Registering a KDX220R in Ohio for DS events?

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blimpman
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Registering a KDX220R in Ohio for DS events?

Post by blimpman »

Anyone successfully registered a KDX for street use in Ohio? I'd sure like to get a plate to run some DS and Enduro events instead just Harescrambles. I have a plate from a bike I sold that is good for 10 more months. Maybe I could get it titled with a transfer? Turn signals and a horn shouldn't be very hard. :?
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Post by fuzzy »

I bought one from Toledo that was registered as a road bike in OH. Not quite sure what the guy had to do, but it must've not been difficult. Bike was in no way, shape, or form street legal, BUT had a legal tag. This made it easy for me to do the same in IL as I was able to register it from an OH 'road bike' to an IL 'road bike.'
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Here is what you do in Ohio:

First and foremost, you MUST have a title for the bike in question. In 1999 a law was passed that required this for all off road bikes and atvs. If you do not have a title go to your county title office and find out what you need to do to obtain one.

Assuming that you have a valid title here is the procedure:

Go to the Ohio Title office with your current title and tell the registrar that you need to complete a "body code change" affidavit for your motorcycle. Frequency of this request will dictate how the rest of the transaction progresses. If the registrar is familiar with this request the transaction should go smoothly I would think. You will give them your current off road title and they will make you sign and initial the "body code change" affadavit stating that the the necessary changes have been made to your bike which include the following:

Brakes
Headlight
Taillight
License Plate Light
Rearview Mirror
Muffler with baffles
Horn
Saddle Type Seat
Handle Bars

If you have any recipts for any purchases you have made related to the above it would be a good idea to bring them in case they ask (they asked me and I told them that I used parts from another bike to meet the requirements).

The registrar will make you raise your right hand and affirm that you have completed the above, the affadavit will be notarized (they keep this document), and they will then issue you a new title with a Body Type Code of MC, which is street legal and allowing you to purchase plates for your bike. That is it you can now go to the License Bureau and get your plates. In essence, the state is taking your word that you have done what you are supposed to do. On the flipside, I have heard that many ohio municipalities are pretty tough on folks who are stopped on bikes who have not lived up to their end of the bargain - especially in urban areas where many folks do not appreciate dirt bikes to begin with.

Finally, don't be surprised if your local Title office is not familiar with this procedure and questions you on why you are doing this, how an off road motorcycle cant be driven on streets etc..... This happened to me, and my advice is to do your homework before hand and if you find that you are having an issue, ask that they contact Columbus and check it out and tell them that you do not mind waiting while they do so. I live in the Cleveland area where this type of request is probably quite rare so the folks were not aware of it. However, after they checked and confirmed the law everything was OK.

Bottomline - Ohio is a pretty easy place to plate a DS bike, just do your homework before going to the title office. And make certain that you really do make the necessary upgrades - which are really quite lenient compared to many other states.

It will be more trouble getting a new title if you do not currently have one. You may have to get the bike inspected for VIN verification as well as some other things. Check the OHIO BMV website for those details...

Hope this helps you out.

KF
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Post by blimpman »

Thanks for the info. Looks like getting a title will be the tough part. This is from the OHIO BMV website.

Q12:

I purchased a vehicle in-state or out-of-state and the seller did not provide me with a title. I have a bill of sale. What do I do?

A12:
Contact the Title Administration and Customer Service Unit (TACS) at 614-752-7671

( when I called this number a lady said that I had to send a Certified ( notarized) FAX with a bunch of information to her and I would have to get a Court Order to get a new title.... I think I'll go to my local title office first and talk to someone in person. A court order to get a title?:shock: )


Q35.

I have an off-road motorcycle titled in Ohio. I have now brought it up to code for on road use and need to change the title. How do I do that?



A35.
You would take the Ohio off-road title in your name, proof of the upgrade and proceed to your county title office and request to complete a "body code change" affidavit. If all is in order the title will be replaced and reflect the body code as "MC" motorcycle. Fee is $6 and then you would take the new title to the Deputy Registrar and apply for your motor cycle plates. Of course, you must have the motorcycle endorsement on your Ohio operators license in order to drive the vehicle.
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Yeah - I started with the BMV website, but it was too vague so I emailed the BMV with specifics. Took a bit of time to get all of the requirements nailed down, but worth it.

Please post your experiences with obtaining the title - I know some folks who need to do the same thing.

Whereabouts are you located in NE Ohio
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Post by blimpman »

I am located in Cuyahoga Falls, just north of Akron.

Called the local title office yesterday. I told them I had a yr 2000 off-road motorcycle with no title that I bought from someone out of state. She knew that in that year the dealer gave you a bill of sale but no title for an off-road bike.

She told me to do this...

1. Get my bill of sale from the out of state seller NOTARIZED.
2. Take it to the local BMV office and get an out of state inspection. ( basically just matches the VIN to the bill of sale)
3. Then bring these two documents to the County Title office, pay the sales tax on the sale, pay a $6.00 fee to get a title in my name.

Now once I have a title in my name... making the bike street legal is next.


>|<>QBB<
Kurt Franz wrote:Yeah - I started with the BMV website, but it was too vague so I emailed the BMV with specifics. Took a bit of time to get all of the requirements nailed down, but worth it.

Please post your experiences with obtaining the title - I know some folks who need to do the same thing.

