Buy a bike that's a salvaged title?

[willo]

i'm looking into buying a new bike (my old one was damaged in an accident) and there's a guy near my house who's selling a really nice bike. The problem is that he says it's a "salvage title". Doesn't that mean it was totaled? Should i get it or does that sound shady?

 

[Kenk]

Salvage title means that it was totaled by an insurance company. Depending on the bike, that may be a minor issue. Modern sport bikes are frequently totaled just because of bodywork damage from dropping the bike.
Have a knowledgeable mechanic inspect the bike before you buy it. If the seller won't allow that, stay away.
Check at your local registration office before purchasing it, as some states make you jump through hoops before they'll allow you to register a salvage vehicle for road use. That may be why the seller is selling it?

 

[PaulK]

It may say it's totalled but it might have just had some damage to the plastic enclousures around the bike, insurance companies can call any bike totaled even with a little crack in the headlight. Go for it if it's for a cheap price. Don't buy it for retail