Would you buy a cat D salvage bike ?

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

Just thought about putting this up as I wouldn't mind getting some of your thoughts about this, as I was thinking of buying a cat D for an interest/ project/ hobby thing.
And on the face of it seams like some real bargains to be had, has anybody on here done this type of thing and whats to look out for. ? I suppose its one of those situations that can go either way so would really appreciate my learned forum friends with any advice you have Thanks Best wishes to you all

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

Hi Wombal,

As I guess you already know? CAT D is the lightest damage a vehicle can suffer. It's often written off by the ins company due to being "uneconomic to repair"

Just be aware that if your looking at a 1-5yr old bike. The level of damage will have been much greater than it would need to be to write off an older bike.

Here's an example....

My Father-in-law recently purchased a 2000 Kawasaki ZX6R. It was given CAT D status in 2014. It had been knocked over in a supermarket car park. The damage was one broken lever/mirror & a cracked fairing panel. The cost of the new parts + labour to fit them came to more than the ins company thought was viable on an old bike. So they wrote it off.

It's a perfectly safe/reliable bike but he was able to buy it for approx 50% of one that wasn't recorded as a CAT D.

The flip side of that is this.....

In order for a 2016 version of the same bike to be given a CAT D? it would have had to suffer much more damage!

I hope that makes sense mate?

PS.....

CAT A .... Must be crushed. No parts can be used (I'm sure breakers still sell the bits though)
CAT B..... Some parts can be sold/used
CAT C..... Been involved in a more serious bump but can go back on the road subject to a VIC (Vehicle identity check)
CAT D..... As per the info above
Click to expand...

Dozers Dad said: ↑

Hi Wombal,

As I guess you already know? CAT D is the lightest damage a vehicle can suffer. It's often written off by the ins company due to being "uneconomic to repair"

Just be aware that if your looking at a 1-5yr old bike. The level of damage will have been much greater than it would need to be to write off an older bike.

Here's an example....

My Father-in-law recently purchased a 2000 Kawasaki ZX6R. It was given CAT D status in 2014. It had been knocked over in a supermarket car park. The damage was one broken lever/mirror & a cracked fairing panel. The cost of the new parts + labour to fit them came to more than the ins company thought was viable on an old bike. So they wrote it off.

It's a perfectly safe/reliable bike but he was able to buy it for approx 50% of one that wasn't recorded as a CAT D.

The flip side of that is this.....

In order for a 2016 version of the same bike to be given a CAT D? it would have had to suffer much more damage!

I hope that makes sense mate?

PS.....

CAT A .... Must be crushed. No parts can be used (I'm sure breakers still sell the bits though)
CAT B..... Some parts can be sold/used
CAT C..... Been involved in a more serious bump but can go back on the road subject to a VIC (Vehicle identity check)
CAT D..... As per the info above
Click to expand...

Cheers for that !! Dozers Dad ! I would be looking for a second bike kind of thing not doing it for a return sort of thing but will look at it how you have explained now nice one !

Sprinter · Aug 28, 2016

How do you know if the insurance company have went to the trouble/expence of checking the geometry or if the frame is bent?

thebiglad · Aug 28, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

PS.....

CAT A .... Must be crushed. No parts can be used (I'm sure breakers still sell the bits though)
CAT B..... Some parts can be sold/used
CAT C..... Been involved in a more serious bump but can go back on the road subject to a VIC (Vehicle identity check)
CAT D..... As per the info above
Click to expand...

No Vic checks on bikes since 2015. Apparently.

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

No problem mate. Your most welcome.

Here's a bit more info you may find useful?

Using the example of my Father-in-laws ZX6R. Although it didn't suffer any serious damage. It is still recorded on the HPI register.
So if he ever tried to px it at a dealer? They either wouldn't take it in? Or they'd offer him peanuts for it. Same rules apply to him selling it privately. If he mentions the CAT D most buyers would want a big discount.

However, as your not interested in the residual value. I'd say your the perfect buyer for a CAT D bike.

Just make sure you get the right bike mate! I've seen bikes given CAT C status with less damage than some CAT D bikes/cars? It seems to come down to the individual ins assessors take on the amout of damage?

