I have an update: his scooter is on the road, legal and ready to roll. He finally went through the Vermont registration process, and with the help of reader ANDREW, he was able to skip the physical trip up north, and did it all through the internet and United States Postal Service.  Not only was this far less painful than his first experience, but hopefully will prevent others from suffering the same delays.

This is how it all played out.  The following is from an email from my now-relieved, soon to be scooting, pal:

The Vespa was finally registered, inspected and insured last week.  As far as the Vespa registration in VT, I downloaded the VT registration form from their website, filled it out, and mailed it to them with a copy of the bill of sale.  Had to send payment of $85 for Registration & Taxes.

After I got VT plates & registration, I brought them to NYDMV and transferred it to NY registration, but had to pay ANOTHER NY state tax (so tell people to keep the bill of sale) total cost of $165.

All this took about 3 weeks.

Seems the key here is to make sure that if you are purchasing a vehicle without a title, always get a Bill of Sale.  In fact, with every used vehicle I have purchased, I always got a Bill of Sale, as well as any other applicable paperwork.  This is standard procedure, and really only needs to be a document that you type up and print yourself.  For New York State, details can be found here.

Keep in mind, in New York State, there is a clear distinction between the paperwork needed for registering vehicles made prior to 1973, and vehicles made after that date.  If your vehicle was produced prior to 1973, then you only need a Bill of Sale.  I was fortunate to also have the previous owner’s Registration, with a transfer of ownership form on the back.

Knowing someone who has now been through the process, it makes it a little less intimidating for me to think about purchasing a vehicle, sans paperwork.  There are many deals out there, and preferably they come complete with the official documents you need.  But if you stumble upon that deal of a lifetime, and just don’t want to pass it up, there is hope for us after all.

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When I first decided that a Vintage Vespa was the right scooter for me, I dove in to research on the various choices.  There were so many to choose from, and so many on the market.  I noticed that every now and again, I would come across a bike that was listed for sale without a title.  Some were reasonably priced, and some were closer to market value.  But without fail, there was always mention of the fact that it was simple to deal with this lack of title.

In fairness, in the state of NY, dealing with a missing title for a bike made before 1973 is pretty simple.  A Bill of Sale from the owner, with the correct information, and you are off to the DMV for a successful registration, and you should be riding the scoot that afternoon.  If the bike was made after 1973, and doesn’t have a title, you are in for a whole different experience.

I bring this up because there are a ton of great scooters out there that are for sale, and many are very tempting, but do not come with a title.  One such bike was purchased by my friend.  He bought a Vespa 1980 100 Sport that he absolutely loves.  It came without a title, but he began work on the bike, knowing that eventually he would need to get that paperwork.  There are a couple options available for rectifying this problem, and the one he chose has led to a clerical nightmare, that should act as a warning to those of you in the market for scooters, sans title.

One option is to travel to a state that has relaxed laws or rules regarding registering a bike in their state.  In our case, the closest is Vermont.  You can travel there to register the bike, get a title, and then use that paperwork to transfer the title to New York State.  Of course, that requires you to travel six hours to Vermont.  Since many of us who decide on a scooter for transportation, don’t have a car, this option is a bit difficult.

The other option is to use an online service, which will do basically the same procedure, but through the mail, so that you do not need to be physically present to get the proper paperwork.  My friend was pointed in that direction, and ended up at http://www.its-titles.com/

Here is what happened: My friend contacted the company.  He was told that the process would take place in Nevada, and that the cost would be $250.  Based on the recommendations of people he trusted, this would be a fine option for him, and he was willing to spend the money, to save him a trip to the north, and to ensure that he would be riding his beloved Vespa before the seasons turned cold.  Unfortunately, this is not how it went down.  The promised turn-around time was 4-6 weeks.  A time frame he was willing to live with.  Payment was made, and he patiently (or not so patiently, but silently) waited for the paperwork to arrive in the mail.  After the six weeks passed, he began calling to check on the status.  The company, which now seemed to be more like one person, never answered the phone.

