Thoughts on a bike with a salvage title

[AKguy]

I'm looking at a bike that was salvaged due to a bent subframe and damage to the engine case. The case and subframe were replaced with new ones. The bike sat for an extended period of time (several years) without being ridden.

So the $64k question is, would it be worth it if I can get it for next to nothing, or too much of a headache and just avoid it all together?

 

[GeauxLSU]

If you can get it for next to nothing AND you never hope to recoup any further investment knock yourself out. I'd never buy a salvage bike. They are cheap enough I don't need one with unknown repairs.
Now having said that.... my brother slid out on his Goldwing in a very slow (sub 5mph) turn in some gravel. The problem was he scratched about every piece of plastic on that side. Inexcplicably the insurance company TOTALED the bike. They wrote him a check for replacement. Then, they sold him the now 'totaled', but completely rideable as all damage was cosmetic, bike for next to nothing. He bought a new bike, fixed the old one, sold it with salvage title (and documented repairs) and pocketed SEVERAL thousand dollars. He ran the scenario over and over with them as it made no sense to him (and to be honest he was annoyed that they would waste money that way) but they insisted. Sorry for tanent but 'salvage' may not always mean what you think it means. Sounds like you have a different history.
Any crash hard enough to do frame damage would make me worried. Good luck.

 

[shootin4fun]

Never have, never will buy a bike or car with a salvage title unless I'm stripping it and using it for parts.

 

[austin147123]

The new tax thing Is suppose to be cheaper on stuff with salvage title

 

[GreenPanther]

I would consider it, but I would want to know what all has been replaced or what it will take to fix it. Then go from there and see if it's worth it to you.

 

[07JKX]

Absolutely. However, you need to be a sound mechanic to make sure you know what you are getting. The worst part about buying a motorcycle is no matter how great they look on the outside, the inside can hide all kinds of horrors.

I have not bought a bike with a salvage title yet, but if the proper candidate for the proper price appeared, I would definitely consider it. Just know what to look for beyond what the craigslist seller is trying to tell you.

I make sure the sellers of "non-running" bikes know that I plan to do, at minimum, a compression test and spark test. In some cases pull the valve cover to inspect the cam(s) and chain. The ones reluctant to say yes are the same ones that say "the battery is dead... thats all it needs... maybe a carb cleaning"

scammers

 

[AKguy]

The ones reluctant to say yes are the same ones that say "the battery is dead... thats all it needs... maybe a carb cleaning"

scammers

For sure. If there's nothing to hide, let me take a look. I had it out with one guy that had a zx6r that had been laid down. I said I would be willing to buy it, if everything passed inspection. He initially said ok, but come inspection time he goes "oh there's no need for that, I know this bike is perfect and I'm not gonna waste my time if you're gonna nitpick"

Ok, well then I'm not buying the damn thing.

 

[07JKX]

yup... thats why I bring a spare battery. At minimum I know that carb is gonna need to be cleaned with any bike that has sat with crap ethanol gas in it for months or years... however, a seized piston (or more) is a big problem that "it has a dead battery" can hide from a prospective buyer.

Another thing to consider is that due to the generally low cost of motorcycles and the generally high price of factory replacement components, a totaled/salvaged bike very well could simply be an older bike with perhaps handlebar/fork or even simply cosmetic damage such as fairings.

 

[galvatron]

My RC51 was totaled out for flop in the parking lot. Somebody bumped it at work it fell over. $7k in damage all cosmetic, fell on its side and SCRATCHED the tank/lower cowl/rear cowl and my carbon exhaust. The frame saver stopped any real damage. I bought it back from the insurance company.
Now it has a salvage title......
I'd do salvage title for a track bike, but only with history that could be verified like my RC.

 

[roundhouse]

Getting cars inspected and having the salvage title replaced with a normal one is now a huge pain

The auto dealers bought off the state legislature to pass the TAVT tax and they also got a new law that only liscensed repair shops can fix the car and get it inspected. Private individuals are no longer allowed to do It

The inspection for bikes used to be just a glance at it

I've bought cars with salvage titles
Any car that's more than 6 or 7 years old that gets bumped is totalled. Especially is the airbag deploys

Each Airbag is about $4K

I'd buy a knocked over bike with a salvage title. Cause you're gonna scratch it again anyway

I've seen em like the post says. Fall over in the parking lot or pickup bed and get totalled


If it was bent Meh. I dunno