Whereabouts are you located in NE Ohio
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Post by blimpman »

UPDATE...

Took the bike and the bill of sale over to the license bureau and in 5 minutes and $5.50 I had a notarized bill of sale and an out-of-state inspection slip.

Went down to the title bureau ( 10 miles away) to get a new title and the place closed 5 minutes before I got there.... [RANT=On] Dammit.... Only open 9-12:45 on Sat only. How convenient to the public... 8-4:30 during the week. I say ...Give up a weekday and stay open all day on Sat... [RANT=off] :roll:
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Post by blimpman »

>|<>QBB<
blimpman wrote:UPDATE...

Took the bike and the bill of sale over to the license bureau and in 5 minutes and $5.50 I had a notarized bill of sale and an out-of-state inspection slip.

Went down to the title bureau ( 10 miles away) to get a new title and the place closed 5 minutes before I got there.... [RANT=On] Dammit.... Only open 9-12:45 on Sat only. How convenient to the public... 8-4:30 during the week. I say ...Give up a weekday and stay open all day on Sat... [RANT=off] :roll:
Turns out that the Out of state Inspection showed a body style of "MC". This means in License/Tiltle Bureau" talk... street legal. To get a new title for a "street legal" motorcycle in Ohio, you must have an original title from the previous owner. It was up to him to provide it. If it showed off road I can get a new title. I had the bike at the License bureau and it was plainly a dirt bike with no turn signals, mirrors etc....

BUT.... If the out of state inspection was CORRECTLY filled out by the license bureau, I would have a title by now. So now I have to go get a new inspection that shows a body style of "off road" I guess. Funny, the Title bureau would not tell me what had to be in the body style box. They were screwing with me I'm sure.

Back to the license bureau...

Get this... the supervisor at the Title Bureau said she knew nothing about the requirements of this inspection. They were a "county" office and the license bureau was a "state" office. Both of these offices are within 50 feet of each other.... :roll:
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Doesn't surprise me...that is why I said that getting the title was going to be a PITA. Part of the reason is the ignorance of many of the people that they have working in those state run offices - not always the most qualified and/or really interested in helping out - at least in the urban areas. My experience is that many times they act like they are doing you a favor by doing anything. I think they often lose sight of who is actually paying their salaries.

If you keep having problems go to a license bureau in one of the smaller towns where the people are nicer and probably have some experiene with what you are trying to do.

Shouldn't have to do this though.....

let us know how it goes - good luck.. :grin:
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Post by blimpman »

Talked to my local license bureau guy this morning and he found out that the title office is looking for "dirt bike" on the inspection form instead of MC. He has made a new form out for me and it is waiting for me to be picked up.

Yes, the Title office people were very uninterested in helping me and did have the attitude of "why are you bothering to do this... just go away..."

Just opposite attitude at the license bureau. :wink:

I will get the new title soon. Might be Sat before I can get there within their limited office hours.
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Post by Kurt Franz »

Outstanding! :grin:

Sounds like you are just about done now! Drop a PM when you get it done.

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Post by blimpman »

I have title in hand. Title office needed to see "dirt bike" in the section where body style is located on the inspection slip. Then, the woman who processed my paperwork said when the VIN was accessed into the system, it came up as MC. So she said she changed it to OR ( off road) :cry: How convenient.
I just smiled...
Paid my taxes and $8.50 in charges for the title and went on my merry way with new title in hand. :mrgreen:

Now I have to work on the body style change.
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Post by Kurt Franz »

How far are you going to go with modifications? Turn signals, brake light, hi/low beam, etc...? Or are you going to go with the bare minimum horn ,mirror, license plate lamp/bracket?

I would think if you are just going to be trail connecting, the minimum would be sufficient. I think I am going to go the full mods route and try to use the bike for around town riding as well as trails/back roads etc...

whatever - good job on getting thru the BS to get the new title.

Ever been to Maumee State Forest?
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Post by blimpman »

I am going to buy the pieces seperately and wire it myself. LED lights all the way around to save watts. I'll do the whole thing but not hi/lo on the headlight. I want to use the stock headlight housing but get LED lights. It will be the turn signals that are flush mount and barely legal. I will try to make the street stuff as un-obtrusive as possible.

Went to Maumee in the spring of '06 when I first got my KLR. Very muddy and very whooped out... Wasn't real fun on a 400lb bike...
The KDX would be a whole different ball game.


>|<>QBB<
Kurt Franz wrote:How far are you going to go with modifications? Turn signals, brake light, hi/low beam, etc...? Or are you going to go with the bare minimum horn ,mirror, license plate lamp/bracket?


I would think if you are just going to be trail connecting, the minimum would be sufficient. I think I am going to go the full mods route and try to use the bike for around town riding as well as trails/back roads etc...

whatever - good job on getting thru the BS to get the new title.

Ever been to Maumee State Forest?
Brian
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Post by blimpman »

UPDATE:

I have title with my name on it in hand that has body style MC... AND transferred plates from another bike I just sold. STREET Legal baby...:partyman:

I only have the brake & tail lights, license plate light, mirror on it now. Looking for a decent horn that is battery operated.

I used a friend in another city to get the body style changed on the title. Kind of a round about way but legal...

if anyone is interested in fine details PM me.
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Post by Indawoods »

I'm interested in the details... :twisted:
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