Anyone have experience purchasing a vehicle with no papers?

[ali36]

Has anyone here purchased a vehicle without papers? I'm looking at purchasing a unrestored motorcycle from the 1980s. The owner will include a bill of sale to me, but only has a bill of sale from the person he got it off of it has no papers. I ran the VIN bike isn't stolen and no liens, VIN is still legible on the motorcycle. I called ICBC and was given the information / procedure to retrieve the paper work. My question is ICBC will have to contact the last known registered owner, last time it was registered was almost 30 years ago. If the owner doesn't respond then the bike is mine? What happens if they do respond and wants the bike back for some reason. I'd be getting it for next to nothing just not sure if this whole process is even worth it.

Thanks in advance

[68style]

I’ve done it once. ICBc doesn’t contact them, you have to send a trackable document through Canada post with the request for title transfer to the last known address. You get that by going to ICBC’s HQ in North Van and requesting it/paying for it.

Mine got returned as no longer at that address and the car was mine.

I can’t speak as to what happens if the person contests it.

[fliptuner]

If it's worth your time to work on it and buy parts, it's worth your time to go through the process of getting it in your name, properly.