Getting the Sabre Leagal and Home

Week of January 16 through 22

When I bought the bike I paid Mark, the seller, cash for the bike. In turn I got the signed title and a bill of sale. The problem of course was that he didn't want me to go home with his tag and in spite of what he'd heard, I'm pretty sure "you can't ride it home without a tag"

One of the first things I had to do was get the bike registered, insured and tagged. Insurance was accomplished with a phone call to Billy and Terry. I spent a short time at the MVA because I'd downloaded most of the documents needed to get registered and tagged. It's gotten very expensive to get a new vehicle. Once I got the tag I could pick up the bike.

However, the weather wasn't cooperating. Since I hadn't ridden in quite awhile I didn't want to ride around the DC beltway shivering and cold.

I opted to bite the bullet and buy a ramp for the pickup. I'd remembered seeing ramps at Harbor Freight Tools. Mark had a ramp for his truck that was 3 panels. He had to put some thin plywood over it to keep the bike wheels from going into the rungs. I looked at the various ramps and thought like Mark's ramp they were better suited to four wheelers than motorcycles. I decided to buy a ramp that's was only two panels 30" wide but with a solid metal deck. As it turns out it is just wide enough to get my feet down while loading. I'd recommend this ramp for loading bikes onto a truck. Although a little more expensive than others at $135 it works.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/ramps/1200-lb-capacity-convertible-aluminum-loading-ramp-94057.html

On January 22, 2012 we rode down in the truck and picked the Sabre up. I bought extra tie downs for the job. Mark showed us how he does the tie down. The pictures of the bike are from that day. I did actually take the bike around the block a few times.