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Hey everyone, so long story short. I got into buying Harleys from salvage auction recently. Had some luck on the last purchase and made a few bucks but this one unfortunately has a slight bend in the frame. Its a 2021 street glide special and I bought it for 7k after it was all said and done. The entire front end is the main damage. Rest of the bike is okay including engine, tank, etc. My question is, would I be better suited parting the bike out to get my 7k back should I purchase another frame and rebuild it as I planned? Like I said I wasnt aware it had a bend in the frame. Its very slight. I circled it in the picture. Thank you guys in advance.
I would not be afraid of the frame damage that is shown. I have straightened far worse. The mild steel tubing Harley uses in the frames is very forgiving. Take it to a frame straightening shop if it is too much for you. Even the dent can be pulled out.
and this is why I run away from salvage titled bikes....
I hope you made a ton of money on the others to make up for the hit you are going to take on this one.
Anyone looking for an engine for a custom build is going to need documentation of the part to get a title for their project bike ( in MA we call them "blue tags")
You are not going to be able to give them that.
And in what world is that "very slight"?
Do you know if the points above it and below it are still where they are supposed to be?
A guy I ride with was run off the road on the Interstate. The bike took a harder hit than that. The frame was repaired, the whole bike dismantled and reassembled. He's out riding that bike nearly everyday. Saw it two weeks back looking showroom/show ready. I was there when he went down so I know the hit the bike took. If it were mine, I'd repair it or replace the frame.
Even my Springer is on the second frame and the title is clean.
Anyone looking for an engine for a custom build is going to need documentation of the part to get a title for their project bike ( in MA we call them "blue tags")
You are not going to be able to give them that.
it
Engine has a VIN. Some states you can swap your frames between bikes, as long as you own the frame I told. He has an engine and frame with VIN Obviously not ideal. To make 7k, he may have to sell peice by peice piece, if it can't be repaired, or mated to another bike.
I might be more tempted to mate it or fix, it and ride it myself for awhile. Ride it until the value drops, to where salvage title is not suce a big deal. Or just get some enjoyment yourself out of it.
Much of what we discuss is moot, until he figures out laws in his state too.
and this is why I run away from salvage titled bikes....
I hope you made a ton of money on the others to make up for the hit you are going to take on this one.
Anyone looking for an engine for a custom build is going to need documentation of the part to get a title for their project bike ( in MA we call them "blue tags")
You are not going to be able to give them that.
And in what world is that "very slight"?
Do you know if the points above it and below it are still where they are supposed to be?
Part it out, take the hit
You dont know anything about straightening frames.
Those in the know, know. For others it is like THE SKY IS FALLING
I dont suppose he could ever find another touring Harley to take any measurements if needed.
and this is why I run away from salvage titled bikes....
It appears you have a big opinion and small experience. All hat and no cattle. I've seen clean title repaired bikes in much worse condition than rebuilt titles. It's all up to an insurance adjuster with a calculator, not the road worthiness of a damaged bike. It seems you are going to run away from a rebuilt bike with a repaired tank and fenders but have no problem with a clean title bike that had oil changes every 15K, a bent front wheel, and dirty bearings. I suspect you run from a lot of risk in life.
It appears you have a big opinion and small experience. All hat and no cattle. I've seen clean title repaired bikes in much worse condition than rebuilt titles. It's all up to an insurance adjuster with a calculator, not the road worthiness of a damaged bike. It seems you are going to run away from a rebuilt bike with a repaired tank and fenders but have no problem with a clean title bike that had oil changes every 15K, a bent front wheel, and dirty bearings. I suspect you run from a lot of risk in life.
My Springer, like I mentioned, is on the second frame. The title is clean. I did it through the MoCo and my dealer, paying out of pocket for some, and them picking up part of the tab. I was out of warranty, no crash, just a cracked frame. Had I gone to the Ins. Co. they would have totaled the bike without even looking beyond the easily repairable part. Would have been a near perfect bike with a salvage title. That was years ago and I rode it this weekend.
I would avoid a salvage car, too many ways to hide things, and too many other things to choose from. But a motorcycle, if the deal were right and I was able to see the work was done correctly, I wouldn't be so bothered.
IMHO most people who fix salvage/damaged bikes do so on the cheap..... Most are looking for a cheap ride or a quick flip....
I absolutely agree they can be fixed better than new, but call me a cynic, I firmly believe they are in a small minority of bikes with salvage titles. There is rarely a way to know for sure...
If the insurance company gets involved and the Insurance company totals a bike for whatever reason, regardless of how well it is fixed, that bike's market value will forever be affected.
IMHO..... Any bike I saw with a salvage title, I would avoid.... There are just too many bikes out there to choose from, to take the chance on a salvage bike. Of course every used bike purchase is a risk. I've also walked away from non-salvaged bikes due to my inspections of them.... caveat emptor..
On the other hand, if I had damage to my bike that could be a potential "total"..... I would either choose to fix it properly, avoiding insurance company involvement to avoid the "salvage" label, or write it off and walk away....
I can kinda understand those who would run away from something with a salvage title, but $7k for a bike that retails at nearly $30k provides plenty of room. What are the parts besides the frame repair going to cost? I am skeptical of straightening a frame and I highly doubt it can be done with the bike "intact" as the OP is asking, but if there really is someone out there who thinks he can do it well enough that it'd stay square again, I might be willing to take the gamble if it saved enough money. It would seem, though, that for what he paid for it, even if he had to buy a frame, he's going to get a practically new bike for half the price, and if you rode that for 5 years and sold it for $10k, I think you'd still be dollars ahead. The only touring bikes like that out there for $10-14k are much older models, 2007-2010 or so. I've never ridden an M8 bike but if what you want is the newest, he figured out how to get a year old bike for the same price as a 15 year old one, it just won't hold its value very well.
You dont know anything about straightening frames.
Those in the know, know. For others it is like THE SKY IS FALLING
I dont suppose he could ever find another touring Harley to take any measurements if needed.
There are welders that weld very extreme and potentially dangerous items.
I wonder how much getting back to orginal really matters. You want strength. But is it really effecting the geometry and handling that much?
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