Bringing and registering Canadian Indian in USA?????? HELP!

[Rockndawg]

I found a Canadian 1940 Indian I might try and buy but I'm worried about getting it registered in the USA.

Has anybody done this or know what is required? Im currently in California which might be a little sticky, but will be moving to Arizona in the very near future. Any help with the details and possible costs would be appreciated. Thanks ed

[Yellow53Chief]

I found a Canadian 1940 Indian I might try and buy but I'm worried about getting it registered in the USA.

Has anybody done this or know what is required? Im currently in California which might be a little sticky, but will be moving to Arizona in the very near future. Any help with the details and possible costs would be appreciated. Thanks ed

Hi,
You don't say if the machine has a Canadian registration/title. If it does - that is good, but make sure it actually matches the machine. If it doesn't, get at least a bill of sale from the seller. Depending on where in the USA you are going to register/title the machine the rules can change. In some States, it is darn near impossible without a prior registration/title. New York will allow for a no prior paperwork registration application, but information from the previous two owners is needed (or at least New York wants it).
I wouldn't buy a machine with a 'promise' of paperwork at a future date from the seller - that situation almost never works out. What to do? One idea is only buy a machine with good clean paperwork. Sometimes the lack of paperwork can be used as a bargaining tool to negotiate a lower price. That is reasonable - if you have to get paperwork on your own - it is going to be costly, in time and money. Good Luck.

P.S. Does the machine you are considering buying have good engine/frame numbers? Do you want to know? Send photos of them to me and I'll tell you what I know. baiste@sgu.edu Steven Bailey

[Rockndawg]

Thanks Steven
Its suppose to be a clean titled Canadian 1940 Indian with matching numbers.
Im moving to Arizona which I believe is a pretty kick back about stuff. (unlike California where I am now!)
Still worried about the customs stuff.

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
A friend of mine just moved from Canada to Arizona - and he brought some Indians with him. I asked him about fees, paperwork, trouble, etc. Once I hear back from him, I'll reply to this thread again.

P.S. Any claim of matching numbers should be vetted. If there is any monkey-business with the engine and/or frame numbers, I can usually detect it. To know more, I would need photos of the engine and/or frame numbers. Due to the recent increasing values of 'matching number' machines; some people succumb to the temptation to modify/alter numbers in order to make them appear to be matching.

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
I talked with my friend, and he gave me the story. When my friend came across the border from Canada to the U.S., he had complete motorcycles and also motorcycle parts. The customs people didn't care about the parts. The complete motorcycles needed to have paperwork (registration/title) that matched the numbers on the machines. My friend had the correct paperwork and the whole thing went smoothly and quickly - with no fees. When my friend went to register/title the machines in Arizona, he had to have the DMV people walk around the machines, and also verify that the numbers on the bike matched the paperwork. After the walk around, my friend was able to get Arizona titles right in the same location - during the same visit. The walk around was required because the paperwork my friend had was from Canada. If the paperwork is from another U.S. State; there is no need for a walk around and Arizona will issue a title based on the other State's paperwork. The walk around had no associated fee, but there may be a license plate fee and also a fee based on the machine's declared value (a bill of sale might be handy). When you get to Arizona, you may want to stop in at local DMV and see what they say. Different offices may have slightly different procedures. Having paperwork that is clean and transferable is more critical today than it ever was. Not only does paperwork prove ownership, but it allows you to drive the machine and enjoy it. When it came to the walk around in Arizona, the machine didn't have to be in running condition, but it did have to look more-or-less like a complete motorcycle. The walk around was not to determine road worthiness - but only to verify that it existed and was what the paperwork claimed it was. Are the DMV people absolute experts? No - but they can probably smell the B.S. if it is thrown at them. Good luck. The offer to check out the bike's engine and frame numbers has no associated fee. To do it though, I need photos of the numbers.

[Rockndawg]

Wow, thanks for all the great info and mostly for taking the time to talk to your friend plus the time to write it all down!
Its greatly appreciated!
I just joined the club and the forum, if everyone is even a little bit like you, this one of the best things I have done in a long time.
thanks ed

[Dablaze]

Is this the one in pieces in the Toronto area? If so, I wouldn't mind helping out. The guys on here and caiman have helped me enough...

Craig

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
I asked my friend where he entered the U.S. from Canada and this is what he said: "I came through the border crossing at Midway just east of the Grand Forks crossing...it is a small crossing, probably easier to get through...it is only open till 5 PM ...but there are three crossings near each other there....the next one is Night Hawk, then Grand Forks...the main immigration crossing and the largest one is at Oroville ,,,it would be definitely a tougher crossing". He apparently came through to the U.S. from the far West in Canada. I think that what he is saying is that the smaller customs crossings might be a little easier to get through compared to the bigger crossings. If you have good paperwork, a motorcycle should get through O.K. wherever you cross. Good luck.