Need Norton Title

I have built a Norton framed special and I need a title for it. I am looking to buy a title from any year or model Norton.

Your profile has no info, so I have no clue what your best course would be. Every country, state, and even county, has it's procedures.

I DO know, however, that buying a title sound like "step 1", where "step 2" would be stamping your frame to match.

In most (all?) places that's quite illegal.

In Texas you can LEGALLY obtain a bonded title, it's just a bit of legwork and a few dollars more. A legal title adds REAL value.

grandpaul said:

Your profile has no info, so I have no clue what your best course would be. Every country, state, and even county, has it's procedures.

I DO know, however, that buying a title sound like "step 1", where "step 2" would be stamping your frame to match.

In most (all?) places that's quite illegal.

In Texas you can LEGALLY obtain a bonded title, it's just a bit of legwork and a few dollars more. A legal title adds REAL value.

Click to expand...

Having just gone through that on my 56 Norton it is a bit of a process here in Texas and it took me 2 days to get it all done. The hard part here in Texas is going to the regional office of DMV in my case it was Ft. Worth and waiting for your number to be called.

In my state, buying a title is quite illegal. You need to (1) go to your state's dept of motor vehicles website (2) review procedures for titling your vehicle (3) follow the procedure. You don't want your pride an joy to be confiscated as possibly stolen, do you?

grandpaul said:

In Texas you can LEGALLY obtain a bonded title, it's just a bit of legwork and a few dollars more. A legal title adds REAL value.

Click to expand...

States that allow bonded titles include:

• Texas
• Florida
• California
• Georgia
• New York
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Kansas

However, there are 16 states that do not accept bonded titles.
These states are Delaware. Hawaii. Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

- Knut

jagracer15 said:

I have built a Norton framed special and I need a title for it. I am looking to buy a title from any year or model Norton.

Click to expand...

If the chassis has been altered substantially, an original title won't apply, will it?

- Knut

mdt-son said:

If the chassis has been altered substantially, an original title won't apply, will it?

- Knut

Click to expand...

Yes it will. Purpose of the law is to deter theft, which is rampant in the US. Basically, the registration must match the frame and engine numbers and the only entities that can stamp a frame or engine are the original factory and the Dept of Motor Vehicles. I assume that the original poster bought a bunch of parts lacking a title, has assembled into a motorcycle and now wants to legally ride it. They need to follow the procedure in their jurisdiction.

It's a state-by-state thing. In VA is it virtually impossible to title a bike without a title and have it be what it originally was. You can build a vehicle and get a reconstructed title but then the Govt provides a modern VIN and the vehicle is considered new which means all the new vehicle costs and procedures including annual inspections (safety and emissions). If you build a vintage Norton, Triumph, BSA, etc. from parts as a stock bike it will not pass either inspection! At a minimum for the safety inspection, the headlight must be changed, probably the taillight must be changed, and the inspector must believe that the brakes are good - the rear is not and the front may or may not pass and most mufflers would fail. I have no idea how you would get a Commando to pass the emissions inspection.

On the other hand, for a vintage vehicle, if you have a title signed over to you, it is simple to get a new VA title in your name and no one verifies the title/bike match (cheat and go to jail). If you register it normally, then you have the annual safety inspection and no emissions inspection, and the safety inspection takes into account its age so if in decent shape it will pass. If you get antique plates, you only register it once and there are no inspections but there are usage restrictions.

In my state, they check engine and frame numbers. Caveat emptor

mdt-son said:

States that allow bonded titles include:

• Texas
• Florida
• California
• Georgia
• New York
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Kansas

However, there are 16 states that do not accept bonded titles.
These states are Delaware. Hawaii. Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

- Knut

Click to expand...

Your list of states that allow bonded titles includes Hawaii and Kansas yet these two states are also on your list of state that do not accept bonded titles - ? ?
I’m confused…

mdt-son said:

States that allow bonded titles include:

• Texas
• Florida
• California
• Georgia
• New York
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Kansas

However, there are 16 states that do not accept bonded titles.
These states are Delaware. Hawaii. Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

- Knut

Click to expand...

In Texas, once you've had a bonded title three years, you can re-apply for a "no-comment" / "plain" title.

easy-peasy.

I'm going to try this guy for a 73 triumph. According to them it will be titled as a 73 not 2024

The OP hasn't been back since his 1st post. My buddy did the Vermont thing a couple years ago. He got a Vermont tag and registration in the mail. I don't think he has gone to the NJ MVC to try and have it titled in NJ. Supposedly the Vermont route has gone by the wayside, not sure. Mean Gene if you try that service, please post the results. Sounds to easy, especially since you could create your own Bill of Sale.

In CA it's not tough, bring the bike to the DMV, they will determine if it's street or dirt. It can be just the chassis but put the instruments and lights on to get it judged a street bike. Then off to the CHP to have them inspect it (free). Back to DMV with the CHP findings and you're done. My Norton's VIN had a hit on something in Oklahoma and I paid $1 to have a search done, to prove to CA that it was clear - turned out to match a tractor number.

In WA, it's easy too, I did a '67 Vespa 150 import there. But they go by book value, not claimed value like CA so it can cost you. It's state by state. No VT title is needed at least in CA. I imported a 1951 BMW R51/2 with sidecar from Greece in 1985 - no problemo! And have registered home-built trailers - they affix a tag. People freak out at this stuff but if you research it and be kind to the staff, it's usually doable.