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MSO Manufacturers Statement of Origin??

5K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  FrisianWheel 
#1 ·
Hi,

I'm currently trying to title my 450 project bike and decided to go the South Dakota route. Not sure if it will work out but worth a try and another opportunity to learn a bit more about the disliked part of paperwork...
So here is my question: Does anybody know where I can get a so called Manufacturers Statement of Origin or MSO? The document is only required in some states and SD needs to have it in order to re-title vehicles.

BTW, we have a similar thing in Germany which is called ABE (Allgemeine Betriebserlaubnis which basically translates as 'general approval to operate' a particular vehicle in Germany). If it's a standard car or motorcycle the authorithies usually have it on record. If you ride vintage motorcycles AND the motorcycle has been sold in Germany back in the day you can obtain such a document as a proof from the TÜV (kind of vehicle inspection organisation). So the main purpose of the ABE is to proof that the vehicle model has been technically approved already in general. I guess the MSO serves the same purpose?? I just can't find where I could get it.
 
#3 ·
The way I understand it, at least in Florida, is an MSO comes with every new bike while it's still in the crate and gets filed with the state it's first titled in. An exception to that happened when I bought my first CBX in 1980 from the local salvage yard that my Dad did paint work for and because we both knew the owner, we saw the paperwork that he got with it when he bought the bike wrecked from a dealership in Miami. It wasn't a title because (as we understood it at the time from the dealer) the bike was a demonstrator and likely had been wrecked on a test ride or by a salesman using it - so we were given the MSO and I took it to the title office and got it registered for the first time as if I'd been the original purchaser/owner. I think that's the end of the path for the MSO and I'm not sure how you'd ever get another one after the bike had been titled and in service
 
#4 ·
I saw someone selling a kit you fill out on your printer and align it correctly to print in the appropriate spots. Send you 3 in case you mess up. Seemed shady. Who knows. Think you can find them on ebay?
 
#5 ·
Yeah, now I've seen some sellers on Ebay which sell something like a MSO template. Seems more than shady to me but some promote this stuff as if it's totally normal to print your own documents. Why bothering with this stupid MSO? Maybe I should just print the title myself and afterwards some extra dollars for spare parts...:grin:
 
#7 ·
^^^yep, pretty much what I said above. I think MSOs are a one shot deal, unless you come into possession of a bike used in a school situation that was donated and never sold... but those often come with no title or paperwork, or I'd have bought one of those CBXs long ago wen the opportunity came along
 
#8 ·
I think they might be special construction MCO's. Like a custom builder uses. I never gambled on that working myself. I have a title for a bike but the seller and new buyer are already filled in. Probably not going to find the original seller to get a copy sent so I am basically in the boat with you...
 
#9 ·
I spoke to someone who prints these template MSOs today. They are indeed indended to be used by custom build garages. So they have the same „birth certificate“ as he called it, to be exchanged for a new title.
He also suggested that I might try a large DMV with a so called dealer window, where the car dealer exchange the MSO for the title and explain my situation. So MAYBE they have mercy and give me an MSO... sigh..
 
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