[Phanatik]

I recently bought a wrecked 94 500R off eBay, from three states away. Now that I have it home, I notice that the VIN number on the frame does not match the one on the engine. :-[
It had been in an impound lot for a year, and has no title.
Who do I talk to about this?
Bureau of Motor Vehicles, State Police, my insurance agent. . .?

 

[Nick D]

Everything I've ever messed with ties the title to the frame. It's not unusual for vehicles to get new motors, but you can't buy a motor to get a title. The big problem would be if the VIN had been ground off.

As a side note, when you start trying to get the title and such, don't mention the engine VIN or the mismatch. To the average Joe, someone with their head on straight and knowledge of the subject, it's no big deal. When you start giving the DMV too much information they get confused and start asking for proof and paperwork that doesn't exist. It's not their fault, they can't know it all, just what's in their manual .

And don't worry, even if it was a "numbers matching" EX it wouldn't be worth any more (or less) .

 

[ChopperCharles]

On many makes and models, the engine numbers don't match the frame numbers at all. Not sure about Kwackers, but not a single engine from any Honda I own exactly matches the frame number.

I can look up in a table and see if I have the engine number is from the same year as my bike, but that's about it. The numbers otherwise share no similarity.

Charles.

 

[AntiAndy]

I have no advice on this subject, but i will show sympathy,
oh-oh's

 

[Nick D]

On many makes and models, the engine numbers don't match the frame numbers at all. Not sure about Kwackers, but not a single engine from any Honda I own exactly matches the frame number.

I can look up in a table and see if I have the engine number is from the same year as my bike, but that's about it. The numbers otherwise share no similarity.

Charles.

I've noticed that on a few of mine, as well. Even on bikes that do match it's pretty easy to find the wrong stamp and think it doesn't match.

 

[PontiacJack]

Make friends with someone who does DMV work... like the chicks who handle titles and stuff for sales departments of auto or moto dealers. Not that they will do anything illegal for you but they knwo the DMV inside and out and generally the dealer dmv tellers are super more helpful and will bend some rules for them once in a while. Its made my life so much easier, I just hand my paper work over to my friend and throw in a paid lunch and boom I don't have to wait in lines or any of that poop.

 

[Me and my monkee]

Frame and engine numbers do not match. Theyre not supposed to. Chopper had it right.

 

[Nick D]

Frame and engine numbers do not match. Theyre not supposed to. Chopper had it right.

Says the guy who hauls a baby in his motorcycle luggage.

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Frame and engine numbers do not match. Theyre not supposed to. Chopper had it right.

Says the guy who hauls a baby in his motorcycle luggage.

To his credit, he does wrap her in bubble wrap first.