Buying/selling a motorbike with no papers

[Map Maker]

Story is I bought a semi rare off road bike a couple years ago of a guy in BC.
It didn’t run, and he said it was a barn find.
They are hard to find so I bought it without any papers, just cash.

I wasn’t even sure if I could get it running so thought I could sell it for parts, worst case.

With buying some parts online, I got it running great and had my fun with it, now I think I would like to sell it whole.

I checked the VIN on the rcmp website and not listed as stolen.

Anyone ever dealt with this before? Do I contact icbc or Alberta registry?

It’s a 1981 ct110.

[Dean2]

Easy fix is to go get a License plate for the bike, this will give you registration but you will need a pink card and bill of sale, which I assume you have from the previous owner. That is all that is required, or you can let the next buyer do that with the bill of sale you give him. Since it is an off road machine if it was used on private property it never did need to be registered, only if you want to use it on crown land.

[Map Maker]

I have absolutely no papers at all. I gave him cash, he gave me the bike.
Handshake was it. I don’t even know the guys name or address anymore.

I assume it’s registered to someone in BC.
I guess I can start there.
I just thought if no one reported it stolen, then they can maybe just start a new registration.

From what I remember the guy saying is that it was from a farmer that just used it on his property.

[huntwat]

Have your wife/brother/ sister, whoever to right out a bill of sale for you.

[Trochu]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but can't you just sell it, write buddy a bill of sale, and done? Just tell him, or write on the bill, that you never registered it and only operated it on private land?

[Map Maker]

Great thanks.
That is what I will do, as that is all he would have done for me when I bought it.

[ctd]

Be careful just selling the bike.
I would get a previous owner record search done. Maybe do it for the province you bought it from.

If that turns up nothing then you will have to have a bill of sale for the new owner.
If you are registering it yourself then have a bill of sale written up by the "former" owner and go register the bike. Read between the lines here.
They should accept the bill of sale. If it was last registered out of province you will have to get a out of province inspection.

[kbobbeck]

just got a plate and registration for a snowmobile i bought in B.C. that came originally from Montana. Made bill of sale from wife to me...no problems at registry in Alberta

[Map Maker]

yep, gave the Registry a call.

As long as you are selling in Alberta, no papers are needed to sell the bike. Even if the bike is originally from BC.

[IronNoggin]

Good luck with this.
I am in sort of the same boat, with a 1980 CT110.
Got is from a buddy - no papers.
He never plated it, but now our rules require it to be so if it is used even on back country roads.
My Buddy has been chasing a registration from ICBC to the tune of hundreds of bucks and over two years.
They keep throwing constant roadblocks up, insisting he now locate the original owner (he bought it in 1981 from this fellow and has no idea where he may be or even if still alive at this point).
And round and round and round it goes.

And yes, all in the province that stands for Backwards Country BC.

Frustrated,
Nog

PS: I'll be watching this thread & pulling for you!

[Hunt4Ever]

[QUOTE=Map Maker;4341458]Story is I bought a semi rare off road bike a couple years ago of a guy in BC.
It didn’t run, and he said it was a barn find.
They are hard to find so I bought it without any papers, just cash.

I wasn’t even sure if I could get it running so thought I could sell it for parts, worst case.

With buying some parts online, I got it running great and had my fun with it, now I think I would like to sell it whole.

I checked the VIN on the rcmp website and not listed as stolen.

Anyone ever dealt with this before? Do I contact icbc or Alberta registry?

It’s a 1981 ct110.[/QUOTE

Do you have a listing?

[Trochu]

What kind of rare bike is it?

Maybe read the post you quoted. :)

"It’s a 1981 ct110."

[Okotok]

Bought an 82 CT 70 a few years back in Alberta. It had never been registered. I had to take it in for an inspection first and then had no problem registering it with just a bill of sale for the road. I did have to source and add the signal lights which were missing. Great little bikes.

