Are salvage/insurance vehicle websites deals as good as they seem?

I'm looking for a cheap motorcycle. I've found some websites that have bidding for salvage titled motorcycles. Some of the bikes look really nice and are going for only a couple hundred dollars. The sites ask for $25-$50 to sign up to be able to bid on the bikes.
Are these websites too good to be true, or could I realistically get a very nice bike (with a salvage title) for a couple hundred bucks?

The websites are too good to be true. The insurance company wants as much money as they can get for each vehicle. If they are willing to sell them that cheap, then those bikes are the bottom of the barrel. The websites are making money on signups, listing fees, and possibly sales commission. The other problem is trying to get a salvaged titled vehicle registered. Some states won't allow it, others make you go through an extensive DMV inspection. Depending on the damage to the bikes, if you can't fix them yourself, it could be a fortune to repair. My advice, spend a little more for a bike with a clear title. It'll save you money and headaches in the long run.

Are these websites too good to be true? These websites give you the opportunity to buy salvage vehicles from insurance auctions without you having a dealer license because their service is to buy the vehicle on your behalf.

could I realistically get a very nice bike (with a salvage title) for a couple hundred bucks? NO, the offer you place at these websites has to compete against other offers of other authorized buyers at the auction so is very unlikely that you will get a bike for $200, besides your offer has to cover the auction fees and the dealer commission.

Just read the FAQs and learn how the process work, some people satanize these sites just because they don't know how they work, but these site are actually a good alternative to buy salvage vehicles at very discounted prices otherwise only available to licensed dealers.

A $25 registration is nothing compare with the fact that you will be able to buy salvage vehicles reserved to dealers without actually having a dealer license.

Yes and No.

Salvage bikes and cars, work the same way.

Your paying a lot less money for a car.
but your also most likely going to get a car that was stolen, repo'd, had water damage from a flood. or something else.


Do it if you have money to spare because in the end, getting your vehicle re registered will cost just as much as just buying the car from a dealer.


Good Luck.