Memebership question...

[PAN_SCN_SUX]

I would like to become a member of VBMWO anyhow and will be, but before I pay for a membership, I need know one thing. Since I am trying to get tags here in my state ASAP and will need a copy of the membership "card" to submit to acquire vintage "tags for life." Will the card have to be mailed to me, or can I recieve it in advance or what have you by way of a .pdf; that way I can get in to the DMV/BMV and get those tags and RIDE!

Sorry about not posting this in a relevant category, but strangely there are none...

Thanks in advance.

[Darryl.Richman]

Hi Douglas! Of course, we would love to have you as a member. Usually our trustee Debbi Harbour, in Ohio, will get the membershippackages out within a couple weeks after someone signs up. I have some membership cards, so I could send you a "temporary" card after I see your order go through the online store. The only delay is that I'm out of town this weekend and won't be home until Monday night.

It's interesting to me that your DMV will take your membership in a vintage club as some kind of proof that your bike deserves a vintage registration. In both California and Washington, where I've lived, they went strictly by the registration they had on file, and those in turn depended on inspections by the Highway Patrol.

You may not be aware that BMW Group Classic will sell you a very nice certificate that doubles as a certificate of origin for your bike with the DMV. It's pricey,however; the last time I heard, it was $90.

[PAN_SCN_SUX]

Well that's nice, I'm an OH native and this state's laws seem strange too. So, is it my understanding it may take weeks, or could be something you could provide me a "temp" to send in Monday as I have to SEND it to them and wait and I wanted tags last week

Here is the pertinent part of the law for your perusal, left out all of the fluff afterward that includes how I can't just do this at the local offices, supposedly... I'll bet if someone could get me a temp membership card once I paid - I think that the law is not 100% correct, seems to me they actually have the plates at the local offices and I might even be able to forgo the weeks at the state offices and the mailing back and forth... Thanks for posting and if you have time, clarification would be good. Don't worry I'll be joining regardless...

DEFINITION
The law provides for the issuance of special license plates for antique, classic or vintage motor vehicles (twenty five (25) years or older).

ELIGIBILITY
Any private passenger automobile, van, private truck up to 10,000 lbs, motor home, or motorcycle which is at least twenty-five (25) years old and which has been restored to its original condition without modifications contrary to stock specifications, is eligible for this plate.

REQUIREMENTS
All applications for initial issuance or transfer of an Antique license plate must be accompanied by:

* A current color photograph of the vehicle.
* A notarized affidavit (DPSMV 1911) attesting to the fact that the vehicle has been restored to its original condition without modifications contrary to stock specifications
* OR a photocopy of a card showing applicant's membership in an antique car club.

Hey, BTW, the lawyers who wrote this were stupid, what does the "OR" really mean??? Is the "OR" in lieu of the affidavit (which I think is their intent, someone else sort of confirmed this elsewhere...) or is the "OR" in lieu of all of the things that are before it? The way that reads, the "OR" would mean I don't need the affidavit, or the photo if I just have a membership card... This becomes even more silly the more one looks at it. What, did they hire temps to write the laws in this state????

[schrader7032]

I have registered 3 vehicles (two of my motorcycles and one car) in Texas with antique plates. The plates are actually pressed plates from the year of manufacturer. We have similar laws in Texas about age of the vehicle, but the only real stipulation is that the bike can't be used as a daily driver, that it should be used as part of parades, club events, etc. I think there may even be a mileage restriction of like 600-1000 miles per year. I just had to show title, insurance, and let them examine the plates for authenticity.

Reading what you wrote, and assuming you have transferred it exactly from the statue, it would appear that the "OR" applies only as a separator between the last two asterisks. I see the next to last sentence doesn't have a period at the end of it, meaning the next sentence with the "OR" is the end of the sentence. I can't see that a photograph has anything to do with the next two sentences. My guess is that they're making a connection regarding restoration, such that an affadavit shows the bike has been properly restored or that by membership into a vintage club you are keeping with the guidelines of proper restoration.

Afterall, we won't let you in this club if you're going to make a rat bike out of it or hang all kinds of farkles on it. Otherwise, the black helicopter will be all over you! )

[Darryl.Richman]

I would be happy to mail you a card on Tuesday. That's the soonest I can do it.

[PAN_SCN_SUX]

Well that all sounds fine. I would have already put in my membership fee, bur the server here has been so painfully slow that it kept timing out and made it impossible (Apache timed out - BTW-change the support email on the error page...)

Yes, you are correct about the TX business in my thinking too, that is what is silly about LA's law. In Ohio, exactly what you mention applies, but in honestly they used to say nothing of the condition or how it was restored. I drove a '53 Chevy for about 11 years straight for it was my first car. It was over 40 years old then and while I never got Vintage or Antique tags for it, the laws were similar to what you mention in TX, but with no real requirements other than the mileage and that the vehicle actually be as old as the statute required. Here on the other hand, there would appear to be no such restriction in the law, regardless of perhaps its intentions. Others have seemingly confirmed this (I asked a question elsewhere and someone said, "You must be in Louisiana...")

I had a very dear and old (even back then...) friend that just passed away that helped to make it possible for me to keep that '53 on the road all of those years in my youth. He had several cars with antique tags (all immaculate and low mileage and such...) yet he told me, "Well I do whatever the Hell I want with my cars; what do you really think the police are going to either, 1) Pull you over for a suspect mileage violation, or 2) If you are stopped, read and evaluate the mileage on the odometer? - Certainly - I'd go buy them next time if I were you..."

I am not advocating violating the law. I am simply saying that in LA you wouldn't even need violate the law, the law appears to not have a millage restriction at all and frankly, if it does its likely of little concern to me...

BTW, the things that have worn since '71 on a 38,000 mile R75/5 have been replaced, so has the seat and it is not 100% correct as it doesn't have the strap (might have the slightly different handle on it - ah yes, it should be the two handle seat as well, but this is a BMW seat - the other was a giant fat POS that was ugly AND dangerous...) coils, points, wires, tires, cables and a few odds and ends, but otherwise 100% original and all is BMW or Bosch.

I wish it came with the original gas as today's "gas-alcohol" sucks. If I had known gas was going to get so terrible, I would have changed it all over for alcohol when I rebuilt the BINGS...

I also was planning on spray painting over those beautiful hand painted pin stripes by little old German ladies with a can of flat black Rust-Oleum and buying those lights for the spark-plugs, fuzzy dice, neon lights, etc. etc...

[anderson7585]

I sell vintage Texas motorcycle plates and since we have a "Year of Manufacture" law it is easy to register and run an age-appropriate plate but not all states have adopted the "YOM" law.

Unclviny

[PAN_SCN_SUX]

Reading what you wrote, and assuming you have transferred it exactly from the statue, it would appear that the "OR" applies only as a separator between the last two asterisks. I see the next to last sentence doesn't have a period at the end of it, meaning the next sentence with the "OR" is the end of the sentence. I can't see that a photograph has anything to do with the next two sentences. My guess is that they're making a connection regarding restoration, such that an affadavit shows the bike has been properly restored or that by membership into a vintage club you are keeping with the guidelines of proper restoration.


Well, that was cut and pasted from the online db... I think you are doing a wee bit of interpreting there; the only thing that has merit as to what the OR might mean is the absence of a period, but heck - all of that space and they bulleted the "OR" statement on its own line??? I am just saying that whatever they intend with the supposed restrictions (which I am 100% certain differ on the paper legislation than what the "OMV" has online here...) it really does not mean a whole lot written in that manner. If that was written in the law in exactly that fashion, a 2 cent attorney would have the "OR" = Do a bunch of stuff, "OR" ONLY send a copy of your club card...

[PAN_SCN_SUX]

Don't know what was loading the server down (while it still seems slow as heck to me - or my route to it is painfully slow; seems likely it's the server since it kept timing out over and over though...)

All is well in the World as I have now paid and - Gee I don't know am I a member now, or do I have to wait until I have a card in my hand to be one??? Just kidding... Thanks for offering to expedite, that will be SUPER helpful.

[schrader7032]

Gee I don't know am I a member now, or do I have to wait until I have a card in my hand to be one???

Well, the system shows a VBMWMO number for you...so you're in! After the initiation ceremony, we'll show you the secret handshake as well as the secret links on the website...