closet BMW fantasy

[FZyLarry]

OK, I admit I have been having adulterous thoughts about a BMW 800ST. So I was surfing Craigslist and out pops a couple of '07's with low prices. One has a couple thousand miles and a salvage title. The other one is at this link and has 9 miles and a salvage title. How much would it suck to crash your brand new bike with 9 miles on it???

Anyway, the adds seem to imply that these bikes just had plastic damage. I was wonder how a bike that new could be totaled with just plastic damage. Any thoughts?

 

[gmickey2001]

I can't imagine something getting a salvage title without some sort of structural damage, or at least enough non-structural damage to make repair cost more than the resale value.

But I'm no expert.

 

[granda080]

For any vehicle to get a salvage title an insurance company had to deem that the cost of repair was more than the worth of the vehicle. What I've seen means that the cost of repairing this bike would have to be in excess of $9,000.00. It's very likely that this bike has had more than "plastic" damage.

If it is a bike that you really want, there is some comfort that you can take in the salvage title. For any vehicle to receive a salvage title it has to meet all safety requirements originally mandated for it. What that means is this bike has been inspected and has passed the safety requirements.

The big question marks on salvage title vehicles is that you are trusting a garage to rebuild something back to manufacturing specs. I would take a good hard look at the bike before I bought it. Try to find a mechanic to go with you who would know what they were looking at, assuming you don't.

I had a Jeep Wrangler that had a salvage title and it was fantastic. But before I bought it I requested that I be able to take it to another shop to have my mechanic look over it first.

I would say don't dismiss it, but be cautious. Good luck. I hope this info helped.

 

[cv_rider]

I covet thy neighbors 1200RT sport tourer. One was in the MSF ERC class I took, it looked great, looked comfortable, and the rider could handle it super well. I like the sound of them too.

 

[regder]

up here it's more like 75-80% of the replacement value for a salvage title to be issued. Remember, if an insurance company decides to repair the bike instead of writing it off, they are responsible for repairing it completely to pre-accident condition. So everything that got nicked, dented, and scratched has to be replaced.

Now things get very expensive when you are dealing with original parts at msrp and dealer labor rates. I'm sure some rash on the fairings, frame, and swingarm would be enough for an insurance company to write off a bike.

Unless you are the one buying a crashed bike and rebuilding it yourself, tread lightly. It's very hard to see exactly what damages the bike had, the quality of repair varies largely as well. Even at it's best though, don't expect it to be perfect, there are always shortcuts made, whether you can see them and if they affect the bike are a different matter.

Speaking of those bikes, here in Canada, BMW was blowing out the F800S for $8500cdn plus fees, on a bike that normally retails for around $1200cdn. Was extremely tempted to pick one up, very nice package. Though given the same price, I think I'd rather get a VFR

 

[The Toecutter]

Dude, everything with a scratch on it gets put in the estimate including the frame.it's definitly worth looking at.probably is only minor damage too you the would be second owner,but too the man who bought it brand new he would want it back that way, NEW.therefore that's why it's so easy to total a bike by insurance standards.

 

[FZyLarry]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I am certainly going to error on the side of caution. I am pretty hesitant to buy a used bike much less one with a salvage title. Interestingly enough, while riding back from the cycle show last year in Long Beach I ended up cruising with a guy on a 1200RT that he had bought used. It was for sale and he said he should have followed the golden rule of "never buy a used BMW". I'm not sure what he meant by that but it mad me pretty leary. I think I'll just save up the $12K and get a brandy new one :thumbup: