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How Did You Get Your Free or Cheap Motorcycle?

This question was inspired by 2 post: How to Get a Free Yacht, How to Revive an Old Motorcycle: Save Money on Gas/Fuel! Cheap Ride!, a question Ever Saved a Motorcycle from the Scrap Heap?, and oh yea the economy.

I live in a rural area, don't know anyone with a motorcycle, and my finances (and other people's) could be helped with a free or cheap motorcycle. How did you get your free or cheap motorcycle? If you paid for it how did you calculate how much to offer? Did you have any problems getting it registered? Any other advice you think we should have on this topic?

Thank-you for your help

21 comments
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Feb 13, 2012. 4:38 PM-DOUG- says:
The short answer is I've gotten them from people who've had them in the garage a long time then decide to get rid of them. One for free, another four at $100 or less, etc. Often sitting at the street when someone is having a garage sale, my eyes zoom right in.

The long answer is partially covered in this article.

http://boscotheblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/just-want-to-ride-on-my-motorsickle.html
Dec 3, 2010. 8:06 PMabadfart says:
I got mine off of CL for 400 USD and about 50 USD in parts (battery, plugs, filter). the key is to look in the fall or winter when people are getting rid of there bikes because they are done riding or trading up the next year.
Apr 18, 2009. 10:32 AMLithium Rain says:
Hm, I find it interesting that this ad came up...I can't figure out why it did...
Jul 22, 2010. 8:11 AMGoodhart says:
I got an internal ad on building one's own Nintendo arcade.
Jul 22, 2010. 1:18 PMLithium Rain says:
Lol bump
Apr 23, 2009. 2:40 PMlemonie says:
I've got "reclaim your brain" (lost by airport baggage-handlers?) L
Feb 27, 2010. 8:57 PMextremegtafan says:
One time those pesky baggage handlers lost mine for a week... Found it in the bushes near the parking lot... :-)
I actually have an ad related to motorcycles.
Jan 27, 2011. 11:16 PMabadfart says:
my ad is for auto insurance
Jul 22, 2010. 8:02 AMXaqFixx says:
I've gotten two, one from a coworker who knew I was a tinkerer and didn't want his kids to have a motorcycle but didn't want to see it go to the scrap heap, the other was my dad's and had been sitting in a barn for 30+ years. Talk to friends, neighbors, anyone with grown children and a barn ;-) You can also post on CL offering to take any non-running bikes away for them, if you find one you want to keep go for it, if not, take it to the scrap yard for them, or sell it for parts.
Apr 20, 2009. 12:17 AMskunkbait says:
Check the newspapers, ebay, and craigslist. Also check junkyards and motorcycle shops. At the motorcycle shop, ask if they ever get any old, beat-up trade-ins that they can't resell. Also, check at yardsales, auctions and estate sales. One of the best ways is to find someone with a neglected bike in their yard or carport. Tell them you're looking for a project, and wondered if they'd be willing to sell theirs. Occasionally, you'll find the rare person who really just wants to get rid of it. They're the ones that'll sell it cheap or just give it away. Another good way, is to look for other people riding old junkers. Say something like " That's cool. I haven't seen one of those in years. Where'd you get it?" A lot of scavenger/bikers will gladly point you in the right direction. If you get a fixer-upper and need help, just PM me. I'll help you if I can.
Apr 23, 2009. 3:52 PMlemonie says:
That looks expensive - I saw 6000$ on that page. Don't know where you live but this is cheaper
I'd avise looking for this sort of size in the interests of "cheap" and easy to maintain / repair, but this one is costly through being labeled a "classic"

L
Apr 23, 2009. 3:36 PMskunkbait says:
WOW! That's a beautiful machine. I've owned a couple that were about that nice, but these days I just settle for reliable. The price is hard to say. On reliable, yet scruffy machines, I used to basically offer about $1 per cc. So a usable 750cc would be $750 (give or take). An ugly one would be a few hundred less, a nice one would be a few hundred more. But when I deal with old junkers, I usually pay scrap prices. If I can't save the old bike, I'll part it out on ebay to make my money back. If you get a complete (but non-running) bike for $100-$300, you can always get that much back in parts, if the troubles turn out to be too hard to tackle.
Apr 23, 2009. 3:35 PMSunbanks says:
It was a piece of junk but my dad fixed it and stuff :D At least I think that's what happened with mine, it could have been a different one.
Apr 23, 2009. 2:39 PMlemonie says:
Make sure the vendor supplies paperwork, and check with your vehicle licensing agency about registration (first). L
Apr 18, 2009. 12:50 PMlemonie says:
My friend found one burned-out on a canal bank. The piston did disintegrate after a bit of hard revving, but it was good for an hour or so. He also found another one in the canal, but couldn't manage to get it out...

L
Apr 23, 2009. 2:33 PMlemonie says:
"How did he get the keys?" hahahahaha - ah... To be serious, it was only a Yamaha RXS, you get around "keys" fairly easily (particularly if you're only after parts, as he was). The only reasonable suggestion for a bike in a canal that I could make is the Huddersfield broad canal, town-centre and east to Fartown... L
Apr 18, 2009. 11:13 AMNachoMahma says:
. Check the classified ads in your local newspaper(s). Many will have a web site that you can browse. . Place a "Free (Or Very Cheap) Motorcycle Wanted" ad in a local paper.

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