Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Ned Some Help

First, let me just say that I am thrilled that the forum is back baby!!!!

Ok, I need some help from you guys. The insurance company wants to total my bike (2005 America roughly 4,000 miles) out for $6,250. I can buy the salvage title for $2,500. I just spoke with the mechanic at the dealer and the expensive stuff I need is a tank, upper/lower shrouds, 1 header (small dent in it). It also needs some indicators and mirrors and some other minor stuff. He said he would probably change the triple tree too and may just recommend replacing the whole front end but that he doesn’t think I really need to that.

Soooooo……would you buy the salvage and fix the tank, upper/lower shrouds, header, and the triple tree or just take the $6,250 and buy a gently used bike?

Can you do both? Take the $6250 and buy another bike.
Either fix up or part out the wrecked one.

Thought about it but I don't really have room for two bikes and I don't have really have time or desire to part it out.

Just talked to the adjuster and he said that it would be a parts only title since the repairs are more than 80% of the value. I guess I'm leaning to just taking the $6250 and looking for a good deal while my leg is healing.

Parts only titles are worthless. The frame will allways have a hard time getting insurance and a tag for it. How ever you may take the motor,elec system and other parts from the bike and use it as a basis for a chopper.

I'm in the same boat - I've decided to take the money and I'm keeping an eye out for a new bike. I do happen to know what salvage company is taking it and I'm going to watch their website to see when it comes up for auction.

Mine is definitely repairable and I'm still amazed that the insurance company decided to total it out. If I do buy it back, it will have a salvage title as well. We'll see.

I have a feeling I'll be getting a different bike though.

Salvage titles generally are worth about 1/2 the value of the bike without one. Its a real red flag to the casual buyer. They never really know how badly it was hurt. On two wheels that can mean life and death if a frame or front end gives up a weld.

Hi Cyrus

As said before on here, only you can make that decision, personally I would buy it back and keep the bits I want and sell the others to make more cash to buy another speedy/america etc. But you need the space to rip the heart out of it etc... Your choice...

If the bike just needs those cosmetics to ride. I would put gaiters on instead of shrouds,either after market tank or one from Ebay bob and cut the rest,small dent in the header adds charicter. If you don't plan on selling it I wouldn't worry about resale value with an R title. Do the work yourself and pocket the change.

All that being said you can also find a decent used America or Speedmaster for less than what they want to pay you. Look at the bike Steveh just sold for an example.

Have any mechanically inclined buddies? I'd take the cash, buy the bike back and part it out. Get a bud to do the work and split the proceeds with him. You could probably get your money back and then some for the parts, and judging from what I've seen on Ebay, you could get a nice gently used bike for the cash settlement. JMHO...