It's mythical I've decided.
Ok just to document this for the next person going through it who starts to Google for an answer. I talked to 2 independent Can Am dealer Service Managers and both insisted the only place there is a VIN is on the swingarm due to its "survivability" (that was cheery to learn) compared to the frame. I also spoke to a Sacramanto DMV field tech who stated the swing arm placard should be sufficient. Back to DMV I go all hopeful for a resolution. How naive of me. Talk to the same guy and he tells me that if the bike only has one VIN then I have to go to CHP for verification and that's what he was trying to tell me in the morning at my first visit. Maybe I missed it but I do not remember him being clear about that at all. So now I have an appt. in 2 weeks at CHP.
The plusses so far - well I've certainly been around and under the bike now and I've pulled my first panel and located the engine number. I have a 30 day temp registration thanks to a DMV manager, as opposed to the 1 day trip pass good for CHP visit only the inspector was going to give me, but that's about it.
The minuses - Calif Registration fee brought a tear to my wife's eye and mine. So many things we could have bought even though we knew it was coming. 2 trips to DMV both ending in failure and pretty much a day wasted.
Pete, I don't have a ramp but I've reached out to a friend who does but not sure I'll bother if I have to go through it all again at CHP anyway. If I do find a VIN on the frame I'll post it in the hopes it saves someone else the time. I will say the people at the shops said that because BRP has different manufacturers over time what may be on one persons bike and where may not be on someone else's. i'll also echo others in that different DMV's may not give a rats ass about any of this and just sign you off. Unfortunately mine is not one of those.
Ok just to document this for the next person going through it who starts to Google for an answer. I talked to 2 independent Can Am dealer Service Managers and both insisted the only place there is a VIN is on the swingarm due to its "survivability" (that was cheery to learn) compared to the frame. I also spoke to a Sacramanto DMV field tech who stated the swing arm placard should be sufficient. Back to DMV I go all hopeful for a resolution. How naive of me. Talk to the same guy and he tells me that if the bike only has one VIN then I have to go to CHP for verification and that's what he was trying to tell me in the morning at my first visit. Maybe I missed it but I do not remember him being clear about that at all. So now I have an appt. in 2 weeks at CHP.
The plusses so far - well I've certainly been around and under the bike now and I've pulled my first panel and located the engine number. I have a 30 day temp registration thanks to a DMV manager, as opposed to the 1 day trip pass good for CHP visit only the inspector was going to give me, but that's about it.
The minuses - Calif Registration fee brought a tear to my wife's eye and mine. So many things we could have bought even though we knew it was coming. 2 trips to DMV both ending in failure and pretty much a day wasted.
Pete, I don't have a ramp but I've reached out to a friend who does but not sure I'll bother if I have to go through it all again at CHP anyway. If I do find a VIN on the frame I'll post it in the hopes it saves someone else the time. I will say the people at the shops said that because BRP has different manufacturers over time what may be on one persons bike and where may not be on someone else's. i'll also echo others in that different DMV's may not give a rats ass about any of this and just sign you off. Unfortunately mine is not one of those.
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