help on my impounded motorcycle?

First tell where this happened- UK or in US state. As for purchaser 'take to court after lien sale'- usually not in Wisconsin. The tow company will have to get the mechanics lien - this will require a notice legally sent to you and recorded, an application for mechanics lien title with DMV. You lose bike but they can't collect anymore. If there is a finance outfit involved- they may get opportunity to repurchase at market price and collect from insurance company- but you don't mention any finance outfit. As for giving up bike to them? Since it is broke down and you didn't care enough about it to get it to home or shop- may as well give them title and mark it JUNKED, get DMV/DOT form and note title transfer as 'junk' and cancel plates if you can't get them from tow company without payment. This will protect you if someone in tow yard puts plate on stolen bike or parks another bike where it will get tickets, or is sold to someone interested in using plates awhile. This is basic Wisconsin practice as I understand from tow truck drivers I am acquainted with and the salvage yards I deal with for parts. The threat from girl at tow place is attempt to get full tow price from you- the 'Lien purchaser' will probably be a salvage yard or cycle dealer interested in parts and they will offer tow company scrap metal price- maybe $25.00/$50.00 for 400 pounds of scrap metal. If you're not in Wisconsin- then check with your DOT or tell us where you are for other answerers in your state of residence. It is theoritically possible in some cases to make a deal with scrap metal dealer for the cycle if they purchase it for scrap- you may be able to purchase it from them for a bit more than they paid and use your old registration again- but the scrap dealer usually has no interest in helping you as compared to probable ongoing courteous business relation with tow company. You may refuse to give title and say will dispute lien amount just for aggravation- get a reduction that way but tow outfits have heard threats before and usually know a bluff when they hear one. On the other hand- I've gotten some parts cheap and complete dropped bike with flat tire for nominal amount from tow outfit and got dupe title later. Your choice, check your states laws. *** as for Jack J comment about burning- tow outfits have heard that before, police wil check and maybe get you for a felony. As for going to police with story- the police probably called the tow truck company that they have a contract with to tow abandoned vehicles, parkers and crashes of all types- this includes the low paying motorcycles as well as the year old abondoned car after they arrest drunk driver. Police may have a ticket issued to the bikes plate- show up at police station and they'll give you extra copy with court date and another $100.00 to pay to keep your drivers license from being suspended pending payment. .As for the get help and steal it back- that is also illegal --BUT has been done at times, cycles have been recovered from police impounds the same way, a couple have been retaken from police station garages and police bike grabbed 1/2 hour later- taker from Hells Henchman died couple years back. The registration and title may not be valid afterwords, but it has been done. some people have been shot doing it also, junkyard dogs can bite also. If you feel like committing felonies for broke bike, go ahead***

Tow companies are crooks. I have had them as clients, and I know how they operate. You will lose your bike, as you should since you just left it on the street. No matter what the law is, no judge would ever let them recover more than the bike itself, and since it was obviously next to worthless, you have lost very little. They will not waste the time to try to get more out of you, unless they can intimidate you into giving them too much. Some friend of the tow operator will end up with a free parts bike, which may come to him more as a burden than a blessing. I know, I have picked up a couple that way.

Tow companies are crooks.i got ripped off by a tow company,so every now and then[when i get up for work]at 3or4 in the morning i will call and tell them i am broke down somewhere and have them get out of bed for nothing.it wont get your bike back but its fun.

dude run down your local cop shop tell em and hopefully they will help you make sure they know you have been out of the country when it was towed and just make a case

if all else fails go down with a few pals and brake your bike out

these towing cowboy companies piss me off if they tried this they would be burned dwn within 24 hours of me knowing

Something very irresponsible about you. Someone who just leaves his motorcycle sitting around where it doesn't belong.

"Oh gee, my bike broke down, I think I'll just leave it here"

You're such a tool.

Maybe that is true