So, I'm going to be getting a scooter soon (150cc when i can find one I like) and entertained the idea of doing what I'm actually supposed to and registering the damn thing and getting liability for it. Everyone I've talked to, friends and sellers of the scooters I've looked at so far, have said that I really shouldn't worry about doing that, that it won't be an issue, that they haven't, etc.

On top of that, I'm under the impression I need a properly transferred title to actually register it and most of the scooter sellers I'm talking to tell me that I don't need to worry about getting the title transferred when I buy the scooter, that I just need a bill of sale (and one guy didn't even have the title in his name... it was still from the previous owner). Unlike buying a used car, these people pretty much disregard the whole normal sales process. Its frustrating.

I guess this is a two part question really... is there ANYBODY on here who has gone ahead and registered their scooter > 50cc just to be compliant or does everyone pretty much ride with the assumption that it will never matter. I feel like if I go through a checkpoint and start to get asked about it, or worse, cause/get involved in an accident, I really should have my ass covered. I don't know the risks, such as whether or not I could lose my license, or just face a fine or what. Second, what do I do if I do have title issues, like the title isnt under their name or something? Can I just buy it from them, get some record of the sale and take it to the DMV and say, "Hey, I bought this from a guy who never had it registered or kept up with the paperwork. Can I register it now?"

Maybe this is why people never bother with registering. I don't know. It's just the big question mark hanging over my head right now while I'm looking to get into this. I haven't run into these issues before for other used car purchases. Thanks for the advice.



[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 12:36 AM. Reason : Sorry for such a noob ass question, i searched but couldnt find anything]

10/9/2009 12:34:44 AM

You can probably buy a weak motorcycle with a whistle clean title cheaper than a scooter...especially in month or so.

10/9/2009 12:43:55 AM

Truth. If you want more power than a 50cc, there's really no reason at all to not just go ahead and get a 250cc motorcycle. I had a nighthawk for about a year and it kicked ass. It was weak as shit, but plenty quick enough to keep up with normal traffic or even short highway stints(not for the weak of heart). I don't mean to judge, though, maybe you're missing a left hand or something. Or just a bitch.

10/9/2009 1:27:05 AM

Quote :

"On top of that, I'm under the impression I need a properly transferred title to actually register it and most of the scooter sellers I'm talking to tell me that I don't need to worry about getting the title transferred when I buy the scooter, that I just need a bill of sale"

you are correct. these sellers are morons. a bill of sale for any auto/moto/scoot isn't worth the paper it's printed on in nc (but can be applicable/useful for other things such as boats/trailers/atv's). the title stuff better be in perfect order as well, they'll send you back out the door over the tiniest discrepancy. you also need proof of insurance to register anything as well. you don't need it just to transfer the title, though. i've purchased vehicles from probably 8-10 different states, and nc is far and away the most complicated to deal with.

personally, i would just make sure to get a clean title, but i wouldn't bother to register it. just strip it of any obvious signs that it's a 150, like decals, license plate mount, etc. you'd have to be pretty damn unlucky to get a citation otherwise. even if you were caught, assuming everything else was in order and no other extenuating circumstances, worst case you get a "fix it" ticket for not having it registered. 99% of the time that simply involves showing up with proof of registration by the court date, and it's dropped.

[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 2:01 AM. Reason : some good dmv info compiled here: ?topic=522102 if a mod will bump i'll add more stuff]

10/9/2009 1:52:01 AM

Quote :

"i've purchased vehicles from probably 8-10 different states, and nc is far and away the most complicated to deal with. "

Truth. I've probably bought stuff (probably a dozen and a half different man-toys) in about a half-dozen different states, and I agree: NCDMV is a pain in the ass even by DMV standards.

I'm not sure I've ever once gone into a NCDMV and gotten everything taken care of properly on the first try. If I have, then it is by FAR the exception rather than the rule. Even when I've called and talked to them beforehand to make sure everything is in order before I drive over and wait in line, it still usually gets fucked up in some way, and I have to come back.

by far the worst was my first motorcycle, which had a lost title which I'd gotten an indemnity bond to cover. The price was right on the bike (free), but that's about the only way I'd bother with that shit again. It must've taken 10 trips to get it taken care of, and untold hours of standing in line.

Also, I've never bothered to get my tandem-axle trailer registered or even titled in my name (I still have the WA title from the guy I bought it from). They want me to have it inspected by some fucking NC trailer inspector that I have to make an appointment with, THEN come back and tangle with the DMV to get it registered. Fuck that--I'm a busy man and am not going to waste my precious time with that sort of silliness.


and holy fuck, boat registration is a pain in the ass, too. That's done through the Wildlife department. You can do a 1-year registration, but most of the places I've seen that register boats (gas stations, stores, etc...the kinds of places you'd get a hunting license) only do 3-year registrations...which I did, knowing that I might not keep my jet ski for that long, just because I didn't want to fuck with tracking down and going to a place that did the 1-year stuff.

