to avoid back fees.

NV may be broke and filled with gun nut Romney voters, but sometimes its nice.