The titles your dirt bike carries have become more important than ever as buyers are becoming more educated and are able to find out just about anything they want to know about a dirt bike. Yes, they are common, and you usually need one if you want to transfer your ownership of a bike, car, truck, boat, or another vehicle. We hope this article on Titles for dirt bikes will ease some of that burden off your shoulders.
Titles for dirt bikes are an effective form of proof that the bike belongs to you. Dirt bike owners are more likely to sell their dirt bikes if they have titles and registration numbers on them. It’s best to look up what the state law is in your area before buying or selling a dirt bike. If you want to know all there is to know about titles, you need to check out the below article. There are tons of resources, but none of them tell you exactly what you need to know. That’s where you come in. Let’s start with the basics.
What is the Title?
A title is the official proof of ownership of a vehicle. The title tells the lender which party holds legal title to the vehicle. The lender must provide the title to the purchaser at the time of sale. It’s usually issued by the Secretary of State in each state where the vehicle in question was purchased from, and the title (sometimes called the pink slip) is issued through the Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV. If you don’t have a title, you’ll need to get a Title, in order to obtain your permit. Unfortunately, for everyone involved (as if a potential trip to the DMV wasn’t enough), the laws regarding titles vary from state to state.
Whether your state requires you to have an attorney or a notary present to complete your documents, you should check with your county clerk. The information is similar from state to state, and the appearance of the piece of paper varies. This information is pretty basic. It is information you will find on just about any vehicle title. It is important to understand the information so you don’t run into issues when purchasing a vehicle.
- The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
- Make and Model
- Year the vehicle was manufactured
- The license plate number
- The name and address of the owner
- The title of the person to whom money is owed on the vehicle (if applicable).
- Title number
- Taxation information
- This pink slip helps you prove that the vehicle (dirt bike, car, truck) belongs to you and is not stolen. If your bike is ever stolen, or if you’re accused of stealing another person’s bike, you can prove the bike was yours with a title.
New vs Old Dirt Bikes
Old Dirt Bikes
That’s just another sad story that unfortunately has happened to someone else. If you’re buying a dirt bike from someone, may be they don’t have the title on bike. They either lost it, or they were never given one when they bought it themselves. Some states require a title if a used dirt bike is being sold, so you’ll want to read the seller’s ad carefully to find out if this is an issue for the seller. It’s always better to buy a dirt bike from someone who actually has the title than to go the quick and dirty route.
If you want to buy a dirt bike, it’s best to use Google and look at all of the horror stories that others have had. It doesn’t take much to get a stolen vehicle (or even an illegally imported one) taken by the police, as many dealers don’t bother checking for proof of title before selling these items. That’s why it’s important to check for the title prior to making any purchase.
New Dirt Bikes
The new dirt bikes are a big deal. If there’s an upside to this story it’s the new dirt bikes. If you’re the first owner of your bike, it’s easy to get a title for it. That’s not true for most dirt bikes. Most come with titles that make them ready for action. If they aren’t street-legal, there’s no real reason to buy them. If the dirt bike you want to buy comes with a title, it will probably be street-legal.
Selling a Dirt Bike
If you’re selling a dirt bike, it probably has a good reason. You can be moving, need the money, or just hate the bike because it’s seemed to have bad luck. The best case scenario is when you’re using a bicycle for transportation, and making room for a new, better, more reliable bike in your life. If your reason for selling is because you need cash for an emergency, the easiest way to get it is through the stock market, as there are a lot of options, from the big banks and Wall Street, to the local
Title
Your first step in selling your dirt bike is to get the right documents. Get all the paperwork you’ll need in order before you list your bike. If they want to be sure you’re the actual owner, you need to provide them with a registration of title. People are not going to buy your bike unless you have what it takes to sell it. If you buy a bike that isn’t yours, it will get stolen, or you might have a bad experience with a scammer.
There is a good chance you will have a title, even if it’s just dirt bike racing in the local arena or race series. If you come street legal, you should be able to find something for you to race on. If you haven’t achieved a title, it’s time to get one! Whether you’re competing for first, second, or third place, you’ve got to work to obtain a championship. Dirt bikes don’t really come with them. Unless the person buying your dirt bike does their own research and some digging, they might not know that.
Finding a buyer
I recommend checking out local dirt bike clubs to find someone who might have a dirt bike that needs a new engine in it, and chances are they’re more honest than a random person on the internet. If something goes wrong with your order, Amazon will refund your money. Even if you’re scammed, you’ll still know where to go to get your money back. In-person selling can always be the way to go, but if this doesn’t work out, then you can always try Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
It’s online, which doesn’t give you the same level of protection against scammers, but it does give you the opportunity to reach a much larger potential audience, which is definitely to your advantage. When it comes to Facebook Marketplace, check the reviews of the buyer to make sure that they are real.
Paper Trail
Don’t hope! Make a record of everything you have done to your bike! That way, you can always look back and see what has and hasn’t been done to it. If you’ve worked on the bike yourself, it may be a bit harder to convince the person buying the bike that they need to perform the necessary regular maintenance. If you’ve found a buyer, you’ll want to make sure there is physical evidence that they bought the bike. This will ensure your safety and theirs as well.
Each state has different requirements regarding where you can ride your bicycle, so always check the rules regarding your area. Some states require a notary to be present for the sale. To see this one in action, try editing this post and clicking the checkbox below: What do you think? How does this question look to you? You’ll have to follow all the rules for your state, which could include sales tax and licensing. Be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Make sure you’ve got everything documented and signed before you buy. Don’t ever let this get in the way of what you have in mind.
Getting Paid
Dirt bikes aren’t cheap, and they don’t leave a record, but if that’s important to the two of you, you’ll want records. One of the safest ways to pay for dirt bikes is through a bank transfer. This process will make sure that there are no trails, and checks are generally frowned upon by the banks. The best way to pay for goods is via a bank transfer. Don’t ever take a check. If it isn’t from the bank you can easily get scammed. It’s easy to fake and you might lose a ton of money.
Buying a Dirt Bike
If the owner isn’t titled, you should never buy the bike if he hasn’t done these things. Even if the owner of the bike has the title, checking into their background will never hurt them. Check the VIN to make sure the bike isn’t registered as salvage, stolen, or any other thing that makes you, as the owner, look fishy. You can check the VIN number yourself, and if the seller refuses to show you the VIN, or gives you the run around, that’s a huge warning sign. It’ll have all the information you’ll be looking for, like the VIN, and once you buy the bike, you’ll be in possession of the title, which is proof of ownership.
Thank them for their time, and then tell them not to buy the bike from that guy. A cheaper bike is not worth all the hassle and trouble you might get into. You’ll find out about any liens on the bike if you want to, or you can leave it as is. I do not recommend buying a bike with a lien attached. You should always ask a seller if he has any outstanding debts on a product before you buy it. If he does, then you have just become responsible for paying for the balance owed. That information is also available on the title if the seller has it.
Look into whether you need to have your sale notarized.
Those states are:
- Arizona
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Wyoming
Use common sense and check the laws in your state to make sure you’re not breaking any rules, such as selling products to minors. Don’t assume you know what you need to do unless you’ve recently had experience buying used bikes in your state.
