Hobby shift ...need advice. How to?

[Soulshine2]

I need some peer advice ,which I'll get to in a bit ...I dont know what everyone does for their other hobbies while theyre not brewing . I dont really know how to title this properly at all.

I need to set the stage for the advice I need.

Heres my situation. Years ago when I was 36 I bought my first motorcycle (2003 Honda Shadow, I wanted one since they came out in 1982)and got rid of my bass boat(Champion) I traded that bike for another one (used ,2002 HD Heritage Springer) which I absolutely loved and rode hard for a solid 10 years . In 2015 I reluctantly traded that for the bike I have now(HD Ultra Limited) due to need of a touring type rather than a cruiser. Comfort. Its a nice bike but it just isnt the same . My springer had a uniqueness and cool factor that turned heads everywhere. I miss it .

Back when I was in high school I saw a 1951 Chevy "Advanced Design" pickup (models went 1948-1953)for sale and just was in awe ,$500 , at the time I had no vehicle and was borrowing my parents car until I could. I took my dad to look at it . It was a complete runner ,original , but it smoked and leaked and had a lot of filler in it. My dad said no I wasnt buying that POS and park it in his driveway to leak oil everywhere,etc. Dad stuff. I had great plans for it, including a custom engine build that I saw in a Car Craft Magazine which I still have from 1983...400 pontiac 4 bolt main ,bored out , mild stroker ,shaved heads and decked coming out to a 415 c.i. "Mouse Motor",( any gear heads out there know the big blocks were referred to as Rat Motors.)and a Muncie 4 speed. I'm looking for one of those same trucks for a project now. My wife knows this and shes even looked at/for some for me. She knows me well,that Im determined and she wants to be included in the process of the project. Shes cool , we do everything together.
Shes asked how much this project will cost and is fine with it ,even if it does come to $20K .
We enjoy our motorcycle rides but since we moved down south its not the same. We don't have riding friends and the places we go arent exactly "bike friendly" crappy roads, gravel parking lots, and people just drive like idiots. We ride maaaaybe once a month mostly due to work or weather . Too busy, its rainy or just too hot. Ive expressed more than once I could sell the bike because of this and if we wanted to , just rent one for the day .We're not really ready to get off the bike forever. It just sits more than it gets ridden for what I'm paying + insurance.
Just the other night as we were driving to a concert , she tells me she would be ok with it if I sold the bike for this project and it'd be nice to go do something different -like car shows , travel with it, still drive our favorite country back roads, etc.
On the PLUS side of it, she could drive the truck if need be.
I still owe around $5000 on the bike ,its still under full warranty. Its loaded and clean ,worth an easy $20,000 . I've never done it outside of a dealership . How does one go about selling something you don't own outright?
The $15,000 I would net would get me really close to the truck I want to have in the end ,if not have some left over.

 

[CodeSection]

Obviously, you need a lien release to transfer title. Possible solutions in the easiest order are:

1. If you have the funds, payoff the loan. I guess if you needed to, you could get a cash advance from a credit card. I would not recommend any cash advance as you are being charged interest from the day you receive it plus you have no idea how long it will take to sell your motorcycle.

2. You may be lucky and have a lender branch where you are. If so, simply go there to consummate the deal. They will receive their payoff and you will receive the balance.

3. Have the transaction go through an escrow company. The escrow company receives the funds from the buyer and submits the payoff balance to the lender. The lender returns title to the escrow company who in turn gives it to the buyer and releases the remaining funds to you. There are extra fees since the escrow company is charging for their services.

4. Go to a dealer and see what they are will to give you.

Regardless of what method you choose, call your lender to find out their procedures. They may give you another solution as well.

Good luck!

 

[GoeHaarden]

You do it through your banks. Contact the bank that owns your loan and see what their process is. It may be as simple as you and the buyer meeting up at the bank and signing some stuff.

I stopped riding about 4 years ago and sold my bikes because they were sitting more than anything. Riding in 90F+ heat with high humidity is just not enjoyable to me...

 

[Dave Sarber]

HD prices are dropping rapidly. Check around your area at similar bikes, it's likely not going to bring as much as you think. When that realistic price sinks in, you might be better off keeping the bike, and exploring other pathways to finance the truck project.

