today... bad day.
After a lovely visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, I had to teach a computer class across town. It had been raining all day... the roads were very slick. Went over an overpass on Halsted street and on the way down braked for a stoplight behind a Chevy pickup... nothing happened, zero traction. Oil slick. Low-sided, wedged the bike under the rear of the pickup.
I was fine, had my gear on. Bruised my thigh and left chest, but not badly. Pickup literally didn't have a scratch. Bike is screwed... bars twisted into a pretzel, mirrors toast, brake and throttle cables snapped, two inch dimple on the right frame. I think the engine and wheels are fine, though, and the frame seems OK at a glance, besides the (mostly cosmetic) dent.
Learned a lot today... I guess this is how you become an experienced motorcyclist. I was likely going too fast: 50 yards on wet declination is not enough to come down from 30mph. If it's wet, slow the #$%* down.
My local shop is towing it back to my hood in a half hour or so. Any idea how much I can expect to pay for a new handblebar assembly?
Did you NOT see my sig?
Glad you're mostly allright. Hope you feel better. And, good for you :thumb: turning this into a learning experience.
What kind of handlebar? Stock: $40-50 Bikemaster: $15-20
Mirrors: Stock: :dunno_white: $40 each? Napoleon: $20-30 each
Throttle cable: $20
Brakeline and washers: :dunno_white: $40+? (doesn't include washers or brake fluid)
$115-200, if you do it yourself. Est. shop rate @ $65/hr x 2 hrs...+$130
That sucks man. Sorry to hear about it.
i have a brand new-in-box stock mirror that i got when i bought my bike. PM me if you want it. i'm sure someone around here has another one...
Is a dimple on the frame EVER just cosmetic?
Might be worth getting someone who knows about these things to look at it?
Glad you came out OK :thumb: I hate rain !!!
Quote from: red_phil on July 11, 2006, 05:49:13 PM
Is a dimple on the frame EVER just cosmetic?
Might be worth getting someone who knows about these things to look at it?
took the bike to the shop, and the mechanic there said the same thing... insurance company would likely declare it totalled because of the frame dent. I don't have comprehensive coverage, so this basically means my bike is kaput... :-( ...and I don't have the cash for another right now. It's a shame, because the rest of the bike looks just fine.
The mechanic said we might bring the bike to another shop where they have fancy equipment to measure any frame deviation... he said he wouldn't be comfortable letting me ride off with just a handlebar replacement without having the frame looked at.
How much is a new frame?
Quote from: 12thmonkey on July 11, 2006, 05:06:25 PM
i have a brand new-in-box stock mirror that i got when i bought my bike. PM me if you want it. i'm sure someone around here has another one...
I'll let you know man... I gotta figure out if this is gonna be worth it.
Glad that you are ok man. :thumb:
+1. Glad you're ok. Sorry about the bike damage. :cry:
Please ride safely, everyone... :kiss3:
Frame is steel ... dents ... yea glue a golf ball to it and call it a cool new accessory ... steel can really be bent back and forth a few times ... then weld the thing over and still manage to be OK ...
Aluminum is what turns into crap after bending ... it will work harden and break off.
I have had one bike that had a dent in the frame ... big deal ...
Cool.
Srinath.
Glad your ok dude. I got some bar-end mirrors coming thursday, so I'll have the stock ones if you need em. Also I've got some stock bars, they were a little bent when I got the bike but after I straightened them out no one could tell. If I can I probably wont go in to any of the local shops again, Except maybe MCC (their like for Ducatis and high end stuff). Any ways p.m. me if you want some help. btw if my profile dosent mention I'm in Oak Park.
Hey P.M. me if you want to let it go for a good deal to.
bigM, ever been to Motoworks on south Western ave? That's where I have my bike... they're total BMW gearheads, really nice and helpful. I saw them rebuild a 50's Ural basically from scratch. They have a really cool warehouse of old beemers and motoguzzis, etc. I feel lucky they're around.
Quote from: niteshade on July 11, 2006, 07:37:38 PM
Quote from: red_phil on July 11, 2006, 05:49:13 PM
Is a dimple on the frame EVER just cosmetic?
