49 state hawk in California

[bruceb47]

I have a Hawk that I bought here in California. It came from Texas originally. The owner never registered here in Cal. He died suddenly in his forties. His mother, who is a resident of Texas, got stuck with the bike. She knew I was into bikes and I offered to buy it. She had to deal with her son’s estate in Texas and had the title transferred into her name. I tried to transfer title here in Cal and was refused. I should have known this, but just sort of spaced it out.
The only way I can find in is a clause in Cal law that says if a person inherits the bike they can title it here. Unfortunately I’m stuck with a Texas title.
Anybody got any ideas how I. An get through the system. I love this bike.
Thanks

[bk94si]

good luck. California has some weird laws regarding non-CA smog compliant bikes. Do they have some kind of vintage exemption? The bike is pretty old.

[Captain 80s]

Yeah... I know somebody going thru HELL trying to get a 1982 CB1100R registered in CA. They wanted letters from Honda stating that the bike (that VIN) was CA compliant in 1982. Yeah... right. Finally decided he's gonna register in another state. Wasn't worth the hassle.

Ask Rogue555 about his VFR too.

[6]

Yeah... I know somebody going thru HELL trying to get a 1982 CB1100R registered in CA. They wanted letters from Honda stating that the bike (that VIN) was CA compliant in 1982. Yeah... right. Finally decided he's gonna register in another state. Wasn't worth the hassle.

Ask Rogue555 about his VFR too.

CA sounds like a nightmare. An absolute nightmare on most fronts but weather.

[Superdukerider]

If the bike has over 7500 miles, it should not be an issue registering in CA. California compliance only becomes an issue if you buy a new bike which by definition vehicles with 7500 miles or less

[BillnOroville]

Sometimes going to a different DMV can solve your problem. I bought a 1986 SRX 600 with Oregon title. DMV said it probably has a hidden Vin number and said I had to have a CHP do a vin number verification on it since they know where the hidden Vin number would be. I got appointment then CHP said there was no hidden vin and signed off on it. Went back to DMV and got a CA title and registration.

[harpo]

I have a Hawk that I bought here in California. It came from Texas originally. The owner never registered here in Cal. He died suddenly in his forties. His mother, who is a resident of Texas, got stuck with the bike. She knew I was into bikes and I offered to buy it. She had to deal with her son’s estate in Texas and had the title transferred into her name. I tried to transfer title here in Cal and was refused. I should have known this, but just sort of spaced it out.
The only way I can find in is a clause in Cal law that says if a person inherits the bike they can title it here. Unfortunately I’m stuck with a Texas title.
Anybody got any ideas how I. An get through the system. I love this bike.
Thanks

My question would be can you "inherit" the Hawk from the former owner or someone from out side of CA? What do they what to see for documents? Sometimes ,the guys that do grey imports have some tricks to get bikes licensed.

[Captain 80s]

The Mother got it from the Estate, in her name. Then sold it with a Texas title. What happens now is up to the state it is trying to be registered/titled in.

[bones]

CA sounds like a nightmare. An absolute nightmare on most fronts but weather.

When my Dad and I put YOM (Year of Manufacture) plates on our Rickenbacker, it took 3 trips to the DMV to get the plates transferred to the car.
Plates are original 1926 CA plates that had been restored to look like new. But it took about 10 hours total to get the plates transferred to the car.
It was a branch manager that finally got the plates done.
And I still get charged a 'special plate fee' every year on the registration.

CA DMV sucks donkey balls.

[BillnOroville]

From my experience from many years ago my boss at the time sold me a 1979 Yamaha 750 OHC triple. I took the papers to DMV and talked to a clerk there. He told me it had not been registered since 1992. He said 619.00 back fees plus sales tax if I bought it. My boss sold it to me for 300.00. When I took the paperwork back to DMV I got a different clerk. She said "wow" over 600 back fees. I said year that really hurts. She lowered it to 300.00. I said "THANK YOU". I game my boss 100.00 more for the bike. It need some work.

I once bought a grey import VFR400R but I was wise to make sure the owner had a real CA pink and registration for it. No problem at all to transfer that bike in CA. They didn't need to see it.

[6]

From my experience from many years ago my boss at the time sold me a 1979 Yamaha 750 OHC triple. I took the papers to DMV and talked to a clerk there. He told me it had not been registered since 1992. He said 619.00 back fees plus sales tax if I bought it. My boss sold it to me for 300.00. When I took the paperwork back to DMV I got a different clerk. She said "wow" over 600 back fees. I said year that really hurts. She lowered it to 300.00. I said "THANK YOU". I game my boss 100.00 more for the bike. It need some work.

I once bought a grey import VFR400R but I was wise to make sure the owner had a real CA pink and registration for it. No problem at all to transfer that bike in CA. They didn't need to see it.

I find it nuts that when you buy a bike or car you are responsible for covering the last owners debt.

How many viable vehicles are out there where no one can own it because the $ owed is worth more than the vehicle cost?

[gregj]

Sometimes going to a different DMV can solve your problem. I bought a 1986 SRX 600 with Oregon title. DMV said it probably has a hidden Vin number and said I had to have a CHP do a vin number verification on it since they know where the hidden Vin number would be. I got appointment then CHP said there was no hidden vin and signed off on it. Went back to DMV and got a CA title and registration.

I would also try a different DMV. But first, you didn't say what is the reason for the refusal. If it's an out-of-state bike, which it would appear to be, since the title holder (mother) presumably has given you a bill of sale or other document showing that she sold it to you (maybe she needs to go to the Texas DMV and get a title and transfer it over to you?), and it's old enough to be exempt from the CA emissions rules, I'm not sure what the problem is.

[bubatrucking]

Do not go to the dmv direct go to one of those title transfer that offer vin verification. You pay a little more but things get done.

[bruceb47]

Thanks for all the advice concerning registering this bike in Calif. on the most recent post from Bubbatrucking what did you mean referring to a title transfer place.
I know of a DMV located in a auto repair shop in a small town in my area I might try. They have a friendly reputation. Instead of presenting the Texas title for transfer I thinking of using the bill of sale I got from her. I could say that I do t know where the bike came from. The fly in the ointment here is how do I prove the bike isn’t stolen?

[bones]

I think what someone has said meant to get the bike completely transferred into your name in Texas and then just bring the reg and pink to Calif DMV and have the title transferred to Calif.
That may be easier than trying to transfer ownership and state registration at the same time.