I have been around bikes and dealerships pretty much all my life. I have bought and sold my share of bike and I have rebuilt quite a few as well. It has always amazed me that most owners have a very cavalier attitude to their bike's paper work. They will say stupid things like "you can get a duplicate title" (not unless you are the original owner.) Or they will say "you can get a bonded title." You can get a bonded title here in Texas. It will cost around $100 for the bond, $50 for the title transfer fee but they will assess sales tax on your purchase which they will value at $6000. You will pay $495 in sales tax on that pile of parts you just bought. The latest thing is the "ruined instrument." This is where three or four people have signed the back of the title thinking that they have somehow transferred the title doing this. I have taken to asking sellers to show me the back of the title due to this unfortunate turn of events. People in the US are ignorant, lazy or both. They are clueless as to how tags, taxes and governments work and don't care. It's getting worse.