Semi OT: I just bought a Baja Motorsports BV250 Sportbike

[robert_s_hunter]

I wish I could give some useful advice, but at the moment all that comes to mind is....OH,DAMN!!!

[oso2k]

hahah...thanks. Don't worry about it. I knew I should have looked at the frame markings before hand and I didn't. That's my fault. I feel a little bad for my gf though. She finished her MSF a couple weeks ago and it looks like she'll have to wait a bit before we have something for her to ride (my FZ6 in my avatar sig is being track prepped and is registered non-op). I guess I just have to go searching for something used or a new 08 Ninja 250 or a Hyo GT250R.

[oso2k]

Well, I just faxed over some paperwork to Baja Motorsports. Be warned! The CA DMV should not allow you to register this bike (Baja Motorsports BV250 or Baja Vision 250) in the state of CA. You can be fined by CA Air Resource Board for operating it and if they get a whiff of this on a larger scale, PepBoys and Baja Motorsports can also pay huge damages just for selling the bike in the state of CA. A couple years ago, Yamaha paid a large fine for accidentally selling "49 state" bikes here in CA.

I got Baja Motorsports to admit it was illegal for PepBoys to sell the bike to me so they're authorizing an RGA# (Return Goods Authorization, first I'd heard of it) and taking back the bike. Hopefully I get a response from their rep in an hour or two and I'll be dropping off the bike in the evening.

BTW, if you're AAA member, I'd suggest going to you local office that has DMV services (here in CA we have several). They saved me several back and forth trips to the DMV and they *really* tried to get the bike registered even when they couldn't find the markings to do so.

[robert_s_hunter]

Damn, that really sucks. Way to go Pep-Boys!!! After all this crap, I think I'd notify CARB about this.

I said this could be interesting....

Cheers

[oso2k]

Originally Posted by robert_s_hunter

Damn, that really sucks. Way to go Pep-Boys!!! After all this crap, I think I'd notify CARB about this.

I said this could be interesting....

Cheers

I might do that...as soon as I get refunded my money.

[boner]

http://www.bajamotorsports.net/Downl...s%20Manual.pdf

page 64

The Distributor warrants that each new 2007 and later vehicle:
• is designed, built, and equipped so as to conform at the time of initial retail purchase with all applicable regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Air Resources Board;

[oso2k]

CA is really strict. Just because it's printed in paper means nothing. The bike has to be physically tagged. That's not to say that I just couldn't go and make a really authentic looking tag and get registered, but should I get caught, the penalties are almost on par with penalties for assault.

[oso2k]

Ok...another update.

The bike is now registered & insured, and at the local bike shop to get a once over by their excellent technicians. I'd do the once over myself but I don't have a good a tool box as I once did (apartment got flooded in Oct), and there are some things about the bike I'd really like them to look at (I've never seen a rear drum brake).

Anyways, to get to this point, it took a couple things. About 3 hours total of waiting for someone to pickup at Baja Motorsports and another hour to get the bike registered and insured at AAA. Baja Motorsports put the CARB emission stamp in a really bad place, their customer service doesn't know a whole lot about their products (except for the manager), and it's take way too many calls for me to get this done. The stamp is on the RHS of the swingarm tucked under the exhaust. Casual walk around bike might catch a glimpse of the bottom left hand corner. You have to get under the exhaust to actually see and read the label (as required by the DMV).

Anyways, $1,479.99 (bike) + $63 (license and registration) + $383 (full insurance for one year) = $1926 for a new bike, registered, and insured.

[robert_s_hunter]

Well, that was easy, wasn't it?!?! Yee-gads!!!

Why do I get the feeling that having a digital rectal exam would have been easier? "Uh, just bend over and bite your tongue...."


I'm glad you finally got climbing that bureaucratic mountain out of the way. Let's hope it's all downhill from here. Or is it uphill??? Er, um, well, you know what I mean....

[oso2k]

So she's put a little over ~125 miles and she's loving it. Vibrates like crazy and she lost her license plate because I hand tightened and I had hoped she'd make it to my place to get a new one but no such luck.

[ZQ8Dude]

Originally Posted by oso2k

CA is really strict. Just because it's printed in paper means nothing. The bike has to be physically tagged. That's not to say that I just couldn't go and make a really authentic looking tag and get registered, but should I get caught, the penalties are almost on par with penalties for assault.

On the bright side, the Nazi CARB might go down in flames in the near future.

[oso2k]

Originally Posted by ZQ8Dude

On the bright side, the Nazi CARB might go down in flames in the near future.

Where did you hear this?

[robert_s_hunter]

Originally Posted by oso2k

Where did you hear this?

The USEPA just recently ruled that regulating emissions is a federal responsibility. There's a story about it on Autoblog.

[Luvin' Twins]

Originally Posted by oso2k

So she's put a little over ~125 miles and she's loving it. Vibrates like crazy and she lost her license plate because I hand tightened and I had hoped she'd make it to my place to get a new one but no such luck.

Good for her on the mileage. Hopefully she likes the ride, besides the vibration .

I could just picture a liscence plate falling off the rattle trap and spinning on the pavement as she rides off into the sunset.

[ts250girl]

Originally Posted by oso2k

So she's put a little over ~125 miles and she's loving it. Vibrates like crazy and she lost her license plate because I hand tightened and I had hoped she'd make it to my place to get a new one but no such luck.

That's so awesome! I haven't put as many miles on my MZ in 3 years! LOL