Titling a homemade trike in Florida?

[JackieJack]

In the past year I have been collecting my parts for my V8 (SBC) trike. I am pretty close to starting the build. I was told that the state has really cracked down on titling homemade vehicles. Has anyone in Florida gone through this process lately? Was told you have to have engineer stamp of approval on design, certified welder, where the Steele came from and the list goes on and on. I hope this is misinformation can anyone verify? All comments would be greatly appreciated .

-JackieJack

 

[hogcowboy]

I'm waiting on reply from a bike builder/repairer in Florida. He doesn't actually do trike builds but does help in a neighboring shop that does. He's going to ask tomorrow when he's there. It may just be internet BS but we'll see if his trike building friends have heard of this. That's as close as I can get to it. A trike building shop in Florida should know I would think.

 

[Texan]

I'm waiting on reply from a bike builder/repairer in Florida. He doesn't actually do trike builds but does help in a neighboring shop that does. He's going to ask tomorrow when he's there. It may just be internet BS but we'll see if his trike building friends have heard of this. That's as close as I can get to it. A trike building shop in Florida should know I would think.

Might be "internet BS" about Florida but can't title 'em in Texas no more. Was told by a Texas DOT Weights and Measures officer that you'll probably see more and more states moving in this direction. Guess the NHTSA has got something going on that is pushing this decision. Also the insurance industry.

There is another thread on here that discusses this issue in Texas..

8~\o

 

[stacebg]

In the past year I have been collecting my parts for my V8 (SBC) trike. I am pretty close to starting the build. I was told that the state has really cracked down on titling homemade vehicles. Has anyone in Florida gone through this process lately? Was told you have to have engineer stamp of approval on design, certified welder, where the Steele came from and the list goes on and on. I hope this is misinformation can anyone verify? All comments would be greatly appreciated .

-JackieJack

i would go straight to the horses mouth..... dmv or who ever does registration / inspection... then you know!! best of luck w your build

 

[Tin Man 2]

The guys I know in Michigan just buy a cheap bike with a title and use the headstock on their build. They never even talk to the DMV about it, they just use the title and VIN, buy the plates,insurence and ride. It,s just a heavily modified Honda 750 after all.

 

[butchvoss]

The guys I know in Michigan just buy a cheap bike with a title and use the headstock on their build. They never even talk to the DMV about it, they just use the title and VIN, buy the plates,insurence and ride. It,s just a heavily modified Honda 750 after all.

That is what i did to when i built mine in florida. kept the fl title and used it to register in NH.

 

[hogcowboy]

Finally got my mechanic friends response. Here's is statement cut/pasted so I don't mistype anything.

I checked with the Trike Shop and it's not just Internet BS. You do have to have all that, but it's not just in Florida it's across the country and is the result of a Congressional ruling of some sort. Apparently someone had offered a front kit that turned out to be a death trap so they changed the rules. Rear kits, however, are considered an "accessory" and are still okay.

The way that it was explained to me was that it's supposed to keep the half-a$$ed-bit-players out of the game, for safety's sake. You know how a few years ago every Tom, Dick, and Harry started producing "custom" choppers, and how so many of them were dangerous crap? This is supposed to keep those kind of companies from producing dangerous trikes, since the demands on the frame and parts and so forth are a lot more critical in a trike. In that light I think I might agree with this. A company that has the money to do the R&D and hire the people that really know what they're doing can still make trikes though.

So, get your tilting trike kit from someone that has jumped through all the hoops and you are fine. Tilting Motor Works would be my suggestion.

 

[Woolie]

A big THANK YOU to our Medellin Legislators for protecting us from ourselves when the real protection we need is from them!

 

[JackieJack]

Titling a trike in Florida

Finally got my mechanic friends response. Here's is statement cut/pasted so I don't mistype anything.






So, get your tilting trike kit from someone that has jumped through all the hoops and you are fine. Tilting the i Works would be my suggestion.

Thank you for the information I appreciate it. I have a Gold wing title and neck I guess that is the route I am going to take. I want to thank all who replied to my question . I am glad I joined this group
- JackieJack

 

[Texan]

Finally got my mechanic friends response. Here's is statement cut/pasted so I don't mistype anythingSo, get your tilting trike kit from someone that has jumped through all the hoops and you are fine. Tilting Motor Works would be my suggestion.

Okay, what did I miss. Went from titling a home built motorcycle to tilting a motorcycle. I must have had a hard night and I don't even drink.

8~\o

 

[hogcowboy]

Okay, what did I miss. Went from titling a home built motorcycle to tilting a motorcycle. I must have had a hard night and I don't even drink.

8~\o

More like my need for larger text so I can see the difference of tilting and tltling. I typed it and still can't see the difference. Time to zoom in and stay that way..

 

[rhino 2]

More like my need for larger text so I can see the difference of tilting and tltling. I typed it and still can't see the difference. Time to zoom in and stay that way..

Or you might be a little Dyslexic, I am.. :gah: Mostly happens to Southpaw's which i am, tilting/titling I can stare at it for 20 minutes and still can't see the difference ...

 

[butchvoss]

Thank you for the information I appreciate it. I have a Gold wing title and neck I guess that is the route I am going to take. I want to thank all who replied to my question . I am glad I joined this group
- JackieJack

That is basically what i did. This year i welded in a new neck to accommodate my new leading link forks. I cut the serial # out of old neck and very carefully welded it into new neck .
Trike was titled in fl and now NH as Honda trike. No problems SO far.lol

 

[Texan]

Was visiting with my friend again, who's with the Weights and Measures dept of the Texas DOT, again about this. She's a rider and read thru this forum, in particular this thread. She said they are initiating personal contacts (nice way of saying they are stopping people) persons traveling in apparent home made 3 wheelers, no matter what state registration, to verify drivers license, construction (weld) certification and insurance of said vehicles. Said if they find a homemade vehicle is being driven by a driver with a valid Texas drivers license but the vehicle is not registered in Texas they can impound the trike at that time or given the circumstances, give up to 30 days for the owner to provide all documentation to the closest DPS office.

