So yesterday I had the lovely experience of paying my local Bureau of Motor Vehicles a visit. It's never fun going to the BMV, but this experience was more surreal than most.
I have a 2009 Honda CRF230F that I picked up for free (it had a blown motor) and have slowly gotten rideable again. Seriously, I have $95 in rings and a gasket set invested in it. That's it. I have a title for it, but it says ORV, so there's paperwork to get it streetlegal.
My idea was to make it into a mini-adventure bike. Something I could carry a couple days of camping gear on, stick to about 55mph, and hit any trails or state parks within a few hundred miles of here.
It didnt begin well. I was the only person there, and it still took them 15 minutes to call my number. I started out with trying to get the trailer that I built registered.
"Oh, you cant register a trailer without a title."
I know. That's why i'm applying for a VIN number as the trailer is 'homebuilt'.
"I dont think you can do that."
Yes, you can. Ive done it before.
"Well you need to have a police inspection."
The police told me to go here first, get the paperwork, then get it inspected.
"Well I cant give you the paperwork until it's inspected."
So I have to have it inspected, then get the paperwork, then have it inspected again?
"Yes, after the second inspection you have to get the VIN number and the plate, and have it inspected again."
So I have to have it inspected three times?
That makes no sense. Before, ive just applied for the VIN, got it in the mail, had it inspected, then picked up the plate like any other vehicle.
"Well I dont think that was right. Who did you talk to?
I dont know, it was like five years ago...
I gave up at that point, and moved on to the motorcycle.
"You cant get a plate for a dirtbike."
Sigh. Yes, you can. Ive done it before. Same process as the trailer.
"Let me talk to my manager."
"You cant plate dirtbikes in Indiana anymore. If the title says "ORV" or "Not For Highway Use" you cannot get a license for it."
But my buddy just plated his XR650R in Indianapolis two weeks ago...
"Well that cant be right, you cant do that anymore."
So let me get this straight. I can plate some shitty homemade trailer I slapped together, plate some half-assed chopper, or plate one of those sketchy ratrods, but I cant plate my 2009 factory built Honda with lights and turnsignals?
At which point I stood up and left. The only difference between the CRF230F and the CRF230L is the fact that Honda ships the 'L's with a street title. That's it. There is no mechanical difference in the bikes. You would think that they would be happy to plate it for me, as it's more wheel tax, sales tax, and yearly plate fees for them. But no, they have to make it super difficult to register a dual sport.
...maybe I should go back and tell them that it's homemade....
