I didn't even know they noted "off-road" on a title, I thought that was just for registration. You learn something every day. Yeah that'd be great if he could get the old original plate if she has it. In any case, I'll bet he doesn't have a problem with CHP. I just think the DMV makes more of a big deal out of it than CHP does. 

Btw a nextdoor neighbor and friend were riding their vintage motorcycles along PCH one day, both of them pre-1970 Hondas. They got pulled over because they didn't have turn signals. They told the officer they don't need them because of the age of the bikes, and he didn't believe them. They insisted, and eventually the officer got hold of a motor officer, he verified it, and the cop let them go.

 

Tom, I agree.  And it sounds to me like someone at the DMV messed this up. 

I had the opposite happen years ago...  bought an old Husqvarna dirt bike without a title.  Wildomar DMV inspected the VIN and gave me a license plate for it!  

Very clever solution with the rack, looks great!

I really feel for all you guys out in California. So many stories make it sound like the CHP are on a vendetta against many things, and bikes in particular.

Here in NH, I have been extremely fortunate in that there was a very good and knowledgeable shop local to me. With 8 or 9 bikes, once I had them all registered and ready, I could go to him, get them checked over and stickered, and pay at the end for all of them, getting a break on the last 7 or 8. This all had to be done by the end of June (NH chose June as bike inspection month). 

He closed last June.    I was in a bit of a panic as to what to do this year, as any other inspection station was a good hour away. What to do, what to do. 

This February NH decided, across the board, to do away with all vehicle inspections. 

Problem solved!!

Glad to hear NH took that action.    I can only wish.

 

Update: DMV wants a safety inspection, a CHP 888. One problem, the 888 does not exist any longer w/CHP.
So, this means a VSSI inspection. A $305 procedure. Looks like end of the line for Mr CT1.

Your CT1 does not require emissions. No vehicle in California older than 1975 manufacture requires emissions. Have you talked to supervisors? Is there another DMV nearby? These people are just screwing you around, the same way I got screwed around, but I didn't take it, and finally got my plate.

You don't need a VSSI, that's only for salvaged cars basically. Did the previous owner ever find the license plate it originally had?

Is the title or history of the bike showing that it was ever junked or salvaged? If not, you do not need the VSSI. All you need is a VIN check, and to make sure you have the proper equipment on it for road use. And frankly you don't even need turn signals, and again, you do not need an emissions certificate for a 1971 motorcycle. And remember, your CT1 was manufactured for dual use. So it doesn't matter that it had a off-road sticker on it for a while, it was intended for dual use.

In fact they did not even make a 175cc offroad-only model. They made a 125, a 250 and the 360 MX. There was no 175 MX model. I have the original brochures that prove this, of course everyone here knows that.

www.google.com/search?q=motorcycle+was+l...ie=UTF-8#lfId=ChxjMe

Tom, thank you.  I appreciate your exuberance on the matter, but...

You have to understand the inspector at the DMV DID NOT KNOW WHAT AN ENDURO was. This is the level of competence I'm working with. LOL, its hard to argue w/a person like that. Supervisors were involved.(shaking head at responses).    In the list of body types, the one selected by the CH.P ("EN") on their Form 31, the DMV rep disagreed with.  He ASKED ME what an ENDURO was.  I explained to him, using DMV's definition regarding dual purpose use vehicles.  I further explained that I agree w/the CH P, should be "EN".  Win #1.   

Note, the body type label is NOT a problem.   Listing a bike as "MC" or "EN" will both work for getting an Enduro a plate.  I'm excluding "R/S", etc for purposes of these particular bikes.  The problem is changing from: 

OHV to ON HIGHWAY 

They DMV personnel are not competent enough to understand the bike should never have been registered as an OHV in the first place or won't accept a mistake or intentional request of previous owner to save $ registering.  Note, there IS a pathway to go OH->OHV.  DMV employees have no idea what an Enduro is, but they do have a list of procedures that tell them how to change from a OHV to OH.  Those procedures/regulations do include a pathway that includes VSSI.  Body type is not the show stopper.   They don't care what other bikes were manufactured that year.  If it had indicated body type "MX", no plate for you! Emissions stickers are irrelevant at this point.
 
 I have to win the OHV to OH pathway to get a plate. 

More coming Fri... stay tuned! There may be good news. I'll let you guys know.



 

I just looked at my title, and under body type it says MC, and under class it says AK, which I believe indicates off-road. When I look at pictures of yours, it looks beautiful, and like any bike that would be on the road. Mine is a patina special, and the DMV didn't even care. My biggest fight with them was over them wanting to meet to pay 30 years of back registration, and they didn't think my original blue plate was the original blue plate, which it is. Maybe you should trailer it down here to the Costa Mesa DMV. At least they didn't give me a fight over it being legal for the road. In fact they nor the CHP even cared to check the lights. In any case, good luck tomorrow!
 

Tom, I agree with you 100%.  It's easy to document the CT1 was always street legal.

I danced with the DMV in California many times and always "won".  It wasn't really a win, because I just made them follow their own rules and procedures.  

Changing offices is often helpful, there are some employees who understand the rules.  Persistence is critical.  So is plan of attack.  

I'm pretty sure it's going to be a fool's errand to try to convince them to turn an OHV title into a highway title.  

It sounds like this bike was "off the books" for years and somebody screwed up when they issued a OHV title recently?  My focus would be on getting them to fix THEIR mistake of classifying the vehicle initially.  You must remain adamant it is not and never has been an OHV.  PERIOD.  End of story.  No compromise.  

I'm not sure if it was in this thread, but I remember reading speculation that "maybe it was registered as an OHV at some time".  That does not make sense.  If they had title records in the system, you would not have to go through the "untitled vehicle" process.  And if that's what they are claiming, make them prove it.  

Nope, someone goofed and issued the wrong type of title.  They don't need to "convert" anything.  They need to cancel their mistake and reissue the correct type of title.