I would apologize for
the long delay in completing this piece, but I'm hoping you'll let me off the
hook.
This summer, I will (finally) complete my series about
buying a rebuilt salvaged bike and getting it on the road. I appreciate the e-mails asking how it went.
Now, I can finally deliver the conclusion. But first, let's run a review for
those riders who may have just joined us.
The Salvaged
Motorcycle Odyssey – Part 1
If you go back and read last summer's series, I discussed
what prompted me to buy a motorcycle in the first place and then, eighteen
months later, sell my 1984 Honda Magna VF700 and buy a newer 2002 Honda Magna
VF750 (Part
1).
Good Economics or a
Midlife Crisis? – Part 2
The next installment (Part
2) talked about the process of purchasing the rebuilt salvaged bike and
some lessons learned from doing so.
Taking the Plunge is
Not for Everyone – Part 3
In Part
3, I explained what was meant by a "Salvage Title", though the term varies
from state to state. I also shared some of the advice that I received from CR4ers
in the Automotive forum.
On the Road – Part 4
Because buying a motorcycle was originally a financial
decision, as was the move to upgrade because of the mounting cost of repairs, I
discussed the process of picking up the bike, which was located 325 miles from
where I live. Part
4 also provided a lesson learned about location listings on eBay.
In addition, I discussed a popular topic from last summer's Automotive
blog - "hypermiling. At the time, gasoline was about $4.50 per gallon and I was
driving a thirsty Dodge Ram 1500 with a 4.3L V-8. Finally, I discussed the process of securing
a motorcycle to a trailer and transporting it over a moderately long distance
of varying road types.
Show Me the Money –
Part 5
Once the bike was home, it was time to wrestle the New York
DMV to get the bike registered. This included going through a special
inspection by the DMV's Anti-Theft and Salvage Unit. Before this could happen, however,
I needed to complete loads of paperwork and pay some hefty fees, even by DMV
standards (Part
5).
What's Next?
And with this exhaustive review, each section of which you
can reread at your leisure, I will tease you along no longer. Next week will feature
the seventh installment, which discusses my experience with The Anti-Theft and
Salvage Inspection Unit (thankfully, all the waiting is done, so I can get
right to it). Then the eighth and final installment will re-live my first
actual ride after two full months of owning the bike.
Up Next: The
Anti-Theft and Salvage Inspection (The Salvaged Bike Odyssey – Part 7)
Related Readings:
Part 1 - The
Salvaged Motorcycle Odyssey
Part 2 - Good Economics or a Midlife Crisis?
Part 3 - Taking the Plunge is Not for Everyone
Part 4 - On the Road
Part 5 - Show Me the Money
Part 7 - The Anti-Theft and Salvage Inspect Unit
Part 8 - The Final Odyssey
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