Texas Registration of a D & H - bought FJR

[jcyuhn]

You will be fine.

The very first line on the Texas Dmv website says "within 30 days of bringing the vehicle back to Texas..." They don't care what date you bought it, only when you get here with it. Here is the link: https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/out-of-state-and-foreign-vehicles

Jason is right, there is no way you will ever register it without bringing it here. You must get the first Texas annual inspection done before the dmv will register the vehicle. It's electronic now, but they used to give you something called the green sheet (which was actually pink, go figure) for the registration clerk.

So just get your ducks in a row, ride it, and enjoy. D&H will give you the VIN, so go ahead and call you insurer and get the Texas insurance card emailed to you. Carry the bill of sale and such with you just in case. And if the 30 day tag expires before you get back, don't sweat it. I see cars around town with the paper tag so weathered that it's no longer readable.

So the real question I have is what the hell kind of training does one get in Key West, and how do I get in on this "training?"

 

[gixxerjasen]

It's electronic now, but they used to give you something called the green sheet (which was actually pink, go figure) for the registration clerk.

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't specify the color because I couldn't remember which was green or pink, the name or the color. They did make that confusing, but since when does the government ever make sense?

 

[rickysnickers]

Has anyone tried to slip a 49 state FJR past the CA MVD? Where in the VIN or labeling is a CA bike listed as a CA bike? I wonder of anyone there would even know there is a difference, and if it's even an issue.

Yep and successfully several times.

 

[rickysnickers]

Has anyone tried to slip a 49 state FJR past the CA MVD? Where in the VIN or labeling is a CA bike listed as a CA bike? I wonder of anyone there would even know there is a difference, and if it's even an issue.

Sorry, I didn't answer the second part. You have to have the VIN verified by a policeman, and they also check to see what the smog sticker says. It has to comply with CA emissions. Straight Federal is no bueno.

 

[JimNtexas]

I purchased my 2008AE in late 2009 from a dealer in Oklahoma who was basically giving them away. My local dealer would not budge off of list price.

I rode it back to Texas and registered it without issue. I think I had a state inspection done before I went to the county office to get my plates. I'm sure nobody had to check my VIN. They took the dealer invoice and manufacturer's statement of origin, a handful of ten dollar bills, and gave me my plates.

If you are really concerned, visit your local county DMV and ask in person. You'll get a better answer than just calling on the phone.

I don't think Texas will care about your trip to Maine. How the local County Mounties will react to your Alabama paper plates on your trip I have no idea, but Texas won't be an issue.

I had a lot of trouble registering a Florida registered motorcycle trailer in Texas, because even though it was professionally made (Ramp Free) it was registered as a home built. That was a hassle.

My then new FJR was not.

 

[HotRodZilla]

As far as VIN inspections go, MOST of the time, those are only performed if a person buys a used car from a private party, from out of state. A new vehicle comes with all the dealer paperwork, and no VIN inspection is required. Dealers have to jump through certain hoops to verify the vehicle they are selling is "clean," unlike a private party. A private party sale comes with a bill of sale, and has the potential to be stolen or otherwise, not what it is presented, thus the need for the VIN inspection.

 

[Bounce]

I don't think Texas will care about your trip to Maine. How the local County Mounties will react to your Alabama paper plates on your trip I have no idea, but Texas won't be an issue.

TX doesn't care as long as things are done within its time frames. After that there will probably be penalty fines.

I did not get a paper plate from D&H. If I was concerned about a trip and being stopped randomly, I'd have considered paying for that 30 day tag before leaving TX to go pick it up. I did have my new FJR from D&H checked by the people at DSP for VIN matching to the paperwork.

I'd highly recommend NOT carrying around the original paperwork on your trip. Mail it home USPS certified mail return receipt (that's the legal document way) and have the receipt sent to your home address. Carry copies for your trip so the originals don't get lost or ruined.

When you get done with whatever you do, I encourage you to report back here with the facts so that all this speculation can be laid to rest.

 

[birkdale10]

Update on my original post. Bottom line is "plan for the worst, expect the best, and go with the flow". I got my paperwork, I filled out a 130-u, I filled out a form for a VIN Inspection Waiver Request, and went to the Texas DMV.