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't know much about bikes, or even cars, but I'd stay away from stealerships in general, although it won't hurt to ask and walk away. They'd typically lowball you and turn it around with a hefty markup. The only one who comes out ahead there is... not you.

There must be bike forums or communities where those higher end bikes are sold to those in the know. Don't know if you are more likely to get fair market price there, though.

 

[kh54s10]

The pessimist in me says you are going to get less for the bike than you imagine. Then, the purchase and restoration of the truck is going to be quite a bit more than you imagine. Look at things closely to make your decisions.

 

[Dland]

A few of my motorcycle enthusiast friends have recently given up regular riding due to deteriorated traffic conditions, roads and drivers. One even sold his bike and bought a Tahoe, had too many close calls, says he does not feel safe riding in traffic any more. So I'm with you on going to 4 wheels.

My rant on truck restoration:

When I was younger I restored, souped and drove old 60's Chevy trucks, and to some extent cars. They are all rust now, as far as I know. I wish I had spent the time having more fun and less time mechanicing and sanding & painting. .. And the money,...darned,, I could have bought land when it was cheap with all I spent...or an actual nice car.

The prep and paint chemicals are pretty nasty,(and they are phasing out the paint systems I know), good parts are expensive and hard to find, (plenty of ill fitting reproductions though), and trucks of that era ride, steer and stop like sleds, at best. Unless you are going to put the body on a car chassis (which always looks cheesy in my opinion) you are better off getting a car unless you need to haul stuff.

I still have my skills, way more tools, and now a shop with a lift. But since I maintain my fleet of work trucks and the family cars, I find little joy working on them anymore.

So I'd advise getting a nice older car, nothing too valuable, that is already a runner, or at least all there, and avoid rusted projects at all costs, chasing that all the way down is a Sisyphean task.

Last vehicle I did fix up a few sort of for fun is a 83 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel. That is a "mechanics" designed car if there ever was one, is safe, comfortable and kind of cool, even if not a head turner. I still have that and it's nice to drive a car after trucks all week.

 

[kevink]

Extremely serious question here... Why the hell do you want to build a Pontiac engine for this truck? Is that still part of the plan???

I say you keep the bike if you really like it and throw a turbo LS in the truck for basically no money. I am so tired of LS swaps, but you will save so much money by not building the Pontiac engine. If you really want a Pontiac engine, you can build one while you drive the truck with the LS. I guarantee you won't want to build the Pontiac after getting used to the power and relaibility of the turbo LS, though. It will be so much better than a NA Pontiac.

So... why the Pontiac?

 

[Soulshine2]

You do it through your banks. Contact the bank that owns your loan and see what their process is. It may be as simple as you and the buyer meeting up at the bank and signing some stuff.

I stopped riding about 4 years ago and sold my bikes because they were sitting more than anything. Riding in 90F+ heat with high humidity is just not enjoyable to me...

Its through Harley Davidson's credit services. I may just go visit a local dealer

 

[Soulshine2]

Extremely serious question here... Why the hell do you want to build a Pontiac engine for this truck? Is that still part of the plan???
I say you keep the bike if you really like it and throw a turbo LS in the truck for basically no money. I am so tired of LS swaps, but you will save so much money by not building the Pontiac engine. If you really want a Pontiac engine, you can build one while you drive the truck with the LS. I guarantee you won't want to build the Pontiac after getting used to the power and relaibility of the turbo LS, though. It will be so much better than a NA Pontiac.

So... why the Pontiac?

It was what the car craft magazine said the build used for the base. If i remember correctly, pontiac 400s had more meat in the cylinder walls to over bore than chevy of the same displacement. Plus 4 bolt main. In their factory arrangement they were called a boat anchor motor....but ive saved the magazine from the day i bought it just for that specific article. Bored .060 over, shaved heads .008 ,mild porting and polishing of the heads , the 400 crank offset ground to accept 327 rods gave it a mild stroker plus i think a Holley 750 double pumper carb...in the end it was 10.5:1 compression, ran on pump gas, gave some nice torque and hp out the back end. I like naturally aspirated engines. I want something with no computers .just basic old school muscle.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I would most definitely avoid building a old Pontiac engine today unless it's going into a Pontiac that originally used that specific engine and your concerned about resale value at some point. Pontiac stuffs much more rare ( not in a good way ) and expensive compared to a small block chev. If it's gonna be a total custom type build and you don't care about resale value I would agree with the other poster that a ls would be a much better engine and probably cost less. I would buy a complete one from the wrecker and not even rebuild it. You can just put a carb on it if you don't wanna fiddle with injection. I imagine a 5.3 ls with a carb,cam and headers will make better power for a fraction of what you would spend on the 400 and you won't be dealing with oil leaks all the time like the old style engines. I've been in automotive repair for 25 years and been down this road too many times at this point lol. Cheers