…18 weeks later and 1 email saying “should be soon- Nevada DMV has been slow”, then no emails, no phone calls answered, no nothing.  Eventually, after many attempts at contacting the company, my friend decided it was time to dispute the charges, and get his money back (and eventually, take a long trip to Vermont!).  The problem with this is that it takes upwards of 6-8 weeks for a credit card company to resolve an issue like this, so he now remains waiting for the outcome.

Let this stand as a warning to all of us that flirt with the idea of buying a non-titled scooter.  There are deals to be had, but the headache doesn’t seem worth it.  Might be best to wait for the scooter of your dreams, that has all the correct papers.  In the end, your frustration level will be lower, even if your wallet is a little lighter.

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In my city riding experiences thus far, I have learned to accept that these challenges are not going to go away…EVER!  The cabs will never look before they brake suddenly.  The pedestrians will never look before stepping off the curb.  Due to traffic, the concept of riding two seconds behind the car ahead of you, so that you can spot the crater in the middle of 2nd avenue, is near impossible.

In the safety course I took, one of the first lessons was that we are all responsible for safety on the road.  The problem is, in this city, I often feel that I am the only one taking these responsibilities seriously.  The drivers in New York City seem to be playing some type of game.  I’m pretty sure it’s based on using scooters and motorcycles as targets.  It has occurred to me recently, that there is very little concern or consideration for us, and our 2-wheeled compatriots.  All we have to do is look at the lack of designated cycle parking to recognize where NYC stands on the importance of 2-wheelers.

According to the NHTSA, between 1998 and 2008, the number of registered motorcycles in the U.S. has doubled.  They now put the number of 2-wheel vehicles on the road, up over 7 million.  But why hasn’t the awareness doubled?  Why do I still feel that the average car driver reacts to my scooter as if it’s a foreign object?  I see the look in their eyes when they are deciding whether to pull out and cut me off.  “Should I treat this thing as a REAL vehicle.” Yes, you should!  Because I AM a real vehicle!  I deserve as much consideration as any other vehicle, yet I feel as if I am relegated to second class driver-ship.

My scooter is classic vintage, and by that I mean, manufactured before scooters were required to have turn signals.  This requires me  to designate my intentions with the use of hand signals, and I often feel this is an exercise in futility.  The whole concept of hand signals is predicated on the vehicle behind you understanding what they mean, and this often seems far from the case.  It’s been many years since I took my driver’s test, so I don’t recall whether hand signals were part of the curriculum.  I have a slight memory that it was, but who uses them in a car?  So such knowledge seems soon forgotten, and we are left with the rest of the 130 million vehicles on the road wondering why we are waving our arms around.

I recently went to visit my sister in New Jersey, and happened to notice her inspection sticker, placed directly in front of the driver, inside the windshield.  The photo that accompanies this article shows New Jersey’s attitude about Motorcycle (and by extension, scooter) Safety.  It is a constant reminder to be aware of us, and just knowing that all drivers see this each day, makes me feel a little better.  I have not yet ridden my scoot in NJ, but assume that I will do so soon.  I wonder if I will have a better, and safer riding experience there.   I am starting to get frustrated by the seemingly, complete lack of awareness and understanding, here in the city.  Let’s hope this changes soon…

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Taking a break during last year's Basic RiderCourse

The value of the Motorcycle Safety School’s MSF Basic Rider Course has been previously covered on this site by Paul, but having just completed it, I feel it bears repeating.  Great course, great instructors, great value.  I first became aware of the course through this website, and after reading up on it, learned that it not only offers a way to improve a rider’s skills, but also provides the road test resulting in a waiver, which eliminates the need to schedule a DMV road test.

I signed up for the two day course, although a two and half day course was available.  I wanted to get right down to it, so why not nail it in two days?  Well, if you are like me, the idea of getting up at 5:15am, is reason enough to choose the other option.  The classes are given in the South Bronx.  An easy subway ride on the 6 train delivers you to an open lot, which includes a riding range, and a construction trailer where the classroom lessons are given. Although I plan on riding a scooter, at this time, the course is only given on matching Suzuki 250cc motorcycles.

