When I bought my '97 Harley it was from a guy in the next state (Idaho). He had trailered it about 200 miles for me to look at (he's a mechanic who works on semi trucks and he needed to come down anyway to get some parts).

Anyway I paid $8500 for it and he wrote a bill of sale for $8500. When I went to get the license at the court house they looked up the value and it was listed as $10,500 but since I had the bill of sale I only paid sales tax on the $8500 but it was still a bunch of money.

After we'd exchanged funds and title he started to take the licencse plate off and I asked 'Why'--it seems that in Idaho that you keep your plate and can use it for another vehicle until the plate expires or something like that.

I told him that 'IF' any kind of law enforcement saw that I didn't have a plate I'd get stopped and then have to go through the hassle of trying to explain and Hope that I didn't get a ticket.

So he left the plate on, the registration in the pouch and once I got the title in my name (the next day) I mailed him everything.

What's interesting is that he didn't want to part with the bike---his wife was insisting since they'd bought a brand new car--things like this make me thankful that I don't have a SWMBO