[urban rednek]

Good luck with this.
I am in sort of the same boat, with a 1980 CT110.
Got is from a buddy - no papers.
He never plated it, but now our rules require it to be so if it is used even on back country roads.
My Buddy has been chasing a registration from ICBC to the tune of hundreds of bucks and over two years.
They keep throwing constant roadblocks up, insisting he now locate the original owner (he bought it in 1981 from this fellow and has no idea where he may be or even if still alive at this point).
And round and round and round it goes.

And yes, all in the province that stands for Backwards Country BC.

Frustrated,
Nog

PS: I'll be watching this thread & pulling for you!
If it was registered originally, the Vogons should have a name attached to the registration. Have your buddy ask the stodgy little bureaucrats if the VIN is in their system.
If it was never registered, the Vogons will have no record of who originally owned it. He bought it 40 years ago, any age appropriate seller will suffice...they can't prove or disprove the veracity of the bill of sale. :thinking-006:

[Zanzibar]

You will need to get an out of province inspection done, not every motorcycle shop has a mechanic that is certified to do them, but there should be a few around.

[Dean2]

You will need to get an out of province inspection done, not every motorcycle shop has a mechanic that is certified to do them, but there should be a few around.


Not if the bike was never registered, and not likely if it hasn't been registered in the last 30 years as the OP indicates. It has been an Alberta bike for 30+ years. OP already called registries and got the straight goods. Go down, register bike, done. Or let the buyer do it.



Map Maker yep, gave the Registry a call.

As long as you are selling in Alberta, no papers are needed to sell the bike. Even if the bike is originally from BC.

[tri777]

I will never get issues like this, I get Bills of sales for everything whether selling or buying.
I don't need the drama of a cop on my doorstep saying buyer/seller didn't receive payment/etc.
Two yrs ago I got looked at funny because I wanted bill of sell on 80 1X4" boards from private ad.
I want no part of buying anything stolen or having no proof of dealing with a contact with other ambitions.

[Cement Bench]

I will never get issues like this, I get Bills of sales for everything whether selling or buying.
I don't need the drama of a cop on my doorstep saying buyer/seller didn't receive payment/etc.
Two yrs ago I got looked at funny because I wanted bill of sell on 80 1X4" boards from private ad.
I want no part of buying anything stolen or having no proof of dealing with a contact with other ambitions.

I like your style and 100% agree

gave a bill of sale to a pull behind quad mower and the buyer thought I was nutz

3 months later as I kept a copy it was needed as a friend of their neighbors said they stole it from them

also had the original bill of sale

went and saw the cops and asked the idiots be charged

young cop said why

walked away after a brief yelling match

[Grizzly Adams]

I will never get issues like this, I get Bills of sales for everything whether selling or buying.
I don't need the drama of a cop on my doorstep saying buyer/seller didn't receive payment/etc.
Two yrs ago I got looked at funny because I wanted bill of sell on 80 1X4" boards from private ad.
I want no part of buying anything stolen or having no proof of dealing with a contact with other ambitions.

Some years back, people in Winnfield were getting smoking hot deals on all kinds of goodies, some of them pretty pricey. There were warning flags, but they chose to ignore them, till the cops showed up on their door steps. :D

Grizz

[Okotok]

Not if the bike was never registered, and not likely if it hasn't been registered in the last 30 years as the OP indicates. It has been an Alberta bike for 30+ years. OP already called registries and got the straight goods. Go down, register bike, done. Or let the buyer do it.

It would still need a safety inspection prior to being able to register it due to the age of it, at least that's what I had to do with my wife's CT70.

[Map Maker]

It would still need a safety inspection prior to being able to register it due to the age of it, at least that's what I had to do with my wife's CT70.

A safety for an off road bike?
I thought it just had to have working headlight, tail light and spark arrestor.

[Okotok]

A safety for an off road bike?
I thought it just had to have working headlight, tail light and spark arrestor.

Doh!! You could be right. I had dual sport in mind. Pretty sure the CT110 is a street trail bike as well but I'd think you could register it for off road only.