wrecked bike

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 08:39:57 AM

Well yesterday I decided to try and be a racer and go flying around a sharp turn and laid the bike down.

The cosmetic damage to the bike is not that bad and it starts up and runs. The only problem is that after laying it down it proceeded to keep going and the tire hit a thin tree. This blew the tire and cracked the rim. The forks are bent so bad it busted open the bottom of my fairing. I just got the bike and still owe 2600 on it. Should I report this to insurance or is it cheaper to just pay for the fix myself? If I do it myself roughly how much do you think this would cost?

Jughead · November 29, 2006, 08:43:43 AM

If you have Full coverage report it to the Insurance.

NiceGuysFinishLast · November 29, 2006, 08:43:52 AM

Forks: There's a member selling some forks off a '99 that are $200... You can probably find em a little cheaper elsewhere, but you'll have to be patient. I'd just buy his. rim/tire... also cheaper to buy through the board... I've seen em go for $80 before... Fairing... keep watchin ebay and this forum.... each side usually goes for $100 or so, I think? Unless you get lucky....

Good luck with everything. Were you wearing gear, and are you hurt?

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 08:51:53 AM

The only problem with reporting it to insurance is that yes they will pay for everything, but they jack the rates up tremendously for the next couple of years. The guy that I flagged down yesteray rides a Honda and he said it would cost about $500 to fix everything. That is what my deductible is so I think fixing it myself may be better? Well luckily I was thinking beyond comfort. Yesterday was actually a little warm here but I still decided to go with two pairs of jeans. The impact left my knee swollen and my shin gashed but I had a riding jacket and the two pairs of jeans so I am alright. Luckily I flew to the right of the tree or I would have been in the shape that the bike is in.

Turd Ferguson · November 29, 2006, 08:56:30 AM

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Glad you are okay save for a few scrapes and bruises. Any idea what caused the accident?

I'm assuming your front wheel is the one that is damaged but you didn't mention which one it was. If its the rear wheel, I've got a black rear wheel off of a 2005 GS for sale for $50 + shipping. Its got 1,000 miles on it and its in perfect shape.

-Turd.

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 09:09:54 AM

My stupidity is what caused the accident. I had been on this road a couple of times before and went about 60-65 around this corner before and that was even cutting it close. Well yesterday I decided to go about 70 around this corner and it was too fast. Laid it down and the bike kept going into the tree.

If it only missed the tree then I would have got up and rode away.

Now you said you have that rear wheel off of the 05 GS for sale? Is that rim and wheel? Cause I really only need the rim if it is the same size as the front rim. Do you know of any place to get forks and the tire for the front?

Jarrett · November 29, 2006, 10:49:44 AM

Quote from: beams027 on November 29, 2006, 09:09:54 AM

Now you said you have that rear wheel off of the 05 GS for sale? Is that rim and wheel? Cause I really only need the rim if it is the same size as the front rim. Do you know of any place to get forks and the tire for the front?

I think you'd better just let the insurance company take care of the repairs.

Chuck · November 29, 2006, 11:41:12 AM

What Jarrett is trying to say is that the rear and front wheels are fundamentally different (not like on a car) and you can't just exchange them. Also wheel and rim are the same thing, so you can't have one without the other. So the knowledge you have demonstrated indicates that you may not be the best person to be fixing your ride.

Do you really know what you're getting into? Because you're betting your life on your mechanical skill and knowledge.

That may not sound like the nicest thing to say, but it's said out of concern. If you feel you're up to it, we're glad to help you as best we can, if you take the most important first step which is to obtain a Haynes or Clymer manual.

NiceGuysFinishLast · November 29, 2006, 11:44:49 AM

+1 to what both guys said. Got any friends that are mechanically inclinde? Cuz you could theoretically pick the parts up for pretty cheap.... but like everyone else said, it's your life. I'm about to replace my forks.. but I've been working on cars since I was like... 14, and bikes for a year or so.... so I trust myself...

Alphamazing · November 29, 2006, 12:27:01 PM

Don't worry about the fairings... go naked.

In fact... I have a headlight setup that is a direct swap onto your GS for sale right now... Eeeenteresting.

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 01:04:45 PM

Yeah I think I may have to just let the insurance take care of it. I'm just wondering how it would work with the insurance since I still how about 2600 on the bike. Would insurance just pay the loan off and then jack my rates up or just pay for the work that has to be done on the bike and have me keep paying the loan as scheduled? If the insurance is only going to pay for the work then I would be better off just paying for the mechanic myself because my deductible is 500 but this also depends on how much the bill might be. If anyone can take a reasonable estimate on how much it would roughly cost to fix my bike it would be greatly appreciated.