Might be worth getting someone who knows about these things to look at it?
took the bike to the shop, and the mechanic there said the same thing... insurance company would likely declare it totalled because of the frame dent. I don't have comprehensive coverage, so this basically means my bike is kaput... :-( ...and I don't have the cash for another right now. It's a shame, because the rest of the bike looks just fine.
The mechanic said we might bring the bike to another shop where they have fancy equipment to measure any frame deviation... he said he wouldn't be comfortable letting me ride off with just a handlebar replacement without having the frame looked at.
How much is a new frame?
Quote from: 12thmonkey on July 11, 2006, 05:06:25 PM
i have a brand new-in-box stock mirror that i got when i bought my bike. PM me if you want it. i'm sure someone around here has another one...
I'll let you know man... I gotta figure out if this is gonna be worth it.
Its ok if the bike is gone, you can get a new one now! glad your ok
glad you're ok !!!!!
Quote from: niteshade on July 11, 2006, 07:37:38 PM
he said he wouldn't be comfortable letting me ride off with just a handlebar replacement without having the frame looked at.
I'm not sure what to think about that statement, it is your bike after-all. I had a crash that bent my frame, ins (or equivallent) totalled the bike, but the frame was fine, only cosmetic. I sold it to 3IMO, and he is riding it. Maybe he will chime in on this subject. Got any pics of the damage?
thanks everybody... I appreciate it.
Today is worse than yesterday... depressing. Like losing a kid or something. :icon_confused: Well, maybe not that bad, could've been worse... we are all aquainted with tragedy lately. But I look back on it, and all the signs were there... bad weather, wrong attitude... felt weird in the morening. Gotta learn to listen to that nagging sixth sense.
Going to the shop soon to make some decisions... sucks.
I'll shoot some pics at the shop today.
Welcome to the world of Frankenbike! I hope it was paid for. PM werase643 about how to check the frame.
Glad your'e OK
ok... went to shop today and I feel better. Assuming the dent in the frame is cosmetic, this will cost some dough, but it should be ridable in a couple of weeks. On a closer inspection I may have some problems with the front forks... gotta see if they're just torqued out of alignment, or if there's actually real damage.
pics:
side view
(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-side.jpg)
front alignment
(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-align.jpg)(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-align2.jpg)
handlebars
(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-bars.jpg)
side dent
(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-dent.jpg)(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-dent2.jpg)(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-dent-close.jpg)
instrument panel
(http://www.artechne.com/files/bikedamage/bike-panel.jpg)
looks like I'm going to have to replace:
throttle assembly, including: cable, switch and electrics
bars
left mirror
I may have to replace the front forks. This may be a good chance to upgrade the soft GS front suspension. Any suggestions? The shop recommended Progressive springs and whatchamacallits. Quoted like $80 + labor.
I'm also going to replace the air filter and plugs while I'm at it. I may get an H&N filter, and use the opportunity to rejet and sync the carbs.
The bike is totally paid for... I am now wondering whether I should even bother reporting to my insurance company, since I only have liability. The other guy had no damage at all, and nobody was hurt.
Thanks guys. Any suggestions or observations are more than welcome.
Why report? It can do nothing but raise your insurance.
If you only have Liability, then you can't make a claim on it. Reporting this to them will only increase your liability rates.
Though I haven't seen the frame dent in person, as the nit-picky (read: anal-retentive) engineer type, I would be a little wary of it, and you should DEFINITELY get it thoroughly inspected by a shop experienced with the GS. :thumb:
Well, heck, I'll bet that'll all buff right out...never hurts to get the frame checked, though. ;)
You could probably sell those handlebars to the cruiser crowd.
Forks don't look bent, but may need to be rolled to see if they are straight, and if not, they can be straightened. If all else fails, GSXR USD forks :thumb:
I was thinking the frame had a dimple in it, in which case, I'd probably still ride it, but this is a DENT! Look to see if it has compromised the weld there.
Instrument panel just looks bent upwards; I'd leave it, maybe bend it back a little.
Brake line looks okay, too. It's rubber, it can flex.