Also you need to remember that the ins assessment will take into account even the most tiny mark on a new ish vehicle. So if you can live with a scuffed fairing or silencer etc? You could be riding around on that "written off" bike for way less than the ins company said it would cost to "fix"

I learnt all this when I got into building Streetfighters years ago. If the bike had been written off due to suffering £2500 worth of damage to the fairing, bars headlight etc but was otherwise untouched? Happy days for me cos all of those items were heading for the skip anyway!!
Click to expand...

Yeah I can see what you mean Dozers Dad ! for me its a hobby thing, so sounds like don't rule out cat "c" or "d" and just keep looking till the right one is on offer am already lovin this !!! cheers for your advice

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

littleade said: ↑

As Jez says if you don't intend trying to sell it after you can get some bargains if you're prepared and able to get the spanners out. Don't forget bikes get written off purely on financial grounds so it takes very little to write an old bike off that's not worth a lot so it wouldn't take a lot to get it back on the road whereas something like a newish R1 etc would probably be completely FUBAR'd by comparison so would cost more than a new bike to repair. Good luck and don't forget to start a thread is you get one
Click to expand...

Ok thanks Littleade ! will do that as soon as am set up !! ok cheers

Tigcraft · Aug 28, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

Hi Wombal,

As I guess you already know? CAT D is the lightest damage a vehicle can suffer. It's often written off by the ins company due to being "uneconomic to repair"

Just be aware that if your looking at a 1-5yr old bike. The level of damage will have been much greater than it would need to be to write off an older bike.

Here's an example....

My Father-in-law recently purchased a 2000 Kawasaki ZX6R. It was given CAT D status in 2014. It had been knocked over in a supermarket car park. The damage was one broken lever/mirror & a cracked fairing panel. The cost of the new parts + labour to fit them came to more than the ins company thought was viable on an old bike. So they wrote it off.

It's a perfectly safe/reliable bike but he was able to buy it for approx 50% of one that wasn't recorded as a CAT D.

The flip side of that is this.....

In order for a 2016 version of the same bike to be given a CAT D? it would have had to suffer much more damage!

I hope that makes sense mate?

PS.....

CAT A .... Must be crushed. No parts can be used (I'm sure breakers still sell the bits though)
CAT B..... Some parts can be sold/used
CAT C..... Been involved in a more serious bump but can go back on the road subject to a VIC (Vehicle identity check)
CAT D..... As per the info above
Click to expand...

Well explained Jez

Tigcraft · Aug 28, 2016

Wombal, I personally these days would not buy a cat c/d car but on the other hand I would not bat an eyelid to buying a cat c/d bike as repairs on bikes differ generally from cars and you still can end up with a good bike built and repaired with passion. Just make sure you always price it right and buy with your head!!

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

No problem mate,

If you find anything in my neck of the woods (Northampton) gimme a shout. Sometimes taking somebody with you that isn't wearing rose tinted glasses can help?

If you look at the damaged bikes on Ebay. You'll see that MCE Insurance have a holding unit near me. They sell a lot of their D's & C's straight from that unit via Ebay. A lot are newish bikes though. So they have normaly suffered extensive damage!
Click to expand...

Nice one !

wombal · Aug 28, 2016

Tigcraft said: ↑

Wombal, I personally these days would not buy a cat c/d car but on the other hand I would not bat an eyelid to buying a cat c/d bike as repairs on bikes differ generally from cars and you still can end up with a good bike built and repaired with passion. Just make sure you always price it right and buy with your head!!
Click to expand...

yes very wise words ! thanks Tigcraft

thebiglad · Aug 29, 2016

Dozers Dad said: ↑

Really??

I'll take your word for it but that sounds crazy! Half the reason for the VIC check is (was) to try to weed out ringers. It's waaay easier to ring a bike than a car. So why the f#ck have they done that?
Click to expand...

Hi Jez, I don't know why, but if you look at this Government site, you'll see:

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-identity-check

Lud · Sep 8, 2016

nearly finished 2015 America cat d only 389 miles on clock all cosmetic damage just waiting for tank to come back from paint shop just bear in mind parts are expensive have bought bike and repaired only paint not done by myself for around 5k

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