Goosed Again Posted June 6, 2014 Posted June 6, 2014 Is buying a Guzzi ever a mistake? One would think not. I've owned 5 or 6, all early models, been riding a goose in one form or another since 1982. But now comes the sad story: It was a dark stormy night just like this… A couple of years ago, I got bit by the bug again and wanted another Guzzi. Hung on this board and read a lot, and then pulled the trigger on a 2000 V11 Sport down in SF for a song. It had been sitting and the guy selling only had a Transfer of Title for California, signed and notarized, but no pink. THIS IS WHERE IT GOT UGLY. Dumped a couple of grand at Werkstatt, also in the bay area, before having it shipped here to So Oregon where there is no local Guzzi support. Well, turned out I couldn't register the bike with the paperwork I had, I got hold of the guy on the registration and the guy had promised to be helpful, that we were like family, blah blah blah. He turned out not to be helpful in the least, a flake is a good term though I'm being real nice in calling him that. He now won't return calls, emails or text and I'm not sure how or if I offended him somehow. I've had even offered to sell him back the bike at a loss because he missed it so. Yea, I'm a nice guy but this shows nice guys finish last. Plain and simple, after dealing with this guy for almost a year a half I give up. I'm selling this bike, untitled, unlicensed, and now not running. Pretty sure the not running is a relay, it clicks when I go to start it and I've dumped enough into the bike already so screw it, time to cut my loses. A more detailed explination: I purchased the bike from a guy who took it in as he was owed money from the owner. Apparently the owner signed this Transfer of Title because he LOST the pink slip. I tried to register the bike here in Oregon and they said no way. it's a California form. I talked to them in Ca. and they said no way, the bike was never registered here. That's when I got hold of the owner, who was or is a nice enough guy, and found out the LOST pink was from Colorado. He supposedly sent in a Title Replacement request but that's when I stopped hearing back from him. I've now dug deeper into registration and can get it registered here in Oregon with a "bonded title" (salvage), all I need is a notarized bill of sale. BUT THE GUY WON'T GET BACK TO ME!!! And he's now living in Arkansas, working at the Clinton Library. Don't know what else to do.
JBBenson Posted June 6, 2014 Posted June 6, 2014 You need a Bill Of Sale from wherever you bought the bike with a signature of the seller. It doesn't need to be notarized: CA Bill of Sale: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg135.pdf Then you need to go to the Oregon DMV. They will not help you over the phone, you need to go there. Bring the Bill of Sale and any other paperwork you have that has the bike's info on it. They will instruct you to fill out one of the following Oregon Application for Replacement Title: http://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/226.pdf and/or Oregon Application for Title and Registration: http://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/226.pdf They will need to inspect the bike after issuing a temp registration. I recently registered a TX trailer in CA with a totally screwed up TX title and was able to get it done. But took a few trips to the DMV. The key is a Bill Of Sale with VIN. It doesn't matter what state it is from. You need to have this.........they will check the VIN history etc. in Oregon. As long as the bike is not reported stolen, it should be possible. There may be back fees but the bike is older, so maybe not.
Goosed Again Posted June 13, 2014 Author Posted June 13, 2014 Well, for $hits and giggles I went to the DMV today in Medford and actually arrived at the window of a helpful, knowledgeable person. They looked at all the paperwork that I had, including shop repair receipts, email contact between myself and the previous owner, my original Oregon DMV application from 1/13, and the Title Transfer document that was signed and notarized by the former owner. After going over it and making copies, she asked for $144 and gave me a temporary registration. It now has to go to Salem where they will review the paperwork but based upon the amount of time I've had the bike and my commitment to repair and make rideable she thinks I have a good chance of getting formal title. She said they will also do a vin search to make sure it hadn't been stolen but I did one about 2 months ago and it came back clean, that was the one paper I didn't have in the folder. So there you have it, this story may have a happy ending. Now I just need to get her running again, when I go to start I just hear a single "click". I've checked and charged the battery but suspect it needs a new relay, just not sure, electrical has never been my forte'.
docc Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 Great news! Keep us posted on this thread how the title goes, but consider tossing up a new thread on Technical Topics to systematically work through the starting issue. These folks will get you on the road!
Blueboarhound Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 What a circus. Glad to hear it worked out now enjoy that Goose!
jwh20 Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 Wow, that's great news! All it takes is one person at the BMV who knows their stuff and things happen. Electrical issues? That's EZ compared to the hassles you've been through. Don't assume the battery is OK even though you've charged it. It's common for a cell to become sulfated from sitting and it will appear to charge but the battery will not deliver current. If you take it to an auto part store like Auto Zone they can load test it and tell for sure. Glad this is finally working out!
Goosed Again Posted June 13, 2014 Author Posted June 13, 2014 Battery output is 12.49 volts, not sure what the amperage is. I sent an email to Dan at dpguzzi to see about getting a set of replacement relays just the same. Thanks all, still not out of the driveway but I can almost see the scenery rushing past.
docc Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 That's pretty flat for a battery that ought to be 12.84 v, especially if you just charged it.
jwh20 Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 Battery output is 12.49 volts, not sure what the amperage is. I sent an email to Dan at dpguzzi to see about getting a set of replacement relays just the same. Thanks all, still not out of the driveway but I can almost see the scenery rushing past. Measure the voltage on the battery when you press the starter button. If it drops low, say below 10 V, then the battery is bad.
callison Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 I hear ya. I bought a used 2001 V11 Sport TT at my local Ducati dealer back in the day. The PO has somehow convinced the dealer that he could take care of the assembly and paperwork himself. Not a huge problem until you use the part number on the exhaust pipe as the VIN and also pay cash for the bike. In California, where I was at the time, paying cash means an automatic investigation for drug money laundering. Add in the horribly incorrect number for the VIN and you get a vehicle that has not been registered and never will be until all of the paperwork has been corrected. I had to get a LEO verify the actual VIN on the frame and smog equipment for the DMV and after that it only took an additional 14 months to get registered. Then I unfortunately wrecked the bike, but kept the bike and title rather than having it totalled by the insurance company (bad move). I reassembled the bike with a replacement frame from the U.K. with no certificate of origin or bill of sale - and my misery began all over again. It was going to be next to impossible to get that mess resolved in California but I happened to move to Oklahoma in the middle of all of that and out there, it only took 11 months to get a state issued VIN. For year 2005. Up went the registration fee and insurance since it was now a "custom" bike even though it was mostly stock. Kinda. Sorta. Registering a vehicle with previously messed registration appears to be a pain no matter where you are.
Goosed Again Posted June 13, 2014 Author Posted June 13, 2014 Tried checking the battery voltage when hitting the starter button, stays at 12.33 I'll run it over to Interstate Batteries tomorrow since it's their battery and if bad, maybe I'll get prorated.
Goosed Again Posted June 14, 2014 Author Posted June 14, 2014 Ha!!! Never saw this one coming, I was just checking things here and there and noticed I had a 15 amp fuse blown. The symbol on the fuse box shows high / low headlights. I replaced it and tried starting... BAM, she starts! Why would a blown headlamp fuse effect the starter?
jwh20 Posted June 14, 2014 Posted June 14, 2014 A good question, the obvious answer is that there is more on that 15 amp circuit than just the headlight. But hey, it's working!!
docc Posted June 14, 2014 Posted June 14, 2014 Check it out: both the Starter Relay and the Headlamp Relay get power from Fuse 5:
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