Not my best day, today...
Got a letter from the DIV (Belgian DMV) that they can't register my bike.
My application was incomplete. >:(
Let me explain:
I don't know how things works across the pond, but over here you're supposed to have 3 documents with you all the time:
- a green piece of paper: insurance > Your personal policy for that particular bike
- a white paper: certificate of conformity > stays with the bike at all times, even when it changes hands.
- and finally, a pink piece of paper: the registration.
Now, I don't have a lot of experience buying/selling motorcycles.
OK, I've bought (and sold) two Vespas, but that was easy: the previous owner of my first bike did everything by the book, and I just repeated the same process when it was my time to sell. Second bike, same routine...
Now, the GS.
When I finally went to pick it up a few weeks ago, I was surprised that the previous owner didn't have both the white and pink paper for me. Previous experience told me I needed both those documents. But the PO gave me a convincing explanation:
She'd had an accident over a year ago (not motorcycle-related, but the damage to her knee meant she couldn't ride for a long time).
After the accident, she unregistered the bike.
She claimed that in order to do this, she had to hand in the plates and the registration.
It made sense to me at the time, and she did have a document proving she unregistered the bike.
Now, more than a year after her accident, she still couldn't ride properly, and decided to sell the bike after all.
Turns out now that her explanation isn't completely correct:
She had to return the license plate, but she was supposed to hang on to the pink document.
There's only a few options left now:
- there's a slim chance her insurance agent still has the document (she says she handed both plate and pink slip over to him).
- If he doesn't have it, she has to go to the police to get a duplicate.
Another pain in the butt is the fact that she needs to have to motorcycle with her when she does this. That means that I will have to ride over there, or she has to come here. Called the local police this afternoon:, explained that I have everything here: bike, statement that proves I bought the bike from her, prove of the unregistration, cert. of conformity, etc... Asked them if there's no way around this, if I can't apply for a duplicate myself. No. :2guns:
Only good thing is, I trust the lady who sold the bike to me 100%.
The way she communicated before we came to an agreement on the price, the way she talked about 'her' GS and how she was going to miss it (She actually cried a bit when I came to pick it up), and how she reacted this afternoon when I called her about these troubles...
I'm sure she's not going to let me down. Just a pity that I'll have to wait some more.
Wow. That is a real bummer.
I feel so glad that here in Washington state there is no inspection. Title is all I need and bill of sale only if the title doesn't have spec for the price as old titles didn't, new ones do. I have 3 bare frames with license plates.
Lets hope she comes through for you. Probably an honest mistake.
Dayum I feel sorry for you.
Here in Sunny QLD all you need is a roadworthy inspection done and then go get your registration paid. You dont even need a receipt for the bike. You just have to fill out a stat dec to say its legit.