She further said they had found several homemade trikes that had VIN tags of motorcycles that were reported stolen. She's still saying that several other states are looking to implementing this law under the guidance of the NHTSA.

8~\o

 

[Sidecarbill]

Malcom Forbes would have loved 2 get involved with somethin like this. I'm sure they would point out that its discriminatory. After all no trike conversion company is going 2 b able 2 produce a weld certificate. Each weld certification would b for one serial number bike. I don't think they would want to go there. Goldwings had bad welds a few years back and I don't think they even made them replace the frame. Just rewelded them. Just have to avoid texas 4 now I guess.

 

[drumdoctor]

Trike Titling In Florida

I spoke to both the supervisor at the local DMV and a supervisor at the state DMV office in Tallahassee.
I was told that they are trying to get away from issuing titles by the VIN number on the neck or engine or some other part.
That is why Florida and a lot of the other states went to ASPT title.
ASPT stand for ASsembled from ParTs.

They take whatever identification numbers are on the vehicle and create a totally new VIN number and they attach that on the newly constructed vehicle.

This was because if a person got stopped and he was riding a custom made trike, but his registration and title said that it was a 550 Honda, that would make the officer very suspicious--because there are no 550 Hondas that are 5 ft. wide and 12 ft. long --as most trikes are.

So you could sit along side the road while all your paperwork was checked out.
As the officer was punching in your numbers on his computer or speaking to someone on the phone, all the officer had to do was get 1 number wrong and your vehicle looks like it is stolen or has stolen parts on it.
Then you get arrested and your vehicle gets impounded.

Those same DMV supervisors also said that there are efforts to create a national database of custom made vehicles and the easiest way is for all the states to go to ASPT titles.

If you have a dedicated VIN that was created for your vehicle, then it is easy to prove that your vehicle is legal and you are the rightful owner.
Sure, you may have to jump through some hoops getting your vehicle inspected, registered and titled and it will take some time, but that process will eliminate any future hassles with law enforcement.

Texas is a whole different deal...

Since Texas passed that law where they will not issue or renew registrations or titles for custom vehicles,
all the people who owned and built custom vehicles, had to sell them.
And most of those vehicles were sold at a great loss.

 

[butchvoss]

I moved out of FL 1n 2012. My trike was titled as a honda in fl. In NH it is still titled as a honda and has passed state inspection 3 years in a row. Ive talked to other home built owners and they say leave things as they are because if i get new #s from the state it will be titled as a new home built and will be taxed as a new trike . So as it stands i own a 1988 honda with modified frame. Heck the only thing honda is the serial # lol and i have the FL title to that #

 

[drumdoctor]

Titling a Trike in Florida

JackieJack---

I have been through it a few times--last year was the last time.

You do not have to have any kind of welding certification or anything like that.
All you need to do is keep ALL your receipts and take pictures of any parts that have VIN or ID numbers.
You need to document where you got all the parts.
Then you contact the Tax Collectors office (DMV) and get the forms that are needed and make an appointment.
Then when you go there, you pay them and get a temporary tag.
Then you take your trike to the Tax Collectors (DMV) and they will inspect it.
Then they will create a VIN sticker for you and THEY will put it on your trike---usually around the neck area.
You will also get a new ASPT title that is issued just for you and the trike you built.
If you follow all the rules and do what they want, you will have no problems.

As I said in my original post, Florida along with a lot of other states, are issuing ASPT titles in order to cut down on stolen part and stolen vehicles.
Plus this will stop any confusion if you get stopped by law enforcement while riding your custom trike.

In the past the trike was titled by the VIN number on the steering neck.
Florida, along with a lot of the other states went to ASPT titles.
You had trikes that were 6 ft wide, 16 ft long and weighed 2400 lbs, but were titled as a 550 Honda, or
a 750 Kawasaki or whatever bike you get the steering neck from.
This made no sense and it made law enforcement very suspicious of those vehicles.

The ASPT titles mean that you assembled your trike from parts--you proved where you got all those parts and followed all the rules and regulations of the state, so the state createed a VIN number and title
that is specific for your new creation.

I have gone through this process several times and never had a problem as long as I followed the rules.

Please feel free to contact me is you have any more questions.

Mike---drumdoctor@live.com---407-953-5007

 

[butchvoss]

Spent the day talking to motorcycle inspectors and dealers. From what i got is in NH they could care less about how you trike is as long as you have a serial # and it meets state inspection regulation. Now one guy told me to to go to the DMV and tell them I need a build sheet. Then make appointment for DMV state inspectors to look at trike. If they like it they will issue a New build title. . I am going to try this route and will let you know how i make out. Dealers say im fine and legal for the state of NH but if i want to sell out of state get the DMV title for home built trike . Im still a little confused as no one in concord DMV could tell me the process over the phone.I guess a trip to the DMV will be in the cards next week..lol Thanks for the info drum doctorThumbUp

 

[diver]

runaround is all im getting. No one at DMV knows jack shiet. I have been back and forth with them. Since i have legal fl title to trike even though title says its a bike that they cant change #s and as far as they are concerned im legal. They said if i had no #s and or title to #s and had bill of sale they could do new vin and inspection. WTF . I spent several hours back and forth with concord DMV and lots of phone calls..... I need to hook up with a NH trike owner that has gone threw the process cause as of now im on hold for new vehicle #s lol.

Now there is a guy with a factory renegade trike i talked to and he says he has a heck of a time getting a inspection sticker for it and I have no problem for a home built.... NH is so messed up