THEN, you are supposed to go to the DMV--totally seperate entity and process--to register the trailer. I've never bothered with my jet ski trailer, for the same reason that I've never bothered with my flatbed trailer. That's just a bridge of ricockulousness too far, and I'm not bothering with it.

[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 3:11 AM. Reason : ]



[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 3:16 AM. Reason : ]

10/9/2009 3:04:06 AM

oh yeah, and wildlife can be real sticklers on the water as well if they decide to stop you and make sure you're compliant with safety equipment, etc.

as for the trailers, just say they're borrowed from a friend/family member in south carolina. they don't require trailers to be registered/tagged. i will say there is one very positive thing ncdmv does for trailers now. you can get a lifetime tag. i'm not sure if it's gone up, but it was $75 when i got my car trailer a couple of years ago. never have to worry about registration again. i think yearly fees are about $20, so one pays for itself pretty easy. hell, just not having the hassle of renewing each year is worth it to me. i can't say it's definitely true, but the guy at the place that built my trailer said you can also transfer the lifetime tags to another trailer for $15.

i'm curious why they said your trailer needed to be inspected if you've got a valid title for it? i've had them tell me the same kind of b.s. on the phone for various things, but when you actually show up and everything is in order they go ahead and process it. case in point, the original post/topic in the thread i linked above. some of them also like to try and tell you that even if the state the title was issued in doesn't require notarization, you have to do it since nc requires it. it's absolutely not true, though, and a request to speak with a supervisor solves it. the deal is that due to all the title washing in recent years from flood cars and a general rise in theft/fraud has caused dmv's, and nc in particular, to change policy and put everything coming in from out of state under a microscope to cover their ass.

back to your specific case, it sounds like they're trying to make you go through the process of titling a "homebuilt" trailer. it's really not that bad to go through. if the trailer has any sort of i.d. or serial numbers on it, remove or cover them. the dmv will give you a number to put on the trailer. stamp it with dies, write it with a weld bead, whatever. then all you have to do is get the mvr-15 (i think that's the number) form signed off. unless policy has changed, the inspection/signature can come from ANY shp/dmv officer. go to the local shp barracks, pull into a weigh station, flag one down at krispey kreme, etc. the inspection is hardly any big deal. they just make sure the number is visible/"permanent" and that there are no glaring safety concerns like bald tires, no lights, etc. however, if you've got a wa title and everything is filled out correctly according to wa's guidelines, there is no reason they can deny it. they can only make you go through the inspection process if it's coming from a state that doesn't require title/tags or it's homebuilt.

10/9/2009 4:40:36 AM

there is probably some unwritten police rule to take it easy on motorcycle and scooter riders. i wouldn't worry about it if i were you. and like blueram said you'll need proof of insurance to register...why waste the money

10/9/2009 7:42:01 AM

I mean, say I bought a 250cc scooter... it's basically the same as a 250 motorcycle, just a different body. Though the following was fed to me buy a guy I didn't particularly like, he had a point. To sum it up, he said that because I never had experience with dirt bikes or motorcycles before, that it would probably be a bad idea to go straight to a motorcycle, even a weak one. He was being all pompous about it, but he had a point. I don't really have any experience with this, so I think it would be easier to get familiar with a lighter weight, less powerful motorized 2-wheel mode of transportation that I don't have to worry about shifting or whatever.

That, along with the lower price point, I think a scooter is the way to start out, though as I've read many times, if it's for me, I will quickly want to transition up to a motorcycle. Hypothetically, say I get caught riding the 150 without insurance and registration, Is a ticket for not having it insured the worst that would probably happen? I know it's something that's ridiculously common, I'm just neurotic like that. If I could drop an extra $100 bucks and have everything done properly, it's worth it to me not to worry about it. If it's going to be a huge pain in the ass though, I'll probably forego it.

As for the price thing, the scooter I'm looking at is a lot cheaper than the bikes I've seen, otherwise I'd prob not do it. I'll probably move up eventually, but I'd just like to get my feet wet without dropping $2k (I'll wait til I have a real job to do that).




[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 9:34 AM. Reason : i wish I was normal and could just not give a fuck ]

10/9/2009 9:10:42 AM

i went straight to a gsx-r 600. never road a dirt bike or anything b4. and i was 18.

I lived.

