Triumphrat

rastataoist · 07-25-2007

Hey everyone...

It's been a while since I posted here, I had a nasty little accident on my '05 Speed Four back in March (a collision with a Saturn Sky driver's side door...) and my insurance company totalled my bike. I bought it back and took the settlement check and bought an SV650S.

Well I missed my Triumph and am now trying to get it back on the road, and had a few questions for people... the bike runs great, and handles great, and needs no repairs (all damage was cosmetic), so I'm gonna go to the DMV this Friday and register her... hopefully there's no problem there... if there is, I'm gonna consider parting the bike out here and on ebay as I don't think I'd want the S4 as a track-only bike. (Anyone been through this process before in California?)

If all goes well, I am interested in lowering the footpegs and maybe getting a handlebar conversion and making a nice little sport-tourer out of it, but has anyone done anything in the way of better windprotection (tried a laminar lip, but even with the clipons it doesnt help much)?

Also, do you think there's a market for Speed Four parts if I do end up having to part it out?

redl1nerpm · 07-25-2007

you don't have a seat cowl do you?

I don't think you'll get much money parting it. Any used TT or S4 stuff ive seen on eBay is usually very cheap. I don't know how much money your trying to get out of it either. If it rides fine, you could probably sell it as a whole too?

rustbucket · 07-25-2007

It's hit or miss on ebay. If only one person wants a part, it goes cheap. If two people want the part, it goes for a fair price.

All the same, it's a shame to kill an innocent bike like that. If it runs and rides why not just list the whole bike on ebay?

rastataoist · 07-26-2007

Ideally, I just want to get the bike registered and back on the road... if registering it becomes a nightmare, as much fun as it is to ride, I couldn't make it a track only bike as I'm not on the track as much as I'd like to ride this bike.

Plus my SV is set up very nicely for the track... and not for longer distances, so that'd be where the triumph comes in. And parts for the S4 are nowhere near as readily available (or as cheap) as for the Japanese bike.

Don't get me wrong, I love this bike, I'm just figuring out what is most practical/economical...

DEcosse · 07-26-2007

Shoot BombFactory a PM and ask him about the DMV re-registration.
He just went through the process with a salvage bike in N. CA.
Good guy & regular contributor to the forum - I'm sure he wouldn't mind me offering up his advice!

getzo · 07-27-2007

I've done it three times in California. It's a bit of a pain, but not impossible.

1. Get the salvage certificate from the insurance company; it looks just like a CA certificate of title.
2. Get a "brake and light" inspection form filled out by a licensed repair shop; this can be any motorcycle shop licensed to do business by the DMV or BAR. It's just a DMV statement of facts (you can get the PDF on the DMV site) with the dealer's stamp on it and a statement from him that the bike's OK to ride.
3. Make an appointment with your local CHP office for VIN verification. This is the big hassle, as they use training officers in some off-site location, and they sometimes don't show for their appointments.
4. Go to the DMV with all that stuff and a checkbook. They will re-title the vehicle as "Salvage", and you'll get the new title in the mail.

Once that bike is re-titled, it will still be worth $2500-$3000 if it looks OK, so it's definately worth doing.

rastataoist · 07-28-2007

Thanks so much guys!

Well I'm almost done... did all the paperwork and paid the DMV, got the brake and light inspection... now I just have to sort out the CHP inspection.

I also got temporary registration to take care of all this. So i'm legal! (Also found out the dealership will load maps into my ECU...)

(I was informed to put the stock exhaust back on because someone else who had done this with an aftermarket exhaust got fixit tickets when he reregistered with the CHP...)

Looks like all is going well!