Advice on buying an already crashed bike

[kave]

I am interested in opinions from the mechanically minded. I have seen a crashed 2006 VFR800 on trademe, which might go relatively cheaply

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=145415956

Assuming I am not overly worried about looks, and would be wanting to streetfighter it at some point, and assuming that the majority of damage is cosmetic. Would it be possible to rip the fairings off, slap some indicators on, and re-vin it? Would removing the fairings mean I would be required to carry out more serious adjustments?

Thanks for any advice.

[98tls]

First thing i would do is make sure forks/frame/steering head are good.

[Ixion]

Hm . Unspecified "electrical damage". You would want to check the engine over *very* carefully. As it is of recent age, and has been deregistered by an insurance company, the VIN process will be very strict and difficult. Much more so than re-registering a bike where the rego has just lapsed.

You will need to get the frame and sus[pension measured and a certificate of accuracy . I believe there is a company in Hamilton (?) that can do it.

Something there was about it that induced an insurance company to write off what would, then, have been an almost new bike. So they must have thought repairs would cost more than (?? ) $12-15000.

Admittedly plastics cost $$$ and things like scratched exhausts can push up an insurance bill. But cast alloy frames don't crash well, either.

Someone will have done a repair quote for the insurance company. If you could see that, you would have some worthwhile information.

I must admit to some suspicion about the "we will not answer questions below". Or txts. Because they do not have time . But they will talk on the phone about it (presumably for as long as you want).And a phone conversation would take more of their time than replying to a txt. And the auction does not end until the 26th, which implies no desparate urgency. I wonder why they do not want anything in writing?

But then again, perhaps I am just an overly suspicious and cynical old man.

[Unit]

Talk to Bucketboy about revinning a write off. He recently went through this exercise with his ZX14 so knows what to expect.
Streetfighter? Talk to Toebug, of Streetfighters.com, specialises in them.
Best of luck

[motorbyclist]

not being an expert on streetstocks, i have to ask if the vfr800 would do well as a street stock for racing compared to a cbr? (or are you just after the look?)

after my recent attempt to repair my bike rather than calling insurance, i tell you now they write stuff off for a reason! if that electrical damage is something electronic (rather than electrical) expect a big parts bill to get the possibly rooted engine to run again

as a trademe expert, i will say that any seller who won't answer questions on the auction publicly has something to hide and/or doesn't want people seeing the bad answers. so assume it is absolutely buggered and worth nothing.

[kave]

I think you have all provided pretty good advice. I think I will give it a miss as I really cant afford to buy something like this, and then have the bills pile up. I guess my best option is to buy a bike thats already in a reasonable condition, at least then I know what I am getting, and can test-ride it.

[JimO]

if it was a cheapish fix the insurance company would have fixed it instead of writing a cheque for perhaps 15000 $$

[FROSTY]

The oly real issues are A--what is the electrical issue and is the frame damaged.The rest will be pretty odvious when ya view it

[motorbyclist]

is it for the road or the racetrack?

if it's for the road it'll cost 800 bucks to get an engineers report to check/confirm the chassis is still straight/intact

cheaper and easier to buy this (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-144096390/k-1219694.htm) instead


unless you want a project of course

[Patch]

as a trademe expert, i will say that any seller who won't answer questions on the auction publicly has something to hide and/or doesn't want people seeing the bad answers. so assume it is absolutely buggered and worth nothing.
or the seller can't be arsed with all the no-hopers txting or posting bullshit questions which tard me is full of - some expert, sure you have some dodgy sellers but more often than not it is a bullshitter wasting the seller's time.
What do you say about those seller's who list items as a classified listing - there questions are not made public either. Serious buyer's ring and view.



if it's for the road it'll cost 800 bucks to get an engineers report to check/confirm the chassis is still straight/intact
bollocks to this too - my bike was written off with a parts list of over $14k not including labour. When taken into VINZ to pay the bullshit re-vinning charge no report needed, it is up to the testing officer - use common sense.
If the frame is bent and has been straightened then you will need the report. You will probably find sourcing another frame easier (not an implication about the condition of the questioned VFR) but my experience and the information given from the testing officer at VINZ.


Re-vinning a bike is not as hard nor difficult as some have made it out to be. Wonder why they have - alternative motives maybe?

