Lien on title?

I have never heard of a lien on a bike

 

No, the Lien needs to be removed from the Title in order for it to be valid

 

Now that makes sense. I was about to say....really? A bike? Ok, now I get it.

The above user answered what I was just about to say, btw.

 

My wife has a lein on her jeep with USAA because thats who has the loan. That is probably the same situation.

 

This page seems to contain useful information relevant to New York, which appears to handle titles differently than most other states.

In most states, the lienholder holds the vehicle's title until you've paid it off, and then they send you the title. In NY it looks like the purchaser gets the title immediately, and the lienholder is marked on it. When the loan is paid off, the owner gets a certificate of release of the lien, which he should be able to provide along with the title to anybody he's selling the vehicle to.

I only skimmed the faq in that page, so it wasn't clear to me how one sells a vehicle one hasn't finished paying for yet. It's been many years since I did that in any state, so I don't know. I do know if you do it wrong, then the seller can actually walk away with your money and leave you owing for his loan. Such a sale can definitely be done, but don't automatically just trust that the seller knows how to do it.

 

Generally, you need to take the title (and the notice of release of lien if available) to the DMV, and they cut a new title showing the new owner and no lien. Just make sure any documentation is available, including sales receipt/transfer of title to you.

 

The seller will still need to go down to the DMV and wait in line for the clean title.

If you buy this, you might find that it will take 6 months of trips to the DMV and they may even force you to pay for a bonded title (aka, they don't believe you).

A simple notorized release from the original lienholder usually works for the current owner, but one mistake on the paperwork, and it'll cost dollars to get a clean title -- and it really isn't clean, since it'll be a bonded title which can cost you now and later if the lienholder shows up.

 

If he hasn't done it, it is one of two things...

1. he tried and couldn't

2. they are lazier than crap.

I owned my truck, and even with the lien release from the bank it took me 6 months of waiting for releases and 15 trips to the DMV to get a clean title ... and they wanted me to get a bonded title instead.

Really, it isn't worth the risk, when the current owner can just go down and clean the title and then sell you the vehicle in the clear.

I've had tortuous problems on two vehicles, one with notarized paperwork in my name that wouldn't clear, and another that basically never cleared.

Don't take the risk. It won't be fun if you have to fire off certified mail to the old lienholder and post notices, and/or end up with a bonded title.

Remember, it is the DMV, they like making people squirm.

 

Geez, when I paid my car off, I went to the DMV and got a clear, new title in like 5 minutes, for the princely sum of $4. I suppose there are a few decent things about AZ…