 

[Soulshine2]

A few of my motorcycle enthusiast friends have recently given up regular riding due to deteriorated traffic conditions, roads and drivers. One even sold his bike and bought a Tahoe, had too many close calls, says he does not feel safe riding in traffic any more. So I'm with you on going to 4 wheels.

My rant on truck restoration:

When I was younger I restored, souped and drove old 60's Chevy trucks, and to some extent cars. They are all rust now, as far as I know. I wish I had spent the time having more fun and less time mechanicing and sanding & painting. .. And the money,...darned,, I could have bought land when it was cheap with all I spent...or an actual nice car.

The prep and paint chemicals are pretty nasty,(and they are phasing out the paint systems I know), good parts are expensive and hard to find, (plenty of ill fitting reproductions though), and trucks of that era ride, steer and stop like sleds, at best. Unless you are going to put the body on a car chassis (which always looks cheesy in my opinion) you are better off getting a car unless you need to haul stuff.

I still have my skills, way more tools, and now a shop with a lift. But since I maintain my fleet of work trucks and the family cars, I find little joy working on them anymore.

So I'd advise getting a nice older car, nothing too valuable, that is already a runner, or at least all there, and avoid rusted projects at all costs, chasing that all the way down is a Sisyphean task.

Last vehicle I did fix up a few sort of for fun is a 83 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel. That is a "mechanics" designed car if there ever was one, is safe, comfortable and kind of cool, even if not a head turner. I still have that and it's nice to drive a car after trucks all week.

I understand what youre saying but its not my point to get off the bike to find a car. Yes, i realize used price for a bike to a dealer is low coming in. I already got burned on the springers trade in . The ultra is a high end bike ,loaded ,and ive done some improvements anyone looking would want. 11 inch Mini apes done properly by a dealer, the brake master cylinder recall work is already done , and rear shocks are by Supershox. Hard bags have exterior led lighting. Tourpack has the interior pockets and the seat has been mildly massaged so its actually comfortable.
Not worried about resale value of the truck when its done.
This is just what ive dreamed of since i was 17....i just turned 52 expecting to retire in 3 yrs and I still want that truck and do what i wanted to then when i saw it. Something thats in me. Call it my Eleanor. Ref : Gone in 60 seconds.

 

[Soulshine2]

I would most definitely avoid building a old Pontiac engine today unless it's going into a Pontiac that originally used that specific engine and your concerned about resale value at some point. Pontiac stuffs much more rare ( not in a good way ) and expensive compared to a small block chev. If it's gonna be a total custom type build and you don't care about resale value I would agree with the other poster that a ls would be a much better engine and probably cost less. I would buy a complete one from the wrecker and not even rebuild it. You can just put a carb on it if you don't wanna fiddle with injection. I imagine a 5.3 ls with a carb,cam and headers will make better power for a fraction of what you would spend on the 400 and you won't be dealing with oil leaks all the time like the old style engines. I've been in automotive repair for 25 years and been down this road too many times at this point lol. Cheers

Ive considered a 327... i guess id have to see what condition the victim truck is in when i find one. Things could change . There is a guy up in pa that builds 100% swap roller frames for $1399, free shipping, to avoid the popular s10 reg cab longbed frame swap headache.

 

[Dland]

This is just what ive dreamed of since i was 17....i just turned 52 expecting to retire in 3 yrs and I still want that truck and do what i wanted to then when i saw it. Something thats in me. Call it my Eleanor. Ref : Gone in 60 seconds.