I told the nice lady my paperwork might be complicated, but I knew that she would be able to make it simple. She asked if I had the inspection paperwork.

I showed her the certificate of origin, explained the bike is in Alabama, I am going to go to get it, but I would not be back in Texas for almost a month.

So she

...

Processed the paperwork, took a check for the state taxes on the purchase price, handed me a metal official real-live Texas Motorcycle License Plate with an official inspection sticker and told me to get it inspected within three days of returning to Texas.

And I said, "Thank you". And floated out the door.

No worries about paper plates in Canada!

 

[NTXFJR]

Sweet! Well played

 

[Bounce]

THAT'S a result!

 

[gixxerjasen]

Nice, I'm taking you with me next time. I paid for 2 years registration on mine thinking I was getting ahead of the curve. Wrecked the bike six months later. I bought another of the same model bike and they told me I needed a new tag and I was SOL on the old one. Even got the manager over and involved and was told no. You must be more of a charmer than I am.

 

[Hotboot]

The temporary plate should be OK
if you're worried about it, take a day or two and make your look clockwise instead of counter clockwise. Go home first and then start your adventure.

Oh hell no, that's flat, hot and boring.

Insurance, paperwork and a credit card for fuel then roll on and enjoy your journey.

 

[NTXFJR]

So, you gonna get that 600 mile check done after the 1st day of riding or the 2nd ??

 

[rickysnickers]

As far as VIN inspections go, MOST of the time, those are only performed if a person buys a used car from a private party, from out of state. A new vehicle comes with all the dealer paperwork, and no VIN inspection is required. Dealers have to jump through certain hoops to verify the vehicle they are selling is "clean," unlike a private party. A private party sale comes with a bill of sale, and has the potential to be stolen or otherwise, not what it is presented, thus the need for the VIN inspection.

For our conversation, I am only referring to used bikes brought in from out of CA, private party or dealer it doesn't really matter. With that said, I will also say I know you are an LEO, so what I say here you will already know, but some others might not. So forgive me I'm not trying to insult anybody's intelligence.

When a bike is purchased, you get the title and a receipt or bill of sale. These are to be taken to a police station where a VIN inspection is done. The officer will look at the VIN and engine number to make sure they match what's on the title. If those things are ok, then he/she will check to see what emissions schedule the bike falls under, i.e. Federal, CA only, or Federal and CA. If CA is mentioned anywhere on the bike, it's good to go. In this case, where it meets CA emissions, there is no mileage requirement. If it does not meet the CA emissions, then it has to have at least 7500 miles on the bike. Here's a link to the form the officer has to fill out, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/052f05b3-ea4f-4cde-b017-3d970b8ea1a4/reg31.pdf?MOD=AJPERES Even though there's a reference to CHP, any peace officer can do the inspection.

After this inspection, the owner takes the paperwork to the DMV, or better yet, a AAA office and turns all that in. There they will pay all the fees and crap. AAA issues the license plate on the spot. I don't know if the DMV does that or not, since I haven't been there in years to do any registration stuff.

As an aside, I would never buy a vehicle with only a bill of sale. If there's no title, then they don't get my $.

 

[birkdale10]

So, you gonna get that 600 mile check done after the 1st day of riding or the 2nd ??

I think I'm going to be lucky to get out of D&H by lunch. I understand there is more paperwork waiting. I want pics of the bike and the great people that worked with me at D&H. I want to double/triple check everything. I have a reservation for the 600 mile check in Clearwater, FL ... on the 2nd day.

I haven't got the latest owner's manual, so I don't know when the next check is. 2K? 4K? 6K? Uncertainty - that's what makes an adventure!

 

[Bounce]

Yamaha doesn't have a 2016 Owners Manual on line (yet) so it may be unchanged from 2015.

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/owners-manuals/2015/fjr1300a

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/owners-manuals/2015/fjr1300es

 

[NTXFJR]

There's way too many buttons and screens on the Gen III's for this ole boy to know what to do with, gonna have to crack the manual open for sure!