I will have an '08 750 in a few weeks that will be in the $3k price range. It will have aftermarket clip-ons, braided lines, slipon, frame sliders...maybe aftermarket rearsets, depends on how much I want to put into it. The more race parts, the higher the price of course. Stay tuned.
Just for the record, if your bike has no title you have no right to own it. Should the police become involved, confiscation is the bare minimum you can expect. Plus, in your heart you know that somebody somewhere had that bike stolen from them. Is that an industry you want to support?
I agree with what was said above. My track bike came with a bill of sale only but that is because it was purchased at a insurance auction and raced ever since. There are legitimate reasons for no title, just have to do your homework. If it sounds suspicious, it's not worth it. Besides stolen bikes you also have to watch out for bikes with liens. People get behind on a loan and then unload the bike without a title before the bank catches up with them.
The legalities of buying a used track bike are discussed in this article. http://trackdaymag.com/coverstories/321-buying-a-used-racebike.html
Let me clarify...I'm just looking for a track bike that will never go on the street. I'm certainly NOT trying to support criminals by buying a stolen bike. Maybe I should have said salvage or rebuilt title then. I always had planned on checking vin before buying.
Any bike I have or sell either has a title, a bill of sale, and/or an ad whether it be a craigslist ad, a forum classified ad, or an ebay listing. I always keep documentation. If I buy a 'stunt or track' only frame, I print the ad out, I print the paypal details of the transaction, I save emails/print them out, I record phone numbers etc....just as I did with the 07 GSXR 600 that I just sold. I met the gentleman who bought it. Gave him a copy of the CL ad where the frame came from, my name, my information, etc.... I also told him to print the forum ads where I had the bike for sale as well to add to his records. Don't forget that some frames are theft recovery whereas VINs were removed. Owner gets bike back and sells it down the road with no VINs. But of course he should have documentation/police records to show some amount of proof as to the history of the bike. What about blank frames from the mfg?
Who's to say it's not? You can speculate and assume all you want...but at the end of the day, do we really know? I print ads, keep documentation, etc...to cover my ass, not to prove legitimacy.
Bottom line is that not EVERY track bike out there has a title. For what ever the reasons. That does not make them stolen! Lets not get it twisted and start assuming here. Let the man buy his track bike and support OUR sport not theft. FYI- I have had 3 track bikes built with blank frames, auction, theft recovery (no titles) etc. that doesn't make me a thief nor the ppl who sold them to me. If All documentation is right than your good! What about bikes purposely purchased and never titled? Carry on OP. good luck with your search!
:thumb: Besides all the legalese, I'm a hoarder of all things GSXR. I've owned nothing but GSXR's since '92. Been racing off and on since '94. When I'm not at the track, (which is less and less every year), I'm in the garage building, wrenching on my bikes. Just last month on CL, I bought a 2007 GSXR 600 with a hole in the frame. Street bike, $900, $11k miles, with title. Low side and the clipon hit the frame. The motor is worth $900 by itself. And what I'll do is find a 'blank, stunt, track' only frame, rebuild the bike and give somebody another opportunity to get on the track with a late model bike at a great price. In the same week, I bought another 07 GSXR 600 from CL, clean title, streeter for $2k. Sold the frame on ebay for $1650. So for $350, I got a complete motor, subframe, wheels, forks, tank, etc....a damn good deal that I'll pass along as well. The 08 750 that I referred to the OP about, came from ebay. I actually sold it to a member here, who decided that he couldn't afford his 08 street bike and 08 trackbike, so he removed the race parts off the trackbike and put on his streetbike now trackbike. He contacted me about trading a Penske shock and a set of 20 mil forks w/extenders that I had for the frame, motor, swingarm (all still attached), harness, ecu, controls. I said sure. Now I have this 08 750 that I'll finish and maybe the OP will snatch it up, because it will be a great deal. I also have a really good friend that has a salvage dealer license. I'm able to buy from copart, crankyape, and such. I don't do it often though. The price of salvage bikes has gone through the roof. Point is, these are scenarios of which bikes make it into the racing/track world without a title.
The R1 I sold had a blank Frame... Back in 2000's you could buy a frame from a dealer with no vin on it... Blank plate are common to get a VIN stamped if you wanted to register It. For race teams, track junkies whats the point there? There is none..At least for Kawi and Yamaha.. Can't speak for the others but No VIN Definietly does not mean its a stolen bike...
Just to clarify some things with a little bit of "real world experience and knowledge" on the topic of auto theft and title requirements. In short, both K3 and Marc are correct. Yes, it is possible to obtain a frame with a blank VIN plate and no title, but these are few and far between and ALWAYS come with documentation to show their authenticity. In fact, many of them are not even available without first returning the frame they are made to replace. True, race teams have access to blank frames. That being said, they are tighly controlled for the most part and will be returned at the end or other arrangements will be made, with proper documentation. Further, even crashed bikes, or salvage bikes will STILL need a title or documentation from the state to prevent them from being resold as new or undamaged. the exception to this is a bike purchased new for racing and not titled. These have what is called an MSO: documentation of the origin of the bike as well as the owner. However, anything purchased from prob the mid '70s to current will likely need documentation (some states vary on age of item). Bottom line, is that K3's statement is more the rule than people want to think about. If it has "no title" it's likely stolen as most states have some requirement (remember, they want sales tax). if it has some other documentation, it better be good documentation, or its meaningless. that means a craigslist ad is not good enough. Even if you buy it without a title, most states require you to title it and there is a process in place to recover a lost title. My advice is very simple: if it has no paperwork, don't buy it. Have the local PD search the VIN (many will come to you and for free) to ensure its clear and insist on some paperwork. MSO is fine, as are salvage titles,etc. But if it has nothing, its very likely not legit.
I agree there is always some type of paperwork. even if you've pieced the bike together completely you still have a frame and engine with numbers. you should have the paperwork to backup those numbers... A couple years ago I bought a ducati 748 with "no title" just a certificate of scrap from the state of PA. the engine/frame numbers matched the numbers on the paperwork so i didn't hesitate to buy it. the bike had been lightly crashed, disassembled and left that way because the owner had other projects going on. I had him send me a pic of the vin, ran it, came back clean. I took the certificate of scrap to the michigan SOS, along with my bill of sale and they issued me a salvage title. i got my r6 in a similar manor, salvage auction. the auction house had a bill of sale, which i still have. before buying the bike i made sure the numbers weren't stolen, have liens or any other shady BS..