Totally understandable, I was fortunate to have a dad that let me spend my money as I saw fit, even encouraged me to a point on my teenage vehicle infatuations. So I was the proud owner and driver of a smoking Willys MB when I was 17, and it was my second Willys. So I got that out of my system. I was offered one to buy a few years back and was kind of surprised my legs almost hit the steering wheel. Not a great fit for a tall fellow, but who notices stuff like that when young and in love? Haha.

Over the years I got a chance to go though many of the gearhead phases, souped sleepers to fanatically OEM only. Less than 10 years older than you, but have become boringly practical regarding vehicular appliances, except have managed to keep 8 of 10 vehicles computer free..

 

[Soulshine2]

Totally understandable, I was fortunate to have a dad that let me spend my money as I saw fit, even encouraged me to a point on my teenage vehicle infatuations. So I was the proud owner and driver of a smoking Willys MB when I was 17, and it was my second Willys. So I got that out of my system. I was offered one to buy a few years back and was kind of surprised my legs almost hit the steering wheel. Not a great fit for a tall fellow, but who notices stuff like that when young and in love? Haha.

Over the years I got a chance to go though many of the gearhead phases, souped sleepers to fanatically OEM only. Less than 10 years older than you, but have become boringly practical regarding vehicular appliances, except have managed to keep 8 of 10 vehicles computer free..

You were lucky in a way. My dad to this day likes to try and talk me out of things. When we were buying this house i was planning on getting a small tractor with a bucket and belly mower . I had a used one ready to buy . He talked me out of it saying this property wasnt that big. I bought a used jd mower via facebook local market .After we bought the house we found out we aquired an additional acre than expected with a perfectly good use for exactly what i wanted originally. Im done settling for what others think i need and sticking to my guns on what i want. Like i said this whole truck project idea began in about 1983 and it hasnt left me. I watched my mother in law retire from banking and 6 months later suffer for 3 long hard yrs with stage 4 cancer that ended her life and took away basically any enjoyment of retiring. Life is way too short to not go after what you want if youre able.

 

[Transamguy77]

As a Pontiac lover myself that sounds like an awesome idea!

I’m not sure what advice your looking for, it sounds like you know what you want to do, is it a plan your looking for or thoughts on how to go forward?

I don’t know what coast your on but my suggestion is buy something from the west coast that has little rust, it might be a bit more upfront cost but it will save so much time and money in repairing a rusted up truck.

I built lots of stuff when I was in high school and into my 20’s for myself and friends and we would find a “deal” only to find out this is rotted and that is rotted and have to spend way more time find the part and fixing it. That was over 20 years ago and parts for those older cars are getting harder to find and way more expensive there are companies like year one and the paddock that do a good job with aftermarket parts but sometimes you just can’t find what you need.

And I know all about wanting to build something I have a 77 Trans Am that I bought in high school that has been sitting with plans to finish it but due to life and family it has just been put on the back burner, the only advantage is now with a lot of the advancements in electronics and fuel injection I can build it in a way that if I wanted to drive it everyday I could. And I’m not putting an LS in it a good old pokes and stroked 455.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted.

 

[Soulshine2]

As a Pontiac lover myself that sounds like an awesome idea!

I’m not sure what advice your looking for, it sounds like you know what you want to do, is it a plan your looking for or thoughts on how to go forward?

I don’t know what coast your on but my suggestion is buy something from the west coast that has little rust, it might be a bit more upfront cost but it will save so much time and money in repairing a rusted up truck.

I built lots of stuff when I was in high school and into my 20’s for myself and friends and we would find a “deal” only to find out this is rotted and that is rotted and have to spend way more time find the part and fixing it. That was over 20 years ago and parts for those older cars are getting harder to find and way more expensive there are companies like year one and the paddock that do a good job with aftermarket parts but sometimes you just can’t find what you need.

And I know all about wanting to build something I have a 77 Trans Am that I bought in high school that has been sitting with plans to finish it but due to life and family it has just been put on the back burner, the only advantage is now with a lot of the advancements in electronics and fuel injection I can build it in a way that if I wanted to drive it everyday I could. And I’m not putting an LS in it a good old pokes and stroked 455.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted.

