Registration Issue with old bike

[Petorius]

So somebody decided to abandon their bike in my favorite parking spot in Providence about 8 months ago. Its an 81? KZ 550. I decided to leave them a note today. After an email and a phone call, I tentavily made an offer for it pending paperwork issues. The owner apparently never registered it, so she just has the title from the previous owner and a bill of sale. The previous owner did not sign over the title to her, he left it blank. For bikes that old in RI, you just need BOS and proof of previous ownership, usually in the form of prior registration.

What should I do? The obvious answer is to sign the title over to myself, but that seems sketchy. Suggestions are welcome.

[Rosco61]

Have your Wife/Girlfriend/Boyfriend sign it over for you. then it looks more legit..........

[tsorfas]

Have your Wife/Girlfriend/Boyfriend sign it over for you. then it looks more legit..........

thats only a felony. but exactly what i would do

[Rambunctous]

The name of the person on the front of the title is who you need to do business with. They can fill out the back and also provide a bill of sale and a copy of the old registration. Otherwise the present owner can do the dirty work. Pay for a new title. Pay tax. Wait for new title and sign it over to you. Or you can do the dirty work.
I don't think this is what you wanted to hear. I hope it is close to free with this problem.

[R7]

The name of the person on the front of the title is who you need to do business with. They can fill out the back and also provide a bill of sale and a copy of the old registration. Otherwise the present owner can do the dirty work. Pay for a new title. Pay tax. Wait for new title and sign it over to you. Or you can do the dirty work.
I don't think this is what you wanted to hear. I hope it is close to free with this problem.

There is no title law in RI for vehicles older than 10 years, so no waiting at all for a new title to come in.

Personally for a 34 year old bike, just provide the prior registration, or title and have the current owner act as the last registrant..really, you don't even know unless you as for ID?

To do it the legal way, the current owner will need either the title, or prior registration (both are not needed, just one or the other), go to the DMV with the bill of sale, fill out a sales tax form for the purchase amount, pay the sales tax and leave. Current owner gives you prior registration/title from the last owner, a copy of the bill of sale from the first sale, the tax receipt (proof of purchase) showing the current owner payed sales tax, and a new bill of sale from the current owner to you. There's no need to register, as long as the tax is paid