Usually here in CA, you head to your local CHP with the vin. They have the job of signing off no title vehicles, stamp a sticker on the frame with a new vin #, check for stolen vehicles.

So go to your local DMV and ask who takes care of stolen vehicles in your state to sign off or confiscate said vehicle returned to the original owner.

 

Look at the registration. Is it registered to the person selling? Does the seller have a good title? Is it priced ridiculously low? Usually a stolen bike will get trashed and dumped somewhere in a heap.

 

Put your hand on the rear fender to find out if it's HOT or not.

Seriously, though. If the bike isn't in the name of the seller, it's a YUGE red flag. If it's in the name of the seller, it's not stolen.

 

In my area you can visit or call the county clerk where you transfer ownership and they can do a check for any "marks"
Liens, stolen, totaled title etc.
It's free and I use it.

 

Who would steal a Shadow with all the HD's around? Old saying goes, park next to a HD if you don't want your metric stolen especially VT's.

If title matches and but if it isn't signed/processed according to the state rules, then I would raise a eyebrow but... DMV or our Sheriff office would be my source for a title check. Sheriff does frame checks etc. on trailers.