Thanks ,
my original point of posting was not if I should or how to do the custom build at all. I know pretty much what I want to do , that is an entirely different thread ...someday. Been thinking it over in my head a million+ times since 1983,lol.
It was aimed at how to go about selling the bike which I still owe on, which was the point of the title ,hobby shift.
I think I have it figured out and the buyer would have to bring me a certified check or cash and I pay off the balance with that , acquire the title and then they can come pick it up,title in hand.OR I go through my credit union for a transfer. The first method would take time but that would be one way of many to leave a 3rd party out of it.
I know a guy I used to work with that is a trans am nut...idk what year it is but he has a turbo trans am with a 455 in gold.
BTW- I live in Northern Alabama , plenty of maybe not rust free but no salt ever on them as there would be if I still lived in Illinois. plus theres LMC if I ever need anything vintage I can't find .
last year my son actually had found a 1949 Loadmaster 2 ton ,5 window with a 12 ft flatbed, for $400 . it was pretty ate up, floor was gone, door bottoms were rotted out. it was actually IN my polebarn. I made him resell it because it was not what I wanted at all just too big, he did make another $100 off it. (I want a 1948-1955 first series thriftmaster, 3100 or 3600)...I should have had the brains ,however ,to remove the few solid parts ...I know a new dash from LMC is $350 alone.

 

[CodeSection]

Thanks ,
my original point of posting was not if I should or how to do the custom build at all. I know pretty much what I want to do , that is an entirely different thread ...someday. Been thinking it over in my head a million+ times since 1983,lol.
It was aimed at how to go about selling the bike which I still owe on, which was the point of the title ,hobby shift.

Yep, I believe all but two postings didn't answer your only question. You sure did get a lot of people excited/interested in why you were wanting to sell your motorcycle! I'm sure they will follow you in another thread on your progress!

I think I have it figured out and the buyer would have to bring me a certified check or cash and I pay off the balance with that , acquire the title and then they can come pick it up,title in hand.OR I go through my credit union for a transfer. The first method would take time but that would be one way of many to leave a 3rd party out of it...

That may work though I'm not sure how many people would risk turning over funds on the promise of getting the clear title someday in the future. They may think the only recourse they would have if you kept their money or spent it without receiving title would be to take legal action against you. Given that possibility, why should they bother and risk the funds? Yes, it is a trust issue. Just saying....

It sounds like HD Finance wasn't any help. I would suggest going through your credit union solution. Handling the transaction through a neutral party is always the better choice when there is no clear title.

 

[Dave Sarber]

^^Many years ago, I did something similar to what the OP is trying to do. I sold/traded a sweet chopped Harley for a truck + cash. I still owed money on the bike, so the buyer and I went down to the bank together, paid off the bike, and transferred the title, and notarized it right there.
Still kicking myself for doing it, though.

 

[Transamguy77]

Thanks ,
my original point of posting was not if I should or how to do the custom build at all. I know pretty much what I want to do , that is an entirely different thread ...someday. Been thinking it over in my head a million+ times since 1983,lol.
It was aimed at how to go about selling the bike which I still owe on, which was the point of the title ,hobby shift.
I think I have it figured out and the buyer would have to bring me a certified check or cash and I pay off the balance with that , acquire the title and then they can come pick it up,title in hand.OR I go through my credit union for a transfer. The first method would take time but that would be one way of many to leave a 3rd party out of it.
I know a guy I used to work with that is a trans am nut...idk what year it is but he has a turbo trans am with a 455 in gold.
BTW- I live in Northern Alabama , plenty of maybe not rust free but no salt ever on them as there would be if I still lived in Illinois. plus theres LMC if I ever need anything vintage I can't find .
last year my son actually had found a 1949 Loadmaster 2 ton ,5 window with a 12 ft flatbed, for $400 . it was pretty ate up, floor was gone, door bottoms were rotted out. it was actually IN my polebarn. I made him resell it because it was not what I wanted at all just too big, he did make another $100 off it. (I want a 1948-1955 first series thriftmaster, 3100 or 3600)...I should have had the brains ,however ,to remove the few solid parts ...I know a new dash from LMC is $350 alone.

Well glad to hear you figured out how to sell your bike.

I’m sure you’ll find the truck you want and once you have the funds it’ll really get fun looking at what’s available out there. I’ll be looking for the new build thread! Keep us posted.

 

[Soulshine2]

Yep, I believe all but two postings didn't answer your only question. You sure did get a lot of people excited/interested in why you were wanting to sell your motorcycle! I'm sure they will follow you in another thread on your progress!



