DMV Issue. Help appreciated.

[SnakePitRacing]

Ill get right to it...
I picked up a small motorcycle from a friend back in 08. It was collecting dust in his garage, and he wanted it gone, so I brought it home. It was given to him ten years prior. Original owner hadn't registered it since 1978. My buddy never registered it under his name. Back in 08, I went to the DMV to make sure nothing was due, etc. At the time I let the lady know that it was going straight back to storage. My intention was to just make sure the original owner didn't one day (after I was deep into fixing it) try to claim it. I went to the DMV today and tried to register it. This new person tells me that I now owe penalty fees from 08 til now. As hard as I tried, I could not get these people to understand what I was trying to do. Why wont they just take my freaking money and do what I am asking them to do. The bike was in pieces, I put it back on the road, which is gonna make them money. Why must the DMV be such a nightmare all the time? Does anyone know a way I can circumvent the dorks at the desk?
P.S. I could have lied and said I just got it, but decided to do the right thing. Thats what honesty buys you nowadays. :fm:

 

[oldmodman]

Did it ever have a certificate of non operation filed on it? Do they have them in your state? Can't tell if LA is Los Angeles or Louisiana.

I have three junk bikes sitting under tarps in my backyard and they are nonop.

So if I ever do get them running all I have to do is pay the current registration.

 

[VirtualSVT]

wait so they are trying to collect taxes and fee's based on when you bought it in 2008?

Technically that's probably right but go to another tag office and say you just bought it now lol