Frame Question

I've got a winter project bike that i'm working on. The bike is a 1983 XJ900R. Long story short i've been trying to title the bike but since the owner lost the title it's going to cost me another 95 dollars to first make a duplicate title under his name that must be transfered for 95 dollars to my name. On top of that i can't even get the duplicate title made until i pay for a tracking company to hunt down the last license plate number of the bike.
IT'S A BIG MESS.
I saw a 1982 maxim 1100 frame on ebay and was wondering how much of a difference is there between bikes? Would i be able to swap over frames easily, or would i have restamp the VIN?

 

Not that I'm or many here would condone it...

If you live in a state w/o bike inspections, very few if any cops would ever check your vin (especially if you transferred the vin sticker and/or re-stamped it).

However you'd be screwing the next buyer over even more.

As far as using the other frame probably not a swappable fit, but others can comment on that.

EDIT: And all that assumes the TITLED frame is cheaper than your expected expenses of doing it right/legal with your frame.

 

Whenever i got stopped on my Kawasaki, the cops have NEVER checked the VIN, but then again, they've never had a reason to.
As far as the resale of this bike, i don't plan on selling it. EVER.
This is going to be MY RESTORATION. They'll have to pry the handlebars from my cold dead hands before i plan on getting rid of this one.

 

What state are you in and why do you need the last plate number? In MA, if the last owner can get a duplicate title, and then sign it over to you, it's a done deal. Title means ownership, registration means you can drive it on the road (i.e. have insurance and can currently pass inspection).

If you are already that attached...whats an extra $190 between friends ;-) . It's really only $95 more than it would have been anyway, you have to title it either way in your name. Also in MA, duplicate titles are less than have the cost of transfering the title

 

I'm in Illinois. That's not the case, just to get a duplicate title you need the last plate number along with expiration since it hasn't been registered in over 10 years. This bike's been sitting in the guys garage since like 1990 he said.

 

Got any friends in the SW corner of Michigan? They can title it pretty much for asking. Then just "buy" it from them.

 

There ya go. Easy-squeezy over here, we're not that far away.

And sorry, the Maxim has a wholly different frame than the Seca.

 

I have a 1982 XJ1100 frame you can have, all you have to do is come get it. Was titled a few years ago in Dallas, TX from what the PO told me. Anywya, it's a nice stright, clean frame with the VIN and the white VIN label still attached.

 

Frames are completely different, and besides........for $95---- you're going to end up with a bike that is worth a whole lot more than that.

FWIW, I have had bikes sit here for a few years before being able to get the title process completed. Is it worth the frustration? The wait? Well.....I work on it a bit, and when frustrated, I stop and let the bike sit. Then when I get the wind again....I pick up where I left off. Sometimes it takes a lot of hounding, pestering, etc... to get a PO to get the papers done. Sometimes what works is to remind them that " since the bike is still titled in their name, they are the ones that would be held liable if anything happens > Yeah, they may have sold the bike, but until the paper is actually signed over and in the new owners' hand the transaction is not really complete and liability is not assumed by the (not-yet)owner". It's worked for me more than once, especially when you get someone who hears thatand quickly goes into panic-mode. Funny, a title shows up readily.

As I write this, I have one that I'm waiitng for. They said they had the title right there, I went to pick up the bike, and they 'couldn't find it the title at the moment',so I got them to agree to let me take the bike and hold the money til they give me the title.. That was August...at Thanksgiving they 'hadn't had a chance to go up to the other house and look for it yet'. Now it's December...I have the bike, I have the money, and they won't get any of it til I get the paper. Yup, in the meantime I can't do anything with the bike, but with 2.5 ft of snow on the ground now, I won't be doing anything right away anyway.

Good luck, you're not alone................

Dave Fox