Question about salvage title affecting monetary value of motorcycle (2024)

Hi Barfers. I looked up the kelly blue book price for a 2001 suzuki bandit 600, to see what its valued at relative to paperwork needed to verifiy assets.
However the Bandit I own i bought used a few years ago, and later after I was hit by a driver who then fled the scene, I had to reregister and title the Bandit as a salvage title.

If my memory is correct, Ive heard the a vehicle with a salvage title is automatically considered to have drastically less value for resale and its monetary value as an asset.?

When I searched Kelly blue book it only provide a value based on the general parameters of being a 2001 suzuki 600. It did not provide an option to refine it based on having a salvage title.

Any recommendations how to figure this out accurately?

I've owned several Salvage Title bikes. In fact I have one right now. I buy them for a bit less than market value and have had no trouble selling them, again at a discount but I wouldn't call it drastic. Keep in mind, a theft recovery or only bodywork damage can make a bike Salvage.
I've gotten some good deals both buying and selling Salvage Title bikes.

Mad

As far as motorcycles are concerned, and when you're talking about an asset that isn't insurable, and it's Actual Cash Value is dependant on 20 different things, who knows what it's worth?

If it's a car, truck or other more valuable asset, it's still uninsurable. When I was in the car business, we would call a wholesaler, get a number, then divide it by 2.

moto-rama said:

As far as motorcycles are concerned, and when you're talking about an asset that isn't insurable, and it's Actual Cash Value is dependant on 20 different things, who knows what it's worth?

If it's a car, truck or other more valuable asset, it's still uninsurable. When I was in the car business, we would call a wholesaler, get a number, then divide it by 2.

See Also

[2023] Easy Guide to Kelley Blue Book Motorcycles Values

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I own both motorcycle and truck with salvage titles and full coverage on both. They do lower the replacement value but insure it for that declared value.

As a potential buyer I’d want to know the reason it was salvaged and make sure the frame is straight. If it was a street bike, I’d find out if my insurance rates would be any higher.

If everything checked out and it was repaired by a shop, I’d expect to pay 20-30% less than low KBB.

A 2001 bandit 600 is worth hardly anything, with a salvage title its worth a bit less than hardly anything.

Basically, the numbers are so small at that point that you can't make good generalizations because a few hundred bucks is a large percentage of the bikes value.

ocoas said:

I own both motorcycle and truck with salvage titles and full coverage on both. They do lower the replacement value but insure it for that declared value.

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Who declares the value; based on what, exactly?
And what insurance company?

And since when?

moto-rama said:

Who declares the value; based on what, exactly?
And what insurance company?

And since when?

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I have my 914 Porsche with Haggerty and it is covered to the agreed value.

bpw said:

A 2001 bandit 600 is worth hardly anything, with a salvage title its worth a bit less than hardly anything.

Basically, the numbers are so small at that point that you can't make good generalizations because a few hundred bucks is a large percentage of the bikes value.

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^^^^^This.
Make up a number and use that. Nobody is going to refute it and it's not worth the effort to inflate or deflate the value.

InsuranceGuy said:

What was the salvage valve of the bike? The general rule is about 30 to 50 % of retail value.
However you will see people try to get just under retail.

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I've never sold a Salvage bike very much under the value of one with a clean title. Certainly not 30-50% less.

Mad

Since when are commodities like cars and motorcycles in such short sure that anyone would buy one that may be concealing a major defect?

Insurance companies can insure anything for a predetermined value but if you read the contract it will always reserve the insurers right to say what the ACV is.
Why would anyone purchase something that's been totaled unless it's profoundly discounted instead of a new or near new example if the prices were similar?

I wouldn't be taking that deal..:/

The world is a crazy place. Some people have mad selling skills and some have mad buying skills.

I suck at both and generally buy over book and sell at half, or more often find no buyer at all and just scrap it.

Maddevill said:

I've never sold a Salvage bike very much under the value of one with a clean title. Certainly not 30-50% less.

Mad

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Read the last part of my statement. (However, you will see people try to get just under retail.) Just because you were able to sell a vehicle for over value does not mean it’s the true value. I’ve Dealt with 2000 or 3000 salvaged vehicles over the years and unless there is a stated value, the true average value is 30% to 50 % of retail value.

Was curious so took a look and couldn’t find a 600 Bandit of any year on Kelly Blue Book.

Checked a couple others and see 2004 gsxr1k listed for same amount I sold mine in excellent condition for 15 years ago. 20 year old Japanese bikes with 20 year of mileage are pretty much throwaways but then $5k doesn’t go far anymore anyhow.

I have owned two salvage title Ducatis and it is my opinion that they were worth about 20% less than a non-salvage bike in the exact same condition. Everything had been fixed on both of them, so the only real difference was the actual title.

One of them, the 1996 Monster M900 was fairly easy to sell. The other, the 1998 ST2 was difficult to sell because there wasn't much demand for those even in perfect condition.

So, bump the percentage up or down depending on demand for the particular bike.

Seems to me placing a simple percentage range is hard for bikes compared to cars.

If you've got a fuller faired bike, a simple get off that scratches up fairings might easily salvage title the bike when there's nothing really wrong with it.

If I saw a bike for sale that's salvaged but it was only cosmetic damage, I'd probably not bother haggling much. Mechanical repair? Different story.

Dogfeathers said:

will be a few hundred bucks no matter how good it used to operate before the accident.

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Why would they not pay fair value?