Salvage Titles: 101

[Jake D]

I know every state is going to be different, but what is the deal with salvage titles?  What do you have to do to get tags on the bike? 

Let's collect all our knowledge here and drop some science like Galeleo dropped an orange. 

[pnaberhaus]

Having worked a few years (27) in an Ohio new car sales dealership, I am quite acquainted with m/c and automobile titles. Getting a license for a salvaged title vehicle has never been a problem. In essence, the purpose of a salvage title is to "protect" an unwitting buyer/purchaser from being "sold" a car (or motorcycle) that was "totaled", "scrapped" or otherwise considered only usable for parts. If a problem arises, it may be an insurance issue. Trying to convince an insurance company that the "salvaged" titled Ducati that you put together for $3K is worth $10K could be problematic. Also, in this age of VIN computer searches, a wise and savy buyer can often determine the "history" of a vehicle. Our used car department only offers "for sale" vehicles with a clean CAR FAX history. If getting a license plate in Ohio is the only concern, it shouldn't be. Other states, however, may require some sort of inspection. My advice would be to contact your local BMV or State License Bureau.

[Jake D]

Well half the bikes I see that are cheap sport bikes (not that I'm looking) say, bike has been down, repaired, salvage title, runs and looks great.

So you can license it just like a normal bike.  Is getting insurance hard, or is getting the insurance company to pay what you think FMV is in event of a claim hard?

Missouri requires an inspection.  So I know that I'd have to get clear of that first. 

[pnaberhaus]

Jake,
Back in the mid-'60s, when I started riding, it wasn't uncommon for someone to take the frame/engine from a wrecked Triumph(as an example), hang a set of Cerianni forks and a Fontana brake on the front, install an aluminum tank and a Dunstall 'glass seat and...you had yourself a unique and nice looking bike. Nobody I rode with  back then carried insurance, myself included. "Salvage " titles were unknown. But that was then, and today, a different set of rules and guidlelines apply. If you picked up, say a wrecked, salvaged-titled bike for say,...$1000 and added $1500 worth of muffler, used tank and seat, lights and some odds-and-ends and added a good deal of "sweat equity", putting it all together yourself, you'd probably turn out a decent looking bike. HOWEVER, if you threw that bike away in a corner during a moment of riding exuberance, you might have a hard time convincing Progressive/State Farm/GEICO/Markel, etc. that your bike with the "salvage" title that you paid $1000 for is/was worth $3-4-5000. Having "salvage" written on the title will do drastic things to a vehicle's resale value!

[Jake D]

Acceptable risk. 

That's why you bought a $1000 bike in the first place.  If you throw it down the road, it is just a $1000 bike.

I get it.  I was worried that if you have a salvage title that you couldn't get it licensed at all.

[calamari]

Back in the mid-'60s, when I started riding...

you mean there was a world before i was born?!? 

[Alphamazing]

That's why you use salvage titled bikes as track bikes or stunt bikes! I'm looking into the former, myself

[Jake D]

Wait.  Did I miss something?  Isn't your bike a salvage title?

[Alphamazing]

Wait.  Did I miss something?  Isn't your bike a salvage title?

Nope. The '04 is in fine shape. The '92's frame had the passenger footpeg bracket tweaked, but since I don't have full coverage insurance I didn't have to go through them and get a salvage title issued for it. The frame is sitting around waiting to get picked up (eventually) and get turned into a track bike's frame. I should have just saved all the parts and turned it into a track bike, but I didn't want to reassemble it. Now I'm out a set of carbs, a front wheel, and misc other parts. Still have that frame and engine though...

[Jake D]

I've got a front wheel with a new tire on it I can sell you.

[Alphamazing]

I've got a front wheel with a new tire on it I can sell you.

Heh. Thanks, but I'd still need carbs, an exhaust system, a ton of random nuts and bolts, bars, and the time and knowledge to put 'er back together.

[Jake D]

You're pretty much out of luck on the knowledge part.   But there is good news.  If you decide to go ahead and have my baby, your baby may have a pretty good chance of being smart.

[Alphamazing]

You're pretty much out of luck on the knowledge part.   But there is good news.  If you decide to go ahead and have my baby, your baby may have a pretty good chance of being smart.

Or I can just sell all the parts and use the money to buy myself a beater 600 track whore.