Title Woes

When I acquired this old R75/5 BMW in Nebraska the owner claimed to have a Title and all the missing parts....RE: Fenders, tail light, rear signals, Toaster Tank Panels, etc.
After hounding him for weeks the guy never came up with anything he said he had.
I spent a day and got the old bike running so at least I know the engine is apparently sound.
I've spent a few hundred dollars on parts but decided I'd better address the title situation before spending more on a bike I might not ever be able to license for the road.
I found the old registration taped under the seat but the registration was for a 1973 BMW and the V.I.N. numbers did not match the frame.(?)
I ran the serial numbers through a BMW data base and the bike started life as a 1971 R75/5.

I hounded the seller for a couple of months for the Title but after thinking it over, his Title was worthless anyway if the numbers didn't match. If I ever went to sell the bike and the numbers were wrong, I'd end up with a nightmare legal situation.
I went to the MT. DMV and picked up the paperwork to acquire a new Title. Then the bike went to the Montana Highway Patrol for an inspection and an NCIC V.I.N. check to make sure nothing came up as stolen. Luckily everything came out clean....the next step was contacting an Insurance Company to acquire a Bond to guarantee the title. ($100.00).
So the bond will be here today. Then I take the MT. State Police paperwork, the Bond and the Bill of Sale to the MT. DMV and they will issue a new Title and license plates. Total cost will be a $100.00 plus DMV fees. Not that bad of a hassle. I always read of folks having impossible title problems but MT. has a system that is pretty easy to work.


I'm looking forward to getting the old thing in running order, but first priority is to get the R100S sidecar rig repaired. It will likely need a new rear main seal, cylinder base reseal and probably a new timing chain.(?)
I'll be digging into that as soon as we get settled in Yuma, AZ.