What paperwork is involved in buying a bike in Pennsylvania and titling it out of state?

[SMSW]

Here in Ohio, if I sell a motor vehicle (motorcycles, too) I simply sign the title, fill out buyer's name and address and purchase price, hand him the title and the bike, and off he goes.

When I bought my VStrom in Indiana, the seller did the same and I took the bike home with the title and a bill of sale (my form from online). Ohio BMV inspected the bike, took the Indiana title, relieved me of sales tax on the purchase price and license plate transfer fees and handed me new stickers, a title and a pat on the back.

I called a dealer in Pennsylvania, we agreed on a price for a used bike in his stock (phone conversation) and he wants $464 documentation fee on top of our agreed price for the bike. Since I'm titling it out of state, there is no sales tax and no license (tags) fee. It is a cash sale. If PA's procedures are the same as Ohio and Indiana, he is padding the sale (my opinion).

Years ago, we bought a used car. When the dealer pulled the folder out and I saw the title for the car was still in the previous owner's name - so they had invested nothing in the paperwork until the car sold (to me). That's when he transferred the title to me and my wife.

What do you know about the paperwork and procedures in PA?

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

The dealer should just hand you a signed title, he is no part of the equation between you and your State.

 

[Larry Fine]

When I bought a bike from PA, the seller and I both had to go to a local notary public.

 

[snowmoer]

I bought my Gold Wing from a private seller in PA and had it shipped to California. The seller just signed over the title and put it in the mail. I just went through the normal take it to DMV, have them check it, and pay the sales tax and license fees. No extra paperwork in PA.

Because you are getting it from a dealer, they are just tacking on the extra fees. Tell them you are not registering it in PA and they do not need to do any PA DMV paperwork. The title should already be signed by the previous owner. I can't imagine the dealership transferring the title into their name just to transfer it to the new owner.

I had a dealer try tacking on this fee when I bought a snowmobile in CA but was registering it in UT. I pointed this out and they dropped it. They said they are just used to it being registered in state and it was just habit to add it on.

 

[ibike2havefun]

I had a dealer try tacking on this fee when I bought a snowmobile in CA but was registering it in UT. I pointed this out and they dropped it. They said they are just used to it being registered in state and it was just habit to add it on.

Yeah, right. They're in the business, they know the requirements. They're trying to trap the unwary and pad their profit, knowing there's no negative repercussion if they get caught in the act.

 

[klaproth]

I agree with the above- it is a really bold attempt to rip you off. "Document fees" are just markup.