When I was visiting my dealer today I spoke to the service manager about the stores down in the gulf.. NO and Biloxi and Gulf port areas..

he said they were a total loss.

So I guess that will bring in a bunch of insurance write offs ? Can these bikes be salvaged would they be worth anything? all electrical water damaged and engines sitting in water?

What do you think.. ? Do you see E Bay selling damaged goods.. for months to come? How would you know if the bike you were buying is a "toxic bike".

 

Sounds like some deals will be showing up on the market. I'm not an E-bay person, so I don't know how the work. As far as dealerships go they will likely be sold thru an action company (non internet) and if they are reputable they will be listed as flood damaged.

 

I wouldn't get too worked up over a potential bargain at this early date. With the condition of the bikes, depending on how much water they were under, for how long, conditions, and the toxic swill that passed for water, the liability exposure for selling someone a bike like these may be too much for Harley to want to take. I've seen it before where GM, Ford and other large companies just won't take that chance. Years ago my job took me to a train derailment along the Delaware River in NY and GM sent in a car crusher on rails and demolished several Indy Pacecar Corvettes. GM would not even sell the tires off the car for fear of a lawsuit if someone got hurt.

Would not be surprised if HD did the same for the most severely damaged bikes. Don't forget, most of the bikes are still owned by HD and at the dealer's showroom until they're sold, financed by an independent floorplan financing corporation. Not too many dealer's I've seen can afford to purchase dozens of new cycles outright on the chance that they'll all be sold before the finance charges add up.

Look at it this way, human nature being what it is, if someone knowingly purchased a bike that has been under water or other crap for days on end, it'll "slip his mind" when things started to go very wrong down the road, they'd be bitching about the crap quality of the bike, HD, etc. to anyone that would listen. All the time forgetting to mention that he purchased a piece of crap in the first place, likely with no warranty, etc.

I could be all wrong, but in my experience in dealing with this kind of thing and in today's atmosphere of cheesy tv lawyers, I would not think anyone would be asking to be sued if they could avoid it.

 

Probably a bunch of salvage titles or a trip to the parts yard.

 

I would not worry about the "toxic" water as much as I would the salt water...

Edmo

 

I bought a 04 sporty last year that was under water 2 days or up to top of motor. I pulled it comp down and cleaned it had 2000+ miles all is fine But had to go wih a parts assembled bike tittle as had to use another frame from another 04 sporty. AND some of the other parts. and had to turn in tittles on the parts bikes in to fla And get inspected and assigned no . . the one had good motor the other bent frame and every thing in between. So now I got a minn tittle back. As a assembled parts bike . moved from fla to minn in may 05. So with a assembled parts bike it loses it value. not tittled as a harley got a assigned fla no on frame. And a totaled bike most of the times can not be put on the road. or rebuilt. So make sure it says flood damage. Not totaled. I have sold all the extry parts but had to let them know it was from the hurracane . and brakesh water. not salt. Car lot had 3 sportys. 2 road kings. all 03 or 04 . Lots of work so think about it. and check state to see if you can rebuild a flood bike. some cagers can not and have to hit salvage yard. would you want one. C U gar

 

Just think about how many cars and trucks and things that will try to (maybe be sold)
Buyer beware

 

that is exactly what I was thinking..