The first day started (early!) with the first classroom section, complete with DVD lessons, as well as a manual containing questions, which we worked in teams to complete.  That first day was very basic, but covered some important subjects nonetheless.  There were sections regarding proper clothing, basic motorcycle controls, proper body positioning, as well as how to position yourself in traffic.  All of these are important factors to riding, but the most potent subject for me was the concept of Risk.  Our instructor made very clear that as 2-wheel riders in this city (or anywhere, but especially in THIS city), we must be:

A) aware of the risk involved
B) accept the risk involved and,
C) manage the risk involved.

A sobering concept, if ever there was one.  You have decided to embark on a hobby, or a form of commuting transportation, which could result in bodily harm.  Cars offer that possibility of harm as well, but less so.  Cars offer a sense (perhaps falsely) of security and safety.  On a scooter or motorcycle, you are out there in the elements, with nothing but your wits and your gear to protect you.  A sobering concept indeed.

That first day concludes with on-the-range riding.  The entire class saddles up on the bikes, and runs through some drills, now with two instructors helping and evaluating us.  The skills are basic, but geared toward creating a sense of awareness and confidence.  Having been riding for my scooter for a couple months with my permit, and my ancient history of riding motorcycles, I felt some of the riding lessons were too basic.  But slowly, we all start to recognize the importance of the ‘safe ride.’  Little by little, our instructors guide us through the steps to control the bikes, and more importantly, to learn not to THINK about the steps we are taking, but to just instinctively DO them.  It seemed to me that I was transferring the knowledge from my brain to my gut, and learning to react without over-thinking, making me a more competent rider, for myself and those around me.  We conclude day one, feeling good about our rides, and excited to get back out there the next day, which will culminate in the road test.  At this point, I am feeling confident about my skills, and feel that after the final lessons, I will have no trouble with the test.

Bright and early again, I make it to the school with 45 minutes to spare.  I have become friendly with some of my classmates, and we discuss the previous day’s lessons, and what we think the test will include at the end of the day.  We are all visibly excited, but maybe just a tad nervous as well.  Back in the classroom, we delve deeper into awareness, defensive riding, and overall ‘street strategies.’  We wrap up with a 50 question written test, and I have no problem doing well, having thoroughly covered the material in the past two days.  After a break for lunch, we are back on the bikes, and more lessons, more practice, more drills.  My handling skills are being honed, with productive comments from the instructors, even after I complete what feels like perfect maneuvers.  I am starting to retain more concepts, without thinking too much.  I am feeling good about this test.

Throughout the drills, my biggest weakness had been slow maneuvers.  Doing figure-8 type patterns within a small box has proven difficult for me, and I am getting nervous about this section of the test.  At about 2pm I realize I have skipped eating the sandwich I bought earlier, and recognize that I am becoming spacey, and less focused than I am comfortable with.  Good lesson: make sure you are as healthy and strong as possible, before getting on a bike.  There is no need to push the limits of your body and mind, just as you would not ride your favorite scooter without proper fuel.  I eat quickly, and feel much better.  Time to get prepared for the test. The instructors let us know which portions will be graded for the waiver.  We are given the opportunity to practice these parts, just prior to the test beginning.  At this point I feel confident that I can pass each section, except the figure-8s.  And that’s exactly what I did.  After two full days of practice, lessons, testing and critique, I have passed the road test for the State of New York.  I am proud, but more so, very aware of the skills that riding on the streets of this city entail.

Overall, I am very pleased to have paid the money for this course.  Although I could have obtained a license cheaply through the DMV, I now appreciate the extra care the instructors take to ensure our safety.  I feel more confident about my basic skills, and the skills I will improve as I ride, with these lessons always in the back of my mind – and most importantly, in my gut.

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I would be dealing with three different requests at department of motor vehicles, and the 48 forms that pertain to them.  This might just push me over the edge.  I was determined to keep my head about me, and keep the enthusiasm for my new scoot high.  I did not want to allow the DMV to taint my great experience thus far.  I needed to switch my license over from New Jersey to NY (about 9 years too late!), take the motorcycle permit test (first driver’s test in 24 years!), and register the Vespa (how much trouble will they give me for a 1962 vehicle without a proper title?).