10/9/2009 9:33:27 AM

^ and to be honest, I have a pretty good grasp of that sort of thing. My wife (as I've seen) should start out on a folding princess scooter and gradually work her way up if she were to drive one of those things, but I'm a relatively large guy, I know the weight wouldn't be an issue, it's just one of those things that I would want to ride a friend's before committing to buy one, and I have no friends with a (working) bike

It's something I've considered, and if I cant find a scooter I like for cheap, I'll consider moving my price point up and finding a used cruiser or something. I would just hate to put a lot of money into up front only to realize it's not for me and have to sell it all again.

10/9/2009 9:41:58 AM

So just as an update. I bought a scooter... a nice, inexpensive 150 cc and it's in pretty good condition. It's not marked anywhere that it's 150cc though on the body, nor does it say it on the title, so I figure if I get stopped, they'd pretty much have to take the thing apart to see if it's >50. That makes me feel a little better about doing what everyone else does.

Now, a question about the title of the vehicle. The title has never been signed by anyone. Not the previous owner, or the seller, or anything. Do they just give me the blank title and I sign it? do i have it notarized when I sign it? I'm not too sure what i need to do here to technically have ownership. Thanks for the advice.

10/9/2009 8:00:41 PM

Who's name is the title in? That person still owns the scooter. If you want to register it, you'll need to find that person and have them sign it in front of a notary.

Unless it's some sort of weird manufacturer certificate of origin or something, then I don't know.

What's the speed limit for scooters? Will a 150cc top out at higher speeds?

---------------------------
Also, do yourself a favor and pick up a leather jacket/gloves/etc off craigslist. Asphalt is asphalt even a low speeds.

[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 9:33 PM. Reason : .]

10/9/2009 9:29:27 PM

I think anything over 50 cc needs to be regi/insur/ncdl.

10/9/2009 9:38:38 PM

Quote :

"i've purchased vehicles from probably 8-10 different states, and nc is far and away the most complicated to deal with"

another agreeing on this one.. took me 5 fucking tries to get my latest car registered. ppl who traded it in had to come back to the dealership 4 more times (they were from another state too) after i bought it.. all the signatures were there, but some stupid small thing was wrong every time so they kept rejecting it. shit was insane.

out of every car i've ever bought i've only managed to get a car registered on the first try once or twice.

10/9/2009 9:41:22 PM

You guys just aren't flirting with Patty and Selma properly.

10/9/2009 9:44:43 PM

Wonda is the Bizzo i like

10/9/2009 9:46:52 PM

there are no names... no signatures... no nothing on the title. It's blank.

That's what I'm trying to figure out... what I do in this case.



[Edited on October 9, 2009 at 10:33 PM. Reason : well, theres the scooter information, just no sigs or stamps or nothing]

10/9/2009 10:32:07 PM

fuck it. its yours. as far as i know you just sign your shit and take it downtown with all the shit you would normaly need.

10/9/2009 11:21:06 PM

haha.... fair enough

10/10/2009 12:04:29 AM

It has to be registered; only scooters/mopeds/bikes under 50cc and imited to 30mph do not have to be registered.

10/10/2009 2:01:03 AM

should have gotten a 250cc cruiser and sold it for more than you paid for it once the weather gets nice again in several months

10/10/2009 9:21:38 AM

^thats the best option

10/10/2009 12:17:03 PM

If he handed you a blank title, he still owns it. Holding the title doesn't mean shit unless it has your name on the front. You and him BOTH have to sign it, in the presence of a notary, and the notary applies their seal to it. You don't legally own that scooter - you just paid for it. Get him and go to a bank - Wachovia did my notary for free since I am a customer.

10/10/2009 3:32:48 PM

oh i thought you were talking about the title was never in anyones name, from the dealer.

10/10/2009 4:47:03 PM

hey FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

you and thought in the same statement


DOES NOT COMPUTE

10/11/2009 4:52:46 AM

Quote :

"oh i thought you were talking about the title was never in anyones name, from the dealer."

Thats exactly the case. His name isnt on the title anywhere, nor is anyone elses... the title is 100% blank. Thus I wouldn't imagine he would HAVE to sign it over, because his name isn't on it in the first place, I just presume that I cant just sign it myself as the original owner or something.

[Edited on October 11, 2009 at 6:52 PM. Reason : yep]

10/11/2009 6:48:03 PM

then drive it like you stole it

10/14/2009 9:28:10 AM

haha, I have been.

It's been a blast riding it. I see why Quag loved his so much. I'm a fatty, so when i lean too far left for a sharp turn, i scrape the rear wheel stand thing. And I keep forgetting to turn off the turn signal... but other than that, I'm getting there.

10/15/2009 8:44:00 AM

fag

10/15/2009 11:03:18 AM

yep thats me... a huge homo

10/15/2009 9:10:43 PM

no, a flaming one

10/19/2009 7:50:32 AM