HELP ME (USA)! Have just bought US reg'd bike in Argentina!

[MaxVolt]

Please help me. Hi I'm Max, 28, from New Zealand, I am currently in Argentina.
After months of searching I finally found an Alaskan registered KLR650 and bought it off an Israeli guy last week who had riden it down from Alaska.

Before he left the country we planned to take the ferry to Uruguay so I could enter on a new Temporary Import paper under my name.
However he did not have time to wait for me to send the papers to a friend in California to transfer title to my name so we visited customs and asked their advice.

We said he was "gifting" me the bike so no money was being transfered.
We said I needed this Temp. Import paper in my name so that I would be able to leave the Argentinian border.
Customs said all I needed to do was go to a lawyer and get a notarization paper, officially stamped etc, explaining that I am the new owner and that I have permission to ride the bike and also leave the country with it.

This sounded great! It only took 3 days in sweaty cross town Buenos Aires traffic to sort it all out, buy a tent and make it to the HU meeting in Viedma!

I also FedEx the Title papers to my friend in California (along with my drivers licence/letter of authorization/photocopy of passport) so she could take them into the DMV, prepare the new Title in my name and FedEx them back to me in Argentina (she had previously called DMV to ask if it was possible - they said yes on the phone).

Then I figured with 1) the Title in my name, 2) a Notarized letter confirming me the owner (in place of the previous owners name on the Temp. Import) and 3) my Argentine and neighboring countries insurance I would be sweet to cross the border out of Argentina get my new Temp Import into Chile then from then on I'd be home free, enjoying my ride of a lifetime.

Well, talking with Javier from Dakar Motos at this weekend's HU meeting, he wasn't convinced the Notarization would necessarily fly with the customs officers at the border so he suggested finding the smallest most isolated (hopefully without a computer) border crossing and hope for the best.

So this was the plan, stressing me out over the weekend with thoughts of having my bike confiscated buy customs if it didn't work, after months of pain trying to get it in the first place. That was until I found out today that DMV California won't issue new Title papers in my name without seeing the bike to confirm the VIN!

So what I really need to solve ASAP is this title in my name.
Does ANYONE have advice/solution to this????
Either advice about being able to change bike title in another state without the bike being there so that I can try that, or any other helpful solutions???
At this stage it looks like I will lose my new travelling buddies as they continue on to Ushuaia, and I will be stuck, unable to cross the border, lonely and depressed for Christmas.

Please any help as soon as possible, and I will have s ready for delivery.

Max

[garrydymond]

Check this site TravellingStrom's Blog he details how he changed ownership of his bike to someone else when he sold it Argentina. i know his bike was registered originally in California. I don't know what happened after the new owner, from the states, bought it but never heard any bad news.
I hope this helps.

[John Downs]

Hi Max,

Alas, there is no easy solution to your problem. At least no legal solution to your problem. All U.S. states that I have registered bikes in require the bike to be present to physically check that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) matchs the title.

No reason you can't enjoy Argentina to the fullest until the TVIP expires. It sounds like you have written permission from the previous owner. The only people I know who have successfully transferred title to a U.S. bike in your area did so by illegal means or by traveling to Paraguay. Both of these options are likely out of the question for you. Others may have suggestions that don't involve duplicate passports and Photoshop.

You hear about people buying travelers U.S. bikes in South America, so there is a common misconception that it is possible to do legally. I think it would be nice if you report back on your experiences, if for no other reason than as a cautionary tale to travellers who follow in your footsteps.

Best luck,
John Downs

[markharf]

If what you need is a title in your name, the answer is Photoshop. Resistance is futile.

I got a PM from your riding companion. I've got nothing more for you than the above suggestion, but you can learn everything you need about registration requirements in each of the 50 states by Googling them one at a time. You might also do a search on the HUBB for past threads addressing the usual issues--like which states are more lenient, which are impossible to work with.

Me, I would not have let the seller out of my sight until I'd imported the bike in my own name. You can always send a title off to the other side of the world later on, but you don't want to put your money down without receiving the merchandise as promised.

FWIW, I seem to recall that TravelingStrom's buyer had some sort of trouble legalizing the bike, sooner or later. Maybe I got this part wrong.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

[peter-denmark]

I agree that Photoshop is the solution.

Just make up a title for the bike and colorprint it on both sides. Then laminate it.

You can never go to the states with the bike, but all of central and south america is no problem at all.

The really dont know what to look for and they loooovvvveee laminated paper

You won't be able to obtain insurance in many of the countries anyways.

I only showed a colorscan of my title at all border crossings (hiding the real one in a secret place) and no one even lifted an eyebrow.

Just get riding and don't worry!

[bigalsmith101]

On December 3rd, in Buenos Aires, going via the ferry to Uruguay, and using a photo-shopped copy of my original title showing the new owners name instead. When peter-denmark says he only showed a color copy of his title, I believe him as I did the same for 11 of 13 border crossings.

We had no issues. When I replied to your cry for help with title agencies last time, and told you to email me with any questions, I wasn't joking.

As for now, if you are in dire need of a US registered title, and are unwilling to photoshop your own creation, it IS possible to create a legitimate title in Washington State for a motorcycle, and I can help you with this.

I did this for an Israeli guy who bought his KLR in Colombia and is now in LAS VEGAS, proving that his title reached his hands, and he entered the US legally, on a valid title.

AND I DID I FROM OUTSIDE THE USA.

So, email me at bigalsmith101(at)gmail(dot)com

or skype call me at 425-903-2632

I CAN solve your problem at my local department of licensing and get a new title for you. The only issue being that you will have to wait about a month for the new title.

SO. GET A HOLD OF ME.

--Alex

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by markharf

FWIW, I seem to recall that TravelingStrom's buyer had some sort of trouble legalizing the bike, sooner or later. Maybe I got this part wrong.


Mark

The only issue was that the rego needed renewing before the title transfer could go ahead, I paid the rego for another 12 months, then I left it up to him to do the title transfer as I was now back home in Oz and out of the equation. I had NO inclination to buy any bike insurance as it would have cost me a small fortune.

Whatever he did, he was lazy, so not much, I do know that the bike is now back in SA and is being worked on by Javier at Dakarmotos


If you do not have the ORIGINAL title, DON'T do the transfer, that was the only issue with my transfer, getting a replacement copy of the Title.

Cheers
TS

[SenorBoludo]

In washington state you do not need a motorcycle present to title, at least at the main dmv in Seattle (maybe another might ask for it, but why would the head office in the largest city not care but another would)? I know this from personal experience, i did it myself in 2008, and am about to do it a second time. I called and spoke to a woman at the dmv, explained that the bike and the other owner would NOT be present, and she said that was fine. I quote "we're really laid back up here in Washington".

I will report back again after i do it again in about 2 weeks to confirm.