Bikes we buy
If it has two wheels and an engine and it’s done, we’ll make an offer on it. That covers:
- Street bikes and cruisers, from small commuter bikes to big touring machines
- Sport bikes after a crash, including ones with cracked fairings and bent forks
- Dirt bikes and dual-sports that no longer run
- Scooters and mopeds with a title or registration
- Project bikes: half taken apart, parts in boxes, frame on a stand
Running or not doesn’t decide whether we buy it. It decides the price. A bike that turns over and a bike with a seized engine are both junk motorcycles to us, just worth different amounts.
What to have ready
Have these on hand when the driver arrives:
- The title, signed over at pickup if you have it. In Illinois a motorcycle is titled like a car, so the same paperwork logic applies. Lost title or a bike still in a previous owner’s name? Our Illinois title guide explains the rules, and selling without a title covers what to tell us.
- Your ID, matching the name on the papers.
- The key, if you have one. If you don’t, see selling a junk vehicle with no keys.
- Plates off. Take the plate off before the bike leaves.
Tell us on the call about anything that’s missing (seat, exhaust, battery, wheels) and anything that’s been added, like bags or a windshield you plan to keep. Take your own gear, helmets and covers out of the garage before we arrive, so nothing goes by mistake.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (708) 838-5553; we answer 24 hours, every day.
Pickup realities for a motorcycle
Bikes end up in tighter spots than cars. In the bungalow blocks of Garfield Ridge and Brighton Park that’s often the back of a detached garage off the alley, squeezed in behind a car or a lawnmower. In the suburbs, such as Oak Lawn, it’s more often a side drive or the corner of an attached garage.
A few details make the pickup go smoothly:
- A clear path out. The bike has to be rolled or carried to the truck. Move what’s in front of it, and tell us about steps, a narrow gangway or a gate.
- Tires and brakes. Flat tires are fine. A seized rear wheel or a locked front brake means the bike can’t be rolled, which we need to know in advance.
- Gear and steering lock. A bike left in gear or with the steering locked and no key takes longer to move. Mention it.
- Leaks. A bike that drips oil or fuel is still something we’ll buy; just tell us so the driver comes prepared.
We secure the bike for the tow and take it from there. There’s no charge for the pickup.
How the price is set
Motorcycles vary more than cars do. A late-model sport bike with crash damage still has valuable parts; an old small-displacement commuter bike is worth mostly its metal. Make, model, year, engine size, what’s missing and whether it runs all count. That’s why we don’t post prices. Send the details through the form and you’ll hear a real number, and the offer doesn’t expire while you think it over.
If the bike is part of a bigger cleanout, see our page on vehicles that don’t run, or check the makes we buy for the common motorcycle brands we see.
When you’re ready, get your offer with the year, make and model.
Questions people ask
Do you buy motorcycles that have been sitting for years?
Yes. A bike that's sat through several Chicago winters, with a varnished carburetor, a dead battery and flat tires, is a normal call for us. Tell us the year, make and model, how long it has been parked and whether anything has been taken off it, and we'll price it on that.
Do I need the title to sell a junk motorcycle in Illinois?
A motorcycle is a titled vehicle in Illinois, so the title signed over to us is the simplest way to sell it. If it's lost or the bike was never put in your name, tell us what papers you do have. Illinois rules decide which papers work for a scrap sale, and we tell you on the call where yours stands.
Can you pick up a motorcycle with no key?
Usually, yes. A missing key doesn't stop a junk sale, though a locked steering head or a bike stuck in gear changes how it's loaded, so mention both on the call. Proof that the bike is yours still matters more than the key.
Will you take two bikes, or a bike and a car, in one trip?
Yes. One pickup can take several vehicles, so a garage cleanout with a dead bike and an old car parked out front can be priced together and collected on the same visit.