VIN number

[keuka4884]

I am in need of some help from fellow guzzistas. I got a certified New York State DMV form in today's mail that said a 1978 Moto Guzzi with the same VIN number as is on my bike will be auctioned off in NY City in early March unless the back storage is paid up. I live in the Finger Lakes 5 hours from NY city. The money amounts to 116 months at $100 per month! Well alrighty then. So I went to my local DMV who referred me to the sheriff's office. The short of it is that I called the auction house, spoke to a nice woman there who knew what she was doing, and who suggested that I look for the VIN number on the motorcycle in a different place than on the VIN tag. She will be sending me a pic of the VIN plate on the suspect bike, which she said was in good condition (the VIN plate). Didn't look altered. She also told me that the person who owns the suspect bike gave her a Title which had a completely different VIN that what was on the bike. So the auction house has a problem.
In order to dig myself out of this mess, where do I look for more VIN numbers on my 1978 850 T3? Obviously, the DMV is not going to like this. And my worry is that some jerks would show up at my door with a court order to take my bike. As Charlton Heston would have said, "out of my cold dead hands". I'm not sure what to do next, so any ideas are greatly appreciated.

[Perazzimx14]

I am in need of some help from fellow guzzistas. I got a certified New York State DMV form in today's mail that said a 1978 Moto Guzzi with the same VIN number as is on my bike will be auctioned off in NY City in early March unless the back storage is paid up. I live in the Finger Lakes 5 hours from NY city. The money amounts to 116 months at $100 per month! Well alrighty then. So I went to my local DMV who referred me to the sheriff's office. The short of it is that I called the auction house, spoke to a nice woman there who knew what she was doing, and who suggested that I look for the VIN number on the motorcycle in a different place than on the VIN tag. She will be sending me a pic of the VIN plate on the suspect bike, which she said was in good condition (the VIN plate). Didn't look altered. She also told me that the person who owns the suspect bike gave her a Title which had a completely different VIN that what was on the bike. So the auction house has a problem.
In order to dig myself out of this mess, where do I look for more VIN numbers on my 1978 850 T3? Obviously, the DMV is not going to like this. And my worry is that some jerks would show up at my door with a court order to take my bike. As Charlton Heston would have said, "out of my cold dead hands". I'm not sure what to do next, so any ideas are greatly appreciated.

The motor also has a number ahead of the dipstick. In Europe the VIN and motor may or may not match. In the USA the numbers matched (unless the motor has been swapped). The motor number however is not the VIN.

Also be warned you can buy new unstamped VIN plates. Whatever VIN plate picture she sends you means nothing. it could have easily been changed. If you have a title that matches your VIN I would take your bike and title to the local sheriffs office have them validate your bike and title then send that to the DMV. If you get any information from the auction house it would be a copy of the title and a picture of the VIN. If they don't match take that was well to the sheriff and explain the auction house has a problem not you.

[keuka4884]

Thank you Perrazzimx14. I did not know you could obtain a new VIN plate. This whole thing is so wierd. I will take photos and go back to the DMV.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Tell the auction house to give your bike back ;D

On the other hand it might not be worth $11,600

[Moto]

What Perazzimx14 said is right.

To make matters more confusing, there are some letters, and maybe a complete number, stamped on my T3's steering head underneath the VIN number -- you can see them peeking out beyond the plate edge. I expect that this is the original European-market ID number, which was never intended for use in the US. I also believe that Guzzi just copied the engine number onto the VIN plate to make them match in the U.S.

Probably better not to bring this up to the DMV. It is conceivable an officer might notice that stamped-in number, and ask about it when your bike is inspected. Forewarned is forearmed.

Moto
 

[pauldaytona]

There should be 3 numbers, one on engine, one on vin plate and one stamped in the frame. I thought the unnumbered USA frames were in the v7 time, but was that in 78 too?  Ask her to send a photo of all 3 numbers.