Salvage bikes

[nc-renegade]

I am looking for a good source(s) for salvage bikes.  Anyone have experence getting them?  Care to share?

[jd8181]

http://www.autonetworkinc.com/autonetwork/autonetwork.fwx
we've gotten a few cars for these people and are really good to deal with. i see they always have a bunch of harleys.
so to vehicles then go to Category and drop down and choose motorcycles.

[easyricer]

Go to your city impound auctions or check online with companies like COPARTS. Depending on your state laws, there are different degrees of salvage titles. Some are parts only and can never be retitled so check with your DPS office to see what the laws are.
I've resurected several salvage bikes. The best ones are the recovered stolen bikes. Usually have very little damage but you'll have to get them renumbered most of the time.
The worst ones are the wrecked bikes. You never know what you are going to get. Even if you get to see the bike first you still run a huge chance of getting a big trot line sinker. In the 6 ears we been doing it it's happened to us 3 times with Harleys and countless times with rice grinders.
Hard to swallow an unrepairable Harley! Be very careful and check your local laws.
EASY

[codyshop]

Check your local laws.  Many states will issue a regular title if the bike is ten years old or older.  Otherwise, avoid a salvage title like the plague:  The bike will never be worth more than HALF bluebook ever and is damned near uninsurable.  I've known plenty of guys who've put $10K into a salvage '08 only to find they can't get comprehensive and the bike is worth only $7K when they're done.   Ray

[the Grump]

Check out www.kimmotors.com They're in Petersburg, Va. I see some pretty good deals from time to time.

[mark61]

   Brit, Harley or Jap?


mark61

[nc-renegade]

Check out www.kimmotors.com They're in Petersburg, Va. I see some pretty good deals from time to time.

Thanks, I've checked those guys and they do have some good items.

Looking for HD's only.

All, thanks for all the suggestions and advice!

[Dennis The Menace]

I've considered it for a 2nd ride, but I would only buy a salvage with the intent of keeping it and never selling.  Too much hassle to sell and get buyer to understand all the issues as described above.  And, since insurability is difficult, I wouldnt put a lot of money into it either.

But, look at Ray's (codyshopray) winter project and man, you can build a really nice bike for not a lot of investment.  Even if he got his parts at cost.  lol  Very nice bike, not a lot of money.

dennis

[02roadcling]

kimmotors?  I just looked at all their bikes and didnt see a decent price anywhere especially since they have salvage titles. Normal priced and still damaged. 

[Superheat9]

Ebay

[BK Meyers]

Some helpful tips in buying a salvage titles vehicle:

- Check with your DMV and insurance for what is required in buying, repairing, registering and insuring a salvage/rebuilt title vehicle in your state.

- If possible try to find it locally. Hear it run. Be able to visually assess the damage instead of relying on photos.

- Be honest about the costs involved in rebuilding the vehicle. Have a good idea of what the vehicle is really worth in non-salvage value. Too many places are charging way too much for salvage vehicles.

- Are you doing the work yourself or are you hiring it out??

- Check insurability before making the purchase. Different states and different insurance companies will have different rules and requirements.

I live in Kentucky and currently own 2 previously salvage titles vehicles. Both were purchased out-of-state. Once the vehicles were rebuilt they had to be inpected by the local sheriff's office and they signed off on the inspection form. Then when I registered each vehicle the title comes back as "REBUILT". Nowhere on either title does it show the vehicle as salvage. This notion that the vehicle is forever branded as a salvage vehicle is often times incorrect. As I said earlier, check with your local DMV.

As for buying to resell, it can be difficult. But buying to rebuild and use, then possibly resell, very do-able. Cases in point:
- About 4 years ago my older brother bought a salvage title 2003 Fatboy. He brought it home, repaired it and then rode it for a year or more. When he sold it he got approx. $1000 less than NADA book value but here is the kicker. For his total investment he sold the bike for $150-$200 less than what he had in it and had ridden it for a year.  ***BTW, he carried full coverage insurance on it*****

- Same brother, now riding a 2003 Road King with the same story line. Bought it as salvage, rebuilt it and has been riding it for over 2 years. One of his co-workers is now wanting to buy the bike. *****Oh yeah, he also carries full coverage insurance on this bike as well*****

- I bought my 1997 Heritage with a rebuilt title (previously salvage). I bought it with the intention of keeping it but may resell in a few years. It is now titled in Ky. as a rebuilt vehicle and guess what, I also have full coverage insurance on it.

- My wife drives a 2006 Mustang covertible that was a previous salvage title car. Rebuilt it, now titled in Ky. as a rebuilt vehicle. She has put over 20,000 miles on it since we rebuilt it. She tends to keep her vehicles 5 or more years, so when the time comes to resell we will have proven to any potential buyers that the car is reliable and works the way it should. Oh yeah, it has full coverage insurance on it.

Be honest about your costs, try to buy local if possible, truly assess the damage,, and check with both the DMV and your insurance on what is required to register and insure a rebuilt vehicle.

BK

[BKACHE]

http://www.crashedtoys.com

[Justpassingas]

http://www.argocycles.com/main.php

[codyshop]

You will only stay in the black if you do the work yourself.  It's not uncommon for a professional rebuild to have a labor tag of over $2K.  Also, try to predict what the market will be when you're done to help you decide if it's worth it.  Last summer before the wreck, a flawless '97 Fatboy (as my rebuild is) would only have fetched $8K.  Now, the same exact bike is worth even less.  You've got to decide how much your going to put into it.  Even at full msrp for parts and doing all the work myself I'm at $6K so I figure I'm only about $1,200 ahead of the game.  Had I had a shop do it, I'd be into it for more than it's worth.  Ray

P.S.  One thing to consider is that you end up with the bike you want since you have to replace so much damaged stuff.  Had I bought a perfectly good '97 FLSTF for the going price of $7,500 currently, I'd still have to change so much that I'd be over $10K whick is almost 30% over current market value.  You never, ever get add-ons back when you sell. 

[tomcat64]

crashedtoys.com
tofteauto.com

are a couple here in MN, from what i've seen the salvage value is so high that it's hard to make any $$ selling them, if you rebuild them correctly. no a real bad option if your going to do one for yourself tho

t-c

[wayne clev.]

I have re-built two salvage bikes. One an 02 FLHTC  that I payed $10,000 for , fixed it myself for a couple of thousand, rode it a couple of years and sold it for $12,000. I currently have an 05 FLHTCU that I gave $8,500.00 for, put around $3,000 in and it looks and rides like a new one.  No issues with insuring for the full blue book value in my state.

I do agree that you would have a hard time recouping your money if you didn't do the work yourself, but to me building your on ride is part of the fun.

[gillysmi]

all my group rides.  never had a problem thanks to the help of a generous guy that builds them for us... and they hold their value.  can personalize them how you want.