Shockingly, the whole thing took about 2.5 hours.  I couldn’t believe it.  I was expecting a full day of trials and tribulations, culminating in me failing the test, being rejected for the registration, and the state deciding that I wasn’t fit for their license.  Turned out much, much better than expected.

Get up the next morning, and it’s time for my friend Chris to take me for a little scooter lesson, and to refresh my memory on driving a two-wheeled vehicle.  It’s been 20 years, but I’m hoping it comes back to me just like riding….well, a bike.  Couple spins down a dead-end street and I am feeling comfortable.  The strangeness of shifting on the handlebar is fading, and I am getting used to the balance and the power of this particular scooter.

Chris decides it’s time to head out on the open road, and we kick off into the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.  Quieter than most neighborhoods, but not lacking in stop signs and lights at every intersection, this place puts me through my paces.  I really feel like I am getting the hang of it.  After a quick stop for gas (with the correct oil pre-mixture!), the joy of the open road comes to a grinding halt as I stall, heading up a small hill, on our way back home.

There on the side of the road, we take a look at the carb.  This is what Louis (seller) and Tom (guru) did when there was a problem the day I bought it, and I am hoping that the mere act of unscrewing the thing will breath life back into it.  Doesn’t happen!  Can’t tell what’s up, and the side of a busy Brooklyn street is not the best repair space, so it’s decided I need to push it on home.  I have to admit, my enthusiasm wanes at this point.  I was hoping to feel like the folks in those classic Vespa ads from the 1950′s, so happy to be scooting around the villas without a care in the world.  They NEVER showed the scooter pouring gas from the carb!  Somewhat defeated, I accept my fate.  It’s exactly 1.1 miles to home (curse the damn Google maps on an iPhone!).  Off I go…

I know that the repair aspects of these scooters are a big part of the experience, but I was hoping for a little more honeymoon.  Tomorrow I will have to open her up, see what’s going on, and dive right in.  I am craving some more riding time, and this will just not do…

Next day comes, and it’s time for me to don my mechanic’s outfit.  When I turn the gas lever to the on position, fuel is pouring from the back of the bike.  In fact, it seems like it’s pouring out of everywhere!  I’m not feeling particularly confident.  After seeing Louis and Tom mess with the carb, while I was up north on purchase day, I felt that the problem I was having HAD to be carb related.  I emailed Louis and he really believed that it must be the float or the pin.  I am starting to believe these things go bad at the drop of a hat.

I opened up the carb, my first voyage into the innards of this beast.  I have to admit that I was a bit nervous.  Fears of forgetting which part came off first, or dropping a key component down the sewer grate, raced through my head.  Such are the trials and tribulations of using the New York City sidewalk for your workshop.  Instantly, I discovered that gas was filling the float.  This must be the issue.  I had done my research online, and every mention of gas leaking pointed to this as a first step of repair.  I began wondering why this little piece, which seems to cause so much anguish, is made out of plastic.  I mean, can’t we all get on board with a more sturdy build, and ensure that this issue doesn’t repeatedly happen?

I had ordered a couple of these spare parts from Scooterworks out in Chicago, but believing that it would be something that would cause me headaches in the FUTURE, had them shipped ground!  Ugh.

I called a local repair shop, Scooter Bottega here in Brooklyn.  The mechanic told me they don’t really deal in parts, but instantly offered to sell me one from his personal stock, simply because I was in a jam.  And he didn’t overcharge me!  What’s going on here?  Twilight Zone music started ringing in my head.

This was my first experience with the difference between scooter people, and all the rest of the world.  I am convinced, if this was a situation with a car, there would be no chance of getting a favor like this.  I picked up the part, got it into the carb and replaced all components back on the bike, all without losing anything down the sewer.  She kicked right over!  Problem solved.  I could get used to this.  The feeling of pride in having completed my first repair, albeit a simple one, was amazing.

The honeymoon is back in full swing!

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Sometime during the day on Wednesday, my plate disappeared. It could have been stolen, it could have fallen off. If this happens to you, here’s what you’re in for:

1. I went to the DMV on Thursday morning to report the plate missing and apply for a new one. I completed the paper-work, but two obstacles came up:

• I got lucky, I had recently had a new insurance card sent to me when I bought my second scooter. For whatever reason they gave me new cards for both. Apparently, you can only get a plate within 45 days of the date on the card. Fortunately I was 2 days short of the limit. If it had expired, I would have had to contact my insurance company and have them reissue a card before I could even go back to the DMV. About a week’s turnaround.

