When I lived in CA up until a few years ago. I registered 2 bikes from out of state. Both had over 7500 miles and the quick inspection was done by the same dmv employee. The only thing they checked was to make sure the numbers matched on the title and frame. These were done at the DMV in Vallejo. I hear though if you get a Harley that is 2010 and newer they waive the 7500 mile rule as the new Harley's are 50 state bikes.

 

I just bought a 2010 harley 48 on ebay from a dealer in Texas, not a harley dealer but a bike dealer. The bike has 7540 miles on it, just over the needed 7500. As soon as I got the bike I took it to the dealer for a quick look over, bike was great, I need anew battery and when I was there they did the HD recall repair on the filler neck. The dealer gave me a salmon colored piece of paper that said the recall repair made the bike CA legal. I handed the piece of paper to the DMV VIN inspector in a Southern California DMV. He took it inside and came out and let me know that he had never seen anything like that and he was going to have to take all of my paperwork and send it to Sacramento. I spoke to the man as though he were human and he did the same for me. He let me know that everyone inside the building was a robot and they hadn't had an original thought in 20 years. We went back to the bike, I showed him the vin number and he said through a grin and a wink, hey that's the emissions sticker. He signed off on the vin inspection, I got to skip the CHP. This is the moral of the story. If you have had any recall work done on the engine or emissions or really anything at all, don't show the DMV until they ask for it. I got lucky in my town. I wonder though too, it seems that the 7500 mile rule should have trumped everything, oh well, it looks like it has all worked out. Happy riding in CA

 

Last bike I brought in CA was a Ducati 1098 coming from WA state.
The CA DMV wants to see the emissions sticker, and that sucker, in that bike, was under the tank, and to get to it, you have to literally take the bike apart.
Since I had to intention whatsoever to do that job in the middle of the DMV parking lot, I called a DMV verifier, which came to my house to inspect the bike.
It was not cheap ($150 for his services), but he came to my house (where I had the bike all apart and ready for him), and I avoided spending a morning in line at the DMV.

 

i don't know about waiving the 7500 mile rule, but i can tell you that the 2010-2013 bikes are not 50 state bikes. in 2013, you still had to pay $200 for the ca emissions package.

2014 road king or ultra doesn't show a ca emissions charge though, and in looking at the parts manual, it shows a fitment of 'all' for the carbon canister. i wonder how many people know that outside of ca?

 

Ah, another California hosing. gotta love it. I would leave it, as in leave the state.

 

Uh...WHY?

Why complicate things for yourself unnecessarily? There are so many Harley's for sale in California.

 

I'd check with your local DMV, and not rely on a bike forum for registration advice. Maybe it depends on the local dmv office drones, but I bought model year 2000 bike out of state last year. Made an appointment ahead of time and took the bill of sale to the dmv, the only thing they checked or inspected was to match the frame # to the title. Paid the admittedly high fees and walked out with CA plates and registration. Took about ten minutes.

 

That is the way it has worked for me on several bikes that I have brought in from out of state when I lived in Northern CA, Redding... Don't have any idea what it is like here in NM though...

 

Yes but the deals are usually out of state... I've bought four harleys out of state just because of the cheap price. Two of them, riding them home from NJ and FL, even adding the cost of plane fare, gas, motels and food was cheaper then buying them in CA.

Plus I got a vacation out of the deal riding them home.

 

The Bottom Line
If you are a California resident and acquire a new car, truck or motorcycle from another state, it must be certified to meet California smog laws in order to be registered here. This includes certain diesel powered vehicles. DMV cannot accept an application to register a vehicle in California that does not qualify for registration (Health and Safety Codes [H&SC] §§43150 – 43156.)

What Is Considered a new Vehicle?
California considers any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time of purchase or trade by a California resident or business to be a new vehicle. This holds true whether or not the vehicle has been registered in another state.

Aren't all Vehicles California Certified?
Not all new vehicles are manufactured to be sold in California residents or businesses. Many manufacturers make vehicles to be sold in the other 49 states. These vehicles (49-State) are made with smog equipment that meets federal emission standards, but not California standards. California certified (50-State) vehicles are made to be sold to California residents.

Check the Label
To find out whether a car, truck or motorcycle is California certified, check the emission label under the hood. For a motorcycle check the frame or refer to your owner's manual. The label should read that the vehicle conforms to California regulations, or that it is legal for sale in California.

Exemptions
There are a few exemptions included in the law. As a California resident you may be able to register a 49-State vehicle if it was:

Obtained as part of a divorce, inheritance, or a legal separation settlement
Purchased it to replace your California registered vehicle stolen while you were using it out of state.
Purchased it to replace your California registered vehicle that was destroyed or made inoperative beyond reasonable repair while you were using it out of state.
An emergency vehicle, pursuant to California Vehicle Code § 27156.2 and 27156.3.
Registered by you in the state of your last active military service outside California.
A street motorcycle or motor-driven cycle year model 2005 and older with an engine less than 50 cubic centimeters (cc) displacement. Beginning January 1, 2006, street motorcycles and motor-driven cycles year model 2006 and newer, with engines less than 50 cc displacement, require an emission label certifying them to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission regulations, and may be registered regardless of mileage.

Few years back I picked up my 84 FLH from Michagan. Rode it to DMV for the inspection. It had both the tags on the left and right down tubes but they were worn and difficult to make out completely. Only other thing he looked art was the speedometer. Original one had broke and prior ownere had replaced it with Tawain Tedd $hit. I brought in the old one to show the guy but he went with the milage showing on the afternarket one. All in all it was actually pretty painless