I crashed my baby!

[ThinkAgain]

I spent the better part of the summer rebuilding my '96 GS500.  Absolutely everything on it was perfect . . . and then I crashed it yesterday!  

I feel so stupid!  I was in a slow turn, swung too wide and lost it in the gravel edge of the road.  The whole left side is scratched (including the tank and the fender), the clutch lever broke, the fairing broke, the left foot-peg is pushed in (where it connects to the frame) and the handlebar looks bent.  ARRRGHHH!! :x

I don't have the stamina to go through this again . . .I'm calling my insurance man first thing Tuesday morning!

[snapper]

That really bites man!  You OK from the crash?  Hope so!

[rrbarna]

I'm sorry to hear that but I hope you're ok.  File a police report with a good excuse as to why you had to go wide (car parked in the turn, dog, water, debris, watever!)  This report will just sit there until you decide if you're going to claim or not, otherwise, the report stays dormant.  Take your time and think it through well if you're going to claim.  I took 6 month to think about it before I got my bike fixed up.

Other things to consider are that you'd have to pay a deductible for the claim, your premiums will go up, and how much are you going to get for your 7-year old GS?  With the money you'll end up getting, I doubt you could find a good bike.

Take a little more time to look over your bike and start thinking about what damage you can live with and what must be replaced like the handlbars.  It may be hard to swallow the damage but it's for the better good in the long run.  As long as the bike still runs fine and is not bent, I'd keep it!

Barna

[gsJack]

I spent the better part of the summer rebuilding my '96 GS500.  Absolutely everything on it was perfect . . . and then I crashed it yesterday!    ....... I'm calling my insurance man first thing Tuesday morning!

[/color]
Don't be in a big hurry to call your insurance co.  Check it out first.  I was hit by a kid who fled but was caught later.  My 97 GS was totalled by 2 insurance companies, mine and his.  I ordered $250 in new parts from Ron Ayers and had the bike on the road again 3 weeks after the accident.  About half the time it takes for my broken collar bone to heal. Bike looks good as ever, but a few more parts could be replaced.  Haven't seen a cent yet from insurance and I will prob go to a lawyer soon.    Was riding again 13 days after accident on my old CM400A.   :lol:  :lol:

Quote= the left foot-peg is pushed in (where it connects to the frame).  

My left footpeg was bent back also.  I removed it and got 2 grade 8 capscrews and put them in the threaded holes in the frame locking them down with locknuts.  I heated the frame and tapped the screws back into place.  Can't tell it was bent now, good as new.

You can check part #'s at Bike Bandit and order from Ron Ayers for about 25% discount.  Other good sources out there also.

Had a hard run thru the twisties yesterday with my son who injured a kidney down near the Dragon last weekend in June and is also riding before he's supposed to.  He started riding as a kid about 15 years before I started 19 years ago and is fast and very good.  I consider yesterday's ride a good test of my fixed up bike and it's almost fixed up rider.  Everything is GO again!!   :lol:  :lol:

[sleeper]

gsJack,

Good to hear your speedy recovery and you are back to ride.  But hopefully both you and your bike are back to the same shape as before.

[Linh]

that totally sucks!  sounds like you are okay though and that's a good thing!

[Turkina]

ThinkAgain, it doesn't sound like you got banged up too bad, and that is good news!

Putting in an insurance claim isn't the best thing to do.  What do you have your deductible set at?  It may not even be worth claiming, since your rates would go up afterwards...  So, you need to balance what insurance will give you vs the extra you pay in the future.  Although I wish insurance companies would have a separate insurance category for replacing protective equipment after a crash Give people a break for making sure they are protected.

Anyways, the winter months are coming up soon... great time to get some more work done on the bike!  If you had stock handlebars, footpegs, you could consider replacing them with some cooler pieces  Yes, it's going to cost money and time, but things happen and you have to deal with it.  Don't give up on the poor little bike

[ThinkAgain]

I'm not ready to give up on the bike!  In fact I was looking at it today and I think it will run with just a new clutch lever.  Just about every piece on the left side is deeply scratched from the center stand pedal to the mirror, though.  There's a gash in the frame, the lower side of the engine, etc.  And I somehow took the fairing with me when I came off!  I'm nervous about calling insurance because I don't want them to total it!  My deductable is $500, and I don't want to pay the $500 if they're only going to give me $1500 for it.

As for me, I'm bruised and a little battered, but my pride is hurt worse than anything.  No one saw me go down, but I have all the evidence on my carport!

[ThinkAgain]

By the way, do I need a police report to file with my insurance?

[spotswood_suzuki]

I know the way you feel about your pride....I layed mine down making a slow speed right turn 3 weeks ago...took the corner sharper then normal and clipped the metal storm drain in the road at the same time I hit the gas.  Glad to hear your okay.  I didn't replace my helmet because I only hit the chin area...figured it was still good.  My jacket, leather pants, etc saved me from injury...I will never think about riding without them.  Get back riding as soon as you feel up to it.  I went out this weekend for the first time since.  It felt alittle strange...rode a little more reserved, but felt great.  I even got to ride and hour and a half home in the dark and in and out of rain :nana: !

Wayne

P.S  GSJack...glad to hear your healing and back!

[ThinkAgain]

I studied the damage to my bike and to get it _running_ will only cost about $65!  Scratches and dents aside . . . at least I could be riding within 2 weeks.

[Wrencher]

Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad the damage to your person was minimal.

I had a similar experience with lowsiding in a slow corner with sand. Engine guards came in real handy. They got wedged between the ground and a guard rail but without them it would have been my ankle (I was still on the right foot peg). We did report it to insurance, but it was a 2001 gs with less than 200 miles on it. Worked out well in the long run, but in hind sight I don't think I would have filed that claim. Wife was a bit upset and wanted the bike back to showroom condition. I can't blame her too much, it was her bike after all! It would have been cheaper to fix the damage myself rather than fight with insurance people and then pay higher premiums.

On a somewhat related sidenote. It annoys the hell out of me that the insurance companies threaten everyone with higher premiums. I understand that "accident prone" people cost them more money, but it makes everyone almost afraid to file a claim for fear of paying more in the long run. [/rant]

[kyzee]

Hey man, good thing you are ok. The bike is just a machine, can be repaired or replaced.  Your pride will heal before you knew it.    

[scratch]

Glad you're both (GSJack) O.K.

[The Buddha]

That bent foot peg...well the nuts in the frame are bent and its possible they have a few cracks in the sheet metal under there...see in course of its life water collects there and makes that area rust..and that erodes away the metal and makes it much more brittle and makes it crack. This was nearly invisible...when werase tried to weld it...But he welded it up anyway...Thanks Werase ...I recomend you do it too.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Cris]

Glad you're both (GSJack) O.K.

Ditto!