CA Bay Area. Seeking Information on Motorcycle Inspections

[wjbertrand]

Unless it IS a salvage bike there would be no inspection requirement, at least not in California. It’s the declaration of total loss by the insurance company that triggers this. Not sure if a period of non-operation would trigger this as well. In my case besides lights signals and horn, the tech also visually inspected the brakes and pumped the levers a few times.

Was it a salvage title? If not then a simple brake/light five minute inspection will suffice. Sorry for your $$$ loss.

 

[Danger]

This was admitedly about 10 years ago. Inspection was done by Santa Barbara Motorsports in Goleta, CA. Don’t know the tech’s name. I was not aware that anything changed with these inspections.

Thanks for the information. Apparently lots have changed.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

@Danger Wondering how you got on with this. I'm in PA and we are also quite famously DMV challenged. I had two experiences with "totaled" bikes. One was a similar situation to you with a 2004 ST1300, other was a 20XX F650.

Sorry about the volume of words... TL;DR

Start with a conversation at the Police level. You mentioned 214 pages, look for the short route. Be patient, go to your Representatives office if you need relief, use self deprecation* and never mind their politics.


The ST was totaled from my Insurance company, I let it sit for years out of frustration having bought all the parts and shelved them. Finally decided to put it together and pass it to a new owner (damage was all cosmetic). I don't know how many pages our code is but you need to go to an "enhanced" inspection station, there are quite a few but finding one that ddid bikes was not easy. I polished her up and ride it over, ask them what is the process. Fill out this form, leave, come back tomorrow and pay $300.00. Easy enough. I had the same issue with non documented parts and such. Process worked as described/expected.

The 650 was not straight forward. I received the bike with clean title, C owner I think, a few weeks later I open a letter from the DMV with a "Junk" designation title, bike was beyond totaled, non repairable. Hmmm that's interesting, I over paid for it too. Having had my share of interactions with the DMV in 40 years I knew a call to them was useless. I don't remember exactly how I heard to go to the State Police barracks, that was the first step, and the right one, should have been the final too, alas PA. After multiple rejections from the DMV and 6 months later or so, I finally went to my local Representatives office and explained what was happening. In the past I have used them with other DMV problems, they always get it done fast and right, they did and the intern at the front desk learned something new. He had a similar problem with an out of state car and was able to use this mechanism to solve his title problem.


* This is key with everyone all through the process. My daughter was an intern at a DC office and almost everyone calling was identifying a problem, complaining about it and demanding relief. I assure you the people that called thanking them for their public service and asking is there any way they can intercede on your behalf got good service. Honey vinegar thing you know.

 

[Danger]

Follow up.
Unlike some other respondents I didn’t go in and draw them a picture of the bike or they simply look out the window and say, “yep, that’s good enough “. I actually had to bring the bike in and have it inspected by the CHP. It passed.

The problem now is that the brake and light inspection, a form that I generated on my computer, was done by a local mechanic but not electronically. The CHP was happy with it. The CA DMV needs it transmitted electronically onto their system. It would seem that I now must spend $450 to get it “inspected “ by a licensed mechanic.

Several visits to my DMV proved fruitless. So I’m still at a standstill. In the end I may have to part out the bike because of a lack of title.

 

[dwalby]

If you do part the bike out and wipe it from their system, I've done that in the past year and it was actually fairly easy, and cost $0 to file the required paperwork. I had the title, and current no-op certificate, can't recall if anything else was needed, I did it about a year ago. Ask for directions on how to file a junk certificate.

I'm assuming that your salvage title is sufficient proof of ownership, even if its not sufficient to put the bike back on the road. good luck.

 

[Danger]

Thanks for the information but my problem is getting the salvage title. Without the electronic brake and light certificate I’m dead in the water.

 

[dwalby]

My ST1300 was totaled but like a fool I kept it and rebuilt it. Now with a salvage title I need to get it inspected. The only information I have indicates that it’s difficult and expensive. Does anyone have any information? Thanks.

Thanks for the information but my problem is getting the salvage title. Without the electronic brake and light certificate I’m dead in the water.

It can't be both, let's keep to one story. You've kinda bounced around a bit for a few months.

 

[Danger]

I have first hand experience with this when my 2005 ST1300 was totaled. I bought it back, repaired it myself and registered it as salvage. The “safety” inspection was done by the local Honda dealer for free. I was in and out of there it probably 15 minutes. Their tech came out, checked the lights, horn, signals. He visually inspected the brakes without disassembling anything.
When I returned to the DMV to complete the registration they told me I needed a CHP inspection too. The CHP said to bring a list of replaced parts and where I obtained them. Turns out if you installed any used parts you’re supposed to have to have the VINs of the bike(s) that the parts came from. It seems like they were more interested in stolen bikes and parts than anything else. Of course I never asked for any VINs on any of the used replacement parts I bought. Needless to say my liST of parts were all identified as new or repaired when I arrived at my appointment. Again this was a 15 minute affair, a quick glance at my DMV paperwork and an even quicker glance at my bike, a few easy questions and I was done. I don’t believe there was a cost. If there was it wasn’t significant.
With both the dealer and CHP inspection forms in hand I was finally able to register my

It can't be both, let's keep to one story. You've kinda bounced around a bit for a few months.

I had what I thought was a salvage title. It wasn’t. It was a salvage certificate. Only good to sell the property.
The DMV says I need an Official Brake and Light Adjustment Certificate issued by a Licensed Inspection Station. The only one I know of is 25.1 miles away and $365.

 

[Danger]

Unless it IS a salvage bike there would be no inspection requirement, at least not in California. It’s the declaration of total loss by the insurance company that triggers this. Not sure if a period of non-operation would trigger this as well. In my case besides lights signals and horn, the tech also visually inspected the brakes and pumped the levers a few times.

What year was this? And what location?

 

[wjbertrand]

2013 in Goleta, CA

 

[dwalby]

I had what I thought was a salvage title. It wasn’t. It was a salvage certificate. Only good to sell the property.

my reply was in response to your comment that you may part the bike out because you can't get it registered. The salvage certificate is sufficient proof of ownership to accomplish that. You also need to surrender the license plate, I forgot to mention that in my other post.

The DMV says I need an Official Brake and Light Adjustment Certificate issued by a Licensed Inspection Station. The only one I know of is 25.1 miles away and $365.

OK, so its your call whether or not its worth the trouble.