Why do you have to replace the throttle? And, the switchbox?
Overall, it really doesn't look that bad.
Sweet V- shaped handlebars!
yeah, the handlebars are a trip. Tricky to load on the truck with bars sticking straight up like antennae.
As it stands, The throttle spins like a top... totally loose. Ignition switch and kill switch don't do anything... wires were ripped out at the bar (all other electricals, like the horn and lights, work fine). The throttle cable snapped somewhere down the tube; the tube separated from the throttle case. However, the throttle case doesn't look like it took a direct hit... could the loose throttle be a result of the slack cable? Throttle will likely be an expensive part to replace.
I still have front brake pressure, brakes (apparently) work fine. Many parts are scratched, but the levers and instruments seem OK.
The weld next to the dent looks OK... no crack. This is where the bike struck the underside of the pickup truck (the other side of the bike hit the pavement). When I look at the dent, my intuition says it's OK.
This, of course, is the big question. Insurance Co. would just declare the bike totaled. Regardless, it would cost quite a bit to ship the bike out and have the frame shot. I think I may risk the dent... just live with a scarred bike. I believe if I had the frame shot they would tell me it's ridable. Not sure, but it may be worth the risk. Besides, what else can I do but toss out the bike? It doesn't seem that drastic. I don't have a lot of money these days, certainly not to buy a new bike, or likely a new frame.
Scratch, can you tell me more about GSXR forks? Better than replacing with Progressives?
They could be more expensive than just straightening and Progressives, but do a search on "GSXR and forks" and you will see about 3 very pertinent pages on what you're asking. Note the threads by and poster's Dgyver and D-Day. They are the racers. Bob Broussard also races a GSXR front end.
Quote from: Stephen072774 on July 12, 2006, 06:14:36 AM
Quote from: niteshade on July 11, 2006, 07:37:38 PM
he said he wouldn't be comfortable letting me ride off with just a handlebar replacement without having the frame looked at.
I'm not sure what to think about that statement, it is your bike after-all. I had a crash that bent my frame, ins (or equivallent) totalled the bike, but the frame was fine, only cosmetic. I sold it to 3IMO, and he is riding it. Maybe he will chime in on this subject. Got any pics of the damage?
Correction I
rode it like that for a while. I have since replaced the frame from Stephen's 01'.
But....I am stil going to use that frame dented as it may be. It rides straight. Plus its steel. That will be my streetfighter..(comming soon)
Anyone who "checks out" the frame will tell you it's junk, especially a professional. I say that because they may feel they have to.
IMO Your frame is ok. if it wedged under the truck the stress was pinching the "box" made by the square frame tubes. Your bike is not going to fall apart on you while your riding.
The worst case is you will encounter a speed wobble "if" the frame was tweeked a bit, but I highly doubt it.
I would.....fix whats broken, make up a cool story to tell the chicks and ride in the scuffed up jacket like it (perpetually) happend yesterday.
But..thats just me. I like making broke things work.
Yep, I'd ride it! :thumb: Shoot, I rode my SRX250 to the shop (23 miles, mostly highway), after I tossed it down a 20 foot ravine and dragged it back up it, and then I rode it another 10 years!
Good to hear the pickup wasn't scratched :laugh:
Got the quote from the cats at the shop. Looks like it will be ok.
Decided not to replace the throttle box... on closer inspection, the mechanics said it wasn't damaged more than a scratch or two. (Good call Scratch, saved me some cash.) I'll still have to replace the cable and electrics, the handlebar and mirrors. That's not bad, I think. Should be able to straighten the front end. I'm going to risk the damage to the frame. With labor, a couple new plugs and air filter (I need em anyways), the quote was like $340, $200 of that for labor. I figure I came out of the crash pretty well. Lucky. Should get the bike back in a week or so.
If everything works ok, I'll save up and change the springs next. I thought about getting an H&N filter and rejetting the carbs, but one thing at a time.
Thanks a lot everybody. This was a lot scarier for me at first than it turned out to be.
I'll tell you how it turns out.
don't forget....
make up a cool story to tell the chicks and ride in the scuffed up jacket like it (perpetually) happend yesterday.