• Second, it turns out you need to complete a police report to record that the plate is missing. I had to spend an hour in the Midtown precinct near where I work to fill out the paperwork. I filed under stolen. Had I have filed under lost, who knows? Perhaps I would have been charged with an inadequately attached license plate.

2. I returned to the DMV this morning with my police paperwork in hand and got a new plate issued. An $11 fee. So at least the fee isn’t too bad. What was bad? In the time I was in the DMV, the cops closed off downtown for the Yankees parade. It took me 2 hours to fight may way up to Canal and back down the East side to get back to my scoot. Ugh.

3. I now have to contact my insurance company to let them know about my new plate, and have a new insurance card issued.

So there you have it. Will this stop me plate-pulling? Probably not. But clearly I need to think about a more secure method of attachment. Now you know the hassle you’re in for if you loose your plate.

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6 weeks or so since taking the MSS 3 day Basic Rider Course, and 2 and a half months or so since beginning the entire process, here I am street legal. Finally.

I headed to the DMV on Greenwich downtown this morning and was in and out within 15 minutes even though I arrived to a long line. It was a simple matter of taking my test-waiver card, my learner permit license and a completed MV-44 to change over my D car license to a DM joint car/motorcycle license. I was issued with the temporary license above.

I’d already picked up the scoot from Andrew at Vespa Brooklyn on Saturday within an hour of getting my test-waiver in the mail and rode back the 30 minute or so journey home and did another run briefly yesterday, both were pure pleasure, but now I’m clear to do so without looking over my shoulder.

If I learned one thing through this entire process is that it took a lot longer than I imagined, but as my girlfriend pointed out over the weekend, perhaps this is one process that shouldn’t be rushed.

I’ll be writing over the coming weeks of my trials and tribulations actually having to ride on the streets of NYC for the first time. See you out there!

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6 weeks to the day, my test waiver finally arrives. You’ll forgive me for blurring the details. True to the email update I got from MSS, it arrived the first week the DMV started issuing them for ’09.

Man, what a wait. It’s Saturday, which means I can’t take this to the DMV to get my full license until Monday, but I’m going to take the risk and head off to Vespa Brooklyn with this in hand and hope the cops are spending the day at Dunkin’ Donuts. I’ve waited long enough.

2009 S150 here I come…

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After completing the course we were told to expect to wait 3-4 weeks but “it usually arrives sooner.” Further calls with MSS responded with a 4-5 week wait then a 6-8 week wait (where I stand now).

Finally, I have an update, but still no guarantee of a date in the form of MSS’s email below:

We recently received an update from the NYS DMV on the status of Basic RiderCourse road test waivers. The DMV informed us that road test waivers for the BRC will be mailed out this week in the order of course dates, beginning with the first course of the season and moving forward.

Please be advised that because this is a new process, we do not know what the mail with the road test waiver will look like. Therefore students will need to carefully review their mail to make sure they do not discard the waiver.

Thanks for your ongoing patience with the DMV/MSF transition.

I have to say at this point that I still feel that the guys at MSS did a fantastic job with the actual training but feel thoroughly misled on how long this process was going to take, even taking in to account the fact that they are in the process of a red-tape transition here. Course instructors skirted the issue of how long this was going to take, only stating 3-4 weeks once our group had completed the course.

Of further interest is that when I called the DMV a couple of weeks back their representative seemed to think that the DMV had “nothing to do with” the test waiver and that it was issued by the MSF. Curious indeed.

Hopefully if you’re signed up to take the course in the next few weeks you won’t have anywhere near as long to wait now that New York State DMV considers the 2009 riding season to be official open.

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All in all, I’m very happy. Full coverage for a year was $444. Not bad considering I live in Brooklyn, NY.

There were cheaper options with less coverage, but for that price, it’s hard to skimp.

Again, Andrew at Vespa Brooklyn made the whole process very smooth.

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