The tire is blown, rim is bent inwards and cracked. The forks are bent inwards and it separated the fairing on the bottom. I think right now the fairing seems like it may be alright because it seems to be able to be reattached. Other than that the bike is scratched on the left fairing and on the engine.

Also how bad does a bike have to be wrecked/laid down before it has to be junked?

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 01:06:23 PM

I forgot to mention that the bike is an 06 gs500f

Alphamazing · November 29, 2006, 01:16:16 PM

Fairings would cost ~$400 + tape sets, wheel is another $300, forks around $800, front fender another $80, tire another $100, factor in labor rates of $80/hr and it goes up a lot more.

Insurance totals bikes at 70% of market value. They'll fix it, jack your rates up, AND make you pay the rest of the loan.

Chuck · November 29, 2006, 01:25:25 PM

It would cost a home mechanic $500. If you let a shop get a hold of it, it will cost orders of magnitude more. I would guess based on that, the insurance company would declare it totaled. (The home mechanic gets to leave cosmetic damage, buy used parts, and say "good enough" at strategic moments.) They'd pay off the current market value, you'd pay them the balance you owe (which might be a wash), and they sell it for scrap (possibly to you), and jack up your rates. Some people choose to go that route, buy back the bike and fix it up. Other people choose to keep it on the down low and not let the insurance company know you bailed. It's a complex calculus to figure out which one to do.

Maybe you can find a member of the forum close to you for help repairing it. I volunteer, but I'm about 5 hours away from Cape May. But if you're willing to put your GS on a truck and come to my house with all the parts, we could get it done in a weekend.

annguyen1981 · November 29, 2006, 01:26:34 PM

I'm kinda in a hurry, so I didn't read EVERY post here...

I've got a front rim I'll sell for $50 shipped if ya need it.

beams027 · November 29, 2006, 06:26:57 PM

Man wrecking my bike has really screwed me.

Now if I were to go the insurance route would it work something like this? They would pay me the market value of the bike which right now I am assuming it would not be too high except probably what it would be if I parted it out. I would then pay the rest of my loan off with this money and they would then jack up my rates. Is this similar to how it works?

Also how much do you think I could possibly get by parting out the bike? It is a 2006 gs500f with roughly 2400 miles on it.

Alphamazing · November 29, 2006, 06:44:37 PM

Quote from: beams027 on November 29, 2006, 06:26:57 PM
Man wrecking my bike has really screwed me. Now if I were to go the insurance route would it work something like this? They would pay me the market value of the bike which right now I am assuming it would not be too high except probably what it would be if I parted it out. I would then pay the rest of my loan off with this money and they would then jack up my rates. Is this similar to how it works?

Also how much do you think I could possibly get by parting out the bike? It is a 2006 gs500f with roughly 2400 miles on it.

If you go the insurance rate you'd take it to a shop and pay them $80 to do an estimate. They'd total up all the damage and send that claim off to your insurance agent. The agent would declare it a total loss if it was approaching 70% of the bike's market value.

SCENARIO ONE: TOTAL LOSS
If the bike is declared a total loss, the insurance company cuts you a check for the market value of the bike, and then later gives you the option of buying it back at a fraction of the cost. You still have to pay off your loan because it's not through the insurance company. Your insurance rates are jacked up for the next 5+ years. Possible salvage title issued (unless in Texas).

SCENARIO TWO: NOT A TOTAL LOSS
If the bike isn't totaled out, then the insurance company cuts you a check for the damages. You can fix the bike up yourself or have the shop fix it for you. The insurance company will jack your rates up for the next 5+ years. You still have to pay off your loan because it isn't through the insurance company. No salvage title issued.

Also, since you trashed the forks, wheel, and fairing, you're not going to be able to get nearly as much parting it out as would make it worth your time. You'll have a hard time selling a lot of parts, including the swingarm and various bits and pieces. If the frame was bent you would get about $100 for it, maybe.

poolshark · November 30, 2006, 10:53:51 AM

I'm not sure, but nobody's mentioned the fact that the frame could easily be tweaked. It may not look like it, it might ride fine, but I'd get it checked out by a local shop. If the frame is tweaked, turn it in and get a new bike.

Chuck · November 30, 2006, 11:24:59 AM

Good point. Pay a shop a couple bucks to check that out (don't mention insurance).

Chuck · November 30, 2006, 11:27:09 AM

Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on November 29, 2006, 06:44:37 PM
If the frame was bent you would get about $100 for it, maybe.

Hot damn! Does anyone want to buy my bent frame for $100? I should have the engine liberated from it before Christmas.

(Edit: Actually I think it's just the subframe that's bent, so I should get more?? I'll throw in a couple of bent forks for free! )

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wrecked bike