[bucket boy]

Talk to Bucketboy about revinning a write off. He recently went through this exercise with his ZX14 so knows what to expect.
Streetfighter? Talk to Toebug, of Streetfighters.com, specialises in them.
Best of luck

No good talking to me mine was a jap import that i got in.I Just fixed it up took it down for a vin said nothing about it being wrecked

[Qkchk]

Ive been told that the replacement cost of the fairings of these bikes are that expensive that if I even happened to do a low-speed <50kph drop, it will be written off. One figure Ive heard (how true it is, Im not sure) that a replacement fairing set (not including the tank) is worth more than $12K........and a new bike is worth $17K - Go figure.

[R6_kid]

Get on ebay and check things out that way, never had any problems with it personally and if you arent in a hurry for parts you can get most things shipped for $20-$40USD and have them in a few weeks time.

Having been through the process once, and currently doing it again the best advice i can give is do your research as thouroughly before making the purchase.

Also doesnt hurt to have the engine looked over by someone who knows what they are looking at, and with modern bikes it's not hard to have the engine out of the frame to make it easier for them anyway.

[Coldrider]

Buying a wreck is a gamble that may or may not pay off, based on the damage expected or actual.

I think the VFR needs the fairings to direct the air flow through the radiators on the side, but anyone who has a naked VTR might know better.

There are plenty of places that make replica fairings etc.

If you are rebuilding it with mostly Honda parts you will lose money, hence why it is being written off.

[YellowDog]

No written Questions = Highly suspicious.

You need these guys to get real with you. If it is just the costly fairings, then check the cost for yourself first.

$12k v $17k = I doubt it. The thrid party manufacturers would have a field day selling them for $5k.

You don't even know if the engine will run. They say they have no time; I bet if you went down their and got it started, they would make time to put that major fact on the advert.

Good luck to you. Great looking bike and for $2k - WOW

[motorbyclist]

or the seller can't be arsed with all the no-hopers txting or posting bullshit questions which tard me is full of - some expert, sure you have some dodgy sellers but more often than not it is a bullshitter wasting the seller's time.
What do you say about those seller's who list items as a classified listing - there questions are not made public either. Serious buyer's ring and view.

well they said not to post questions due to time reasons, yet they have the time for phone calls? if they won't publicly state the answers to questions which will mostly be about the condition of bike and nature of crash it's better to be safe then sorry - especially when it's an expensive damaged good with unspecified damage

sure you get a lot of stupid questions, but it's either deal to them there or deal with them on the phone.

i say classifieds are a good way for a seller to go if they don't want an auction. of course there is no public q&a as it is in the seller's best interests that the buyers don't know what other buyers are offering for it, and again with damage they don't want you to know about.



bollocks to this too - my bike was written off with a parts list of over $14k not including labour. When taken into VINZ to pay the bullshit re-vinning charge no report needed, it is up to the testing officer - use common sense.
If the frame is bent and has been straightened then you will need the report. You will probably find sourcing another frame easier (not an implication about the condition of the questioned VFR) but my experience and the information given from the testing officer at VINZ.

Re-vinning a bike is not as hard nor difficult as some have made it out to be. Wonder why they have - alternative motives maybe?

well i certainly don't want the bike. even if i wanted a vfr800 i wouldn't buy that one without first going and viewing the thing and being damn sure that i get up the required parts for less than the price of a 2nd hand one of similar age and mint condition.

what if the officer asks for the frame to be checked? instant bill which you'd better be prepared for.

all it takes is for the bike to go front end into a kerb to bend the forks and make the headstock suspect. nobody wants to have the front end break off their bike while riding it (or at all) due to fatigue/cracking (though they DO still buy suzukis:crazy:). looking at the photos it's had a nasty impact (probably with the road) on the right hand front and then slid on both sides

[Kittyhawk]

Why dont we all just bombard the auction with questions?? :2thumbsup

[vagrant]

With the clip on broken off its possible that there is some damage to the steering stops. I would doubt there is any more frame damage than that. It looks like the fuse box took a hit too, so the electrical problems could be there, or something more involved with the electronics in the dash. You will never know if you don't take a look.
Their other listings claim they are a registered motor vehicle dealer, but they don't say which one.