buying a prior salvage bike

[iatrosb]

Last time I posted for opinions on a vmax I was considering and got great feedback. Thanks!

Need your help again...I'm looking at a '06 for a great price, the catch is it's a prior salvage title. What should I look for? Should this scare me away? Is 3500 a good price? Thanks in advance:

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/2368356181.html

 

[SpecOps13]

Doesn't sound like that great a deal to me. There are too many things that could be hidden...Rarely do front wheels get FU'd without further damage. And, you don't know what the motor did when this happened. It could have reved into the Ozone Layer if it went down.. I would be very very leary. Make absolutely sure things are still aligned. Start with the carb / scoop alignment from a side view... If they're offset the frame is damaged.. There's just so much that I would want to check..

I learned my lesson with the 89 I bought. If I'd known then what I know now I would have bought it to part out or passed on it completely.. Nothing was bent but it sure needed full time TLC and tons of parts replaced to get it back to right. I put in almost as much $'s as the bike cost to start with.


You can get a really nice, slightly older VMax for the #3500.00....

 

[gamorg02]

also that isn't a 2000 front wheel its an 85/86

 

[dannymax]

Doesn't sound like too great a deal to me either....$3K, maybe! There may be some hidden issues here, there was no explanation how the front wheel got messed up....the front wheel he replaced the bent one with looks to me to be an '85, not a 2000.

If you go to look at it check every weld you can see, steering neck, cross members, motor mount brackets....all of them. You're looking for tiny rust lines or cracks in the paint....or even fresh touch-up paint....all good indications of a hard hit.

Check under the bike for scrapes, under the seat around the battery for spilled acid, which indicate the bike has been down.

Doesn't seem to make much sense why someone would file a claim for just a front wheel. You need more info.

 

[dannymax]

also that isn't a 2000 front wheel its an 85/86

AGH!! Garrett 'scooped' me again....he types much faster than I do!! :rofl_200:

 

[Rhoy Carter]

Most salvage titled bikes have frame damage or was in a flood

 

[one2dmax]

I don't know. I've had a few myself with no problems at all. Even small dents in the frame don't typically do a lot to it. My 2005 went end over end, bent the forks, and warped the front wheel. Before I fixed anything I rode it up to 150MPH and didn't even have much other then vibration from the wheel. We've since rode that bike hard everywhere and it continues to be one of the best bikes I had ever owned.

Sean

 

[[email protected]]

Why would you total a bike just for a front wheel? Doesn't makes sense at all. Then he say a 2000 front wheel which it is not. As noted, take a close look at the frame for damage. Inspect the frame tubes on either side of the radiator from the steering neck all the way down. Also, remove the faux tank (only need the key for that) and do the same. I wouldn't run away just because of the salvage title but I wouldn't believe anything this guy has to say. I'd make my own judgements, take my time inspecting, and take it for a thorough test ride.

 

[4gasem]

I sent him an email...

 

[85vmax]

Insurance company would salvage a bike if it was stolen.....they paid out the insurance.....and found the bike 4 weeks later in a ditch with the front wheel bent.

They also usually will total a bike if over 4 years old...except Harleys and the exotics of course.

Deals are out there.....I would try not to pay more than half of retail, unless your goin to keep it for awhile, because re-sale is going to be crap.

He probably got it at an auction....put on a front wheel cleaned it up and got a good deal.

So you should get a good one also...like dannymax said....nothing over 3K .

 

[4gasem]

I heard back from the guy. Seems alright via email (hard to tell) and he said he wasn't aware it was from an earlier bike. I told him to come here if he's interested.

He's surprised it hasn't sold for that price.

 

[dannymax]

I don't know. I've had a few myself with no problems at all. Even small dents in the frame don't typically do a lot to it. My 2005 went end over end, bent the forks, and warped the front wheel. Before I fixed anything I rode it up to 150MPH and didn't even have much other then vibration from the wheel. We've since rode that bike hard everywhere and it continues to be one of the best bikes I had ever owned.

Sean

+1, my '06 had a couple frame dings and the motor was tipped backwards some....it didn't hurt the bike at all. Put over 7K on it with no issues whatsoever.

Just that the guy doesn't seem to know what he has so it's up to you to check everything real good....as others said, it may turn out to be a perfectly good v max.

Good luck.

 

[4gasem]

Ok so the guy bought it the way it is and has driven like this for a while now. He's selling to get "an old fart bike" (his words not mine).


Sent from my iPad using special algorithms and data nodes.

 

[alorio1]

Its going to be hard to sell with a salvage title, but if your looking for a keeper check all things that everyone has suggested. Take the bike for a spin and get her up to about 60 MPH and take your hands off handle bars to see if she goes straight or goes into a wobble while decelerating. Push down on the front forks while parked to see if it has a hard spot in movement of fork tubes. Its kinda hard to believe the front wheel caved in without bending fork tubes. If he will let you pop up the dust seals on front forks , you can look to see if there is oil getting past the fork seals, which would really make me think hard about buying the bike and skeptical about the tubes being slightly bent.

 

[iatrosb]

Excellent insight as always guys! Thanks so much. that's alot to think about.

I'm just not that experienced in inspecting for the badness that can lurk beneath a polished exterior. I've read on here to buy as new as you can afford as a general rule and was hoping for a good deal on an '06. I want a safe ride though obviously. Thanks again!

 

[Holeshot]

.... It could have reved into the Ozone Layer if it went down..,

Forgive my ignorance, I'm new to the Vmax scene. But um, don't these things have rev limiters?

 

[4gasem]

NOPE!!!


Sent from my iPad using special algorithms and data nodes.

 

[Blurr]

God I wsh.

 

[dannymax]

Forgive my ignorance, I'm new to the Vmax scene. But um, don't these things have rev limiters?

Amazingly....no, they don't!

 

[Holeshot]

.. seems like an easy fix (Dynatek, etc ...). I found the proper Dyna 3000 kit for the Vmax at around $260 +/- on Ebay brand new from a dealer. Seems like cheap insurance for these things, que no?