That may work though I'm not sure how many people would risk turning over funds on the promise of getting the clear title someday in the future. They may think the only recourse they would have if you kept their money or spent it without receiving title would be to take legal action against you. Given that possibility, why should they bother and risk the funds? Yes, it is a trust issue. Just saying....

It sounds like HD Finance wasn't any help. I would suggest going through your credit union solution. Handling the transaction through a neutral party is always the better choice when there is no clear title.

HD still holds the title ...that was just an idea

 

[Soulshine2]

^^Many years ago, I did something similar to what the OP is trying to do. I sold/traded a sweet chopped Harley for a truck + cash. I still owed money on the bike, so the buyer and I went down to the bank together, paid off the bike, and transferred the title, and notarized it right there.
Still kicking myself for doing it, though.

I kick myself more for trading the springer in the first place. It was paid off , it was super cool.

 

[matt_m]

If HD Finance isn't helpful and you can't or don't want to just pay off the balance, perhaps one option would be to refinance through a local credit union. It may take a couple months to get everything squared away to the point where you or the CU have a title showing only them as the lienholder, but then when you do find a buyer, everything can be handled through them.

 

[Soulshine2]

I did some research on this. HD does buy back motorcycles ,but the catch of it is that it can show up as a voluntary repossession , which isnt credit friendly. But there was something about if you do it by August 2020 something or other,they basically pay you what its worth on book price. so I have a year...this might be my time to move on it. I still have another year of full factory warranty on it.

I pass a 47-50 chevy truck every day in a lot that may be my prize,and it looks like its a driver at that, pretty straight body and the 5 window I want...I'm hesitant to go look at it or ask about it before dealing more with the bike issue.
Wife even told me its ok if I want to sell the bike and/or get a loan if I really want to get this...she knows we dont ride much anymore,not enough to justify keeping it and Ive wanted this old truck for 35 yrs. she wants to see me happy.

Last night I turn on the Mecum Auto Auctions in Dallas TX, whats the first vehicle I see ...a resto-modded '49 chevy 3100 with a 600 hp crate engine ...oh my .
I may look into the loan with the Credit Union first just in case the HD buyback drops my credit so much the loan wouldnt go through , then turn around and do the HD buy back .
I'm definitely not buying another house anytime soon. and I dont need another "new truck" once I have this ,so in the sense of credit rates, it wouldnt be all that important . this is it.

 

[CodeSection]

Interesting...

 

[Soulshine2]

Just going to list the bike for now. went to the local dealer yesterday and they want to extreme low-ball me on the buy ,more like take it off my hands for nearly nothing, like 10% of its fair market value, wasted my time, not gonna happen.
Harley dealership does have a "rider to rider" program to help mediate the transaction and make sure the buyer gets a "certified" bike with an inspection. If that doesnt happen before spring we'll sell the bike outright ourselves.
In the meantime, picking up my victim project truck tomorrow . 1949 Chevrolet 3100 p/u.
Wife is excited , shes even looking for parts and wants to go to car/truck shows.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Just going to list the bike for now. went to the local dealer yesterday and they want to extreme low-ball me on the buy ,more like take it off my hands for nearly nothing, like 10% of its fair market value, wasted my time, not gonna happen.
Harley dealership does have a "rider to rider" program to help mediate the transaction and make sure the buyer gets a "certified" bike with an inspection. If that doesnt happen before spring we'll sell the bike outright ourselves.
In the meantime, picking up my victim project truck tomorrow . 1949 Chevrolet 3100 p/u.
Wife is excited , shes even looking for parts and wants to go to car/truck shows.

My personal experience with Harleys is that although people list them for high prices which gives the illusion that they hold there value well they don't sell for anything near asking. My neighbor just gave up selling his Fatboy. He recently bought it for 12g and only got one serious offer of 6g after a few months. Another coworker had a year old street Bob with less than 500kms on it which he payed 18ish for and ended up trading it in to Harleys for 10g as that was the best offer he got. I really like riding them but there just way too overpriced. Cheers

 

[Transamguy77]

Well it seems like getting rid of the bike s a hassle but it’s nice to hear you are getting your truck! Can’t wait to see that thread!