So I went for a ride yesterday to get some coffee and gas, only to be sideswiped by a woman in an SUV. Her right signal light was blinking but she wasn't turning right. She turned left instead and struck me from the side. I have a battered leg but otherwise I'm ok.
Had a look at my GS500F today at the shop. Signal generator has been completely ripped out sake for a few wires. Back brake lever and handlebars are bent, but save for a few scratches the rest of the bike looks ok. There were no witnesses but the woman admitted she was in the wrong. Now only if she will tell that to her insurance company. I'm kinda in a panic. I really want to spare my bike, as I paid a really good price for it considering it's milage and condition. I guess the best choice would be to write it off and put the money towards another bike, but I don't really want another bike :( A 650cc bike is pushing it a little because I don't want anything bigger. It's almost winter so I have time to decide
Should I write this bike off or get the insurance company to buy parts for it? I don't know if I won the claim yet as the insurance company won't say who was in the wrong, but I know I wasn't. I don't signal one way and drive towards the other. That's just stupid. If she lies to the insurance company she probably will change her mind once she finds out I'm taking her to court, but I hope it doesn't come to that.
I was looking forward to further modding, but now I might be out of a bike, period.
Glad you're doing OK.
Bike doesn't sound too bad. Handlebars bent? Now's the time to replace them with clip-ons or the 1989 factory ones. Sounds like the repairs won't be that much. Brake lever can probably be straightened until you get another one. Lots of them on ebay. Scratched fairings: buying new ones from a dealer is not that expensive. Since there's no shipping, it can be cheaper than buying parts from ebay. Or you could buff the scratches and give her a new paint job.
I vote fix her. Your message sounds like that's what you want to do.
If there is a police report indicating she was in the wrong, you win.
Make a parts list of what you need. I might have some of what you need. Others might have spares laying around. There are a lot of us here who would love to help you get back riding. You shouldn't have to spend a lot of money because someone bashed into you.
as long as it wasn't a salvage bike already you should be fine, regarding the monies.
glad your not hurt.
The only thing listed on my vehicle registration is that the engine was rebuilt. Nothing about the actual bike being salvaged.
I just got my license on Monday too. What a way to celebrate :laugh:
The bike is pretty solid anyway, but this time GS vs. huge SUV = no win on my part.
Glad to hear you are OK.
I hope you got her insurance and contact information. If so, call her insurance and file the claim. Wait to hear what the adjuster says before deciding to scrap or not. Break lever should be cheap, even from the dealer. (I know the clutch lever is about $15). Other parts are not too bad either. One good thing about the GS is that the p[lastic parts are not ridiculously expensive. Check all the brackets to make sure they are not bent.
Good luck,
Chuck
Glad you survived. What did you learn from this incident?
Quote from: scratch on September 23, 2010, 04:46:00 PM
Glad you survived. What did you learn from this incident?
Never be near SUVs or Minivans, they are just plain and simple dangerous. >:( Either stay behind or pass them
My driving lesson for this is that blinkers are evil. When someone blinks assume they are trying to kill you.
Same for when they are not blinking.
Position yourself on the bike and the bike on the road accordingly.
And watch for the final swipe when they pull their trigger, be waiting for it.
Whenever anywhere near a car.
Its maybe even worse when you are on a bicycle.
Ride defensively.
The only thing a flashing blinker/indicator tells you is....
It works.
On a highway, a blinker left on tells you...
Driver ain't paying attention, what else are they not paying attention to? Stay clear.
When a vehicle slows - regardless of blinker - do not make a move to pass them on either side until they have committed the vehicle on a direction.
Michael
Glad your hot hurt bad. I know what its like to be hit by morons on the road. At least your "attacker" stopped and didnt take off. You should be able to get the $ needed to fix her up from either insurance company (unless you have liability only). I vote fix her if its only cosmetic.
A blinker means the car is about to do something.... 50/50 chance it will be stupid or not. Like Mister said, the safest place is behind them, stay there until they make up their mind.
I have liability only, but that shouldn't make a difference because I know I wasn't at fault. The bike is fixable, needs a new signal generator and crankcase cover on the ride side. New back brake lever too. Other than that the bike is ridable again.
I had an incident where a guy stopped all the way to the left and had his left blinker on.
He was turning left into a dirveway. I went to pass him at 5mph. All of a sudden he turns right and knocks me over at walking speed.
As I'm getting the bike up a woman going in the opposite direction yells at him
that he had his blinker on. He looked really cheap and ralized that it was his fault.
By the time the police arrived he would not admit that he was at fault.
Just kept shut.
As he was leaving he asked me where such and such street was.
I realized what happened. He was going to go into that driveway and make a U turn.
At the last minute realized that two doors down was a better driveway into a doctors office on the right side.
He just changed direction to get to that driveway.
Good thing there was no major damage.
Does not pay to pass even if they are standing.
If she doesn't tell the truth then I will sue and she will have to tell the truth under oath, in court.
I found a couple rear brake foot levers as well as left and right foot pegs if you want them.
Quote from: rock_rebel on September 23, 2010, 12:54:55 PM
So I went for a ride yesterday to get some coffee and gas, only to be sideswiped by a woman in an SUV. Her right signal light was blinking but she wasn't turning right. She turned left instead and struck me from the side. I have a battered leg but otherwise I'm ok.
Sorry you got tagged by the typical soccer-mom in a mini van/SUV. Its good to hear you got by without a major injury.
Every time I read one of these bike accident stories I get aggravated. It isn't the bike that will hurt you, it's the traffic. And yes, the same goes for avid bicycle riders.
I know this may sound a bit over-the-top but I frequently tell my Daughter,
"If street riding ever becomes fun and not work, if it ever gets relaxing and not nerve wracking, then your not paying enough attention". Which is exactly why non-motorcycle riders cant possibly have a clue about how to co-navigate intelligently with bikers on our busy streets.
Sorry, I didn't mean to preach here. You may very well have more experience on the streets than me and I wish you well. Its just that cagers seem to not realize that life is fragile and its all around them while they drive.
And thanks for having the courage to post the details of your mishap.
Its appreciated. :thumb:
-Ej-
So it turns out I'll most likely be partially liable for the Accident. Although the driver of the SUV was signalling right but turned left, I passed her vehicle in a non-passing lane, which would make me partly at fault. At most my insurance company will pay half to get her car fixed, and her insurance company will pay half to get my bike fixed. I have a list of the parts I need to get the bike running again. I'm missing the signal generator disk, and I need a new engine cover, and a brake lever. The cable that connects the generator to the electrical system has also been snapped off, so I'm guessing I need a new wiring harness as well, or maybe part of one?
Here is the part I'm referring to:
(http://i56.tinypic.com/20aq4gy.jpg)
The black circle is the signal generator and the blue circle is the cable I snapped off.
Easy fix, right? :dunno_white:
bump
Rock,
Get a copy of your state's road rules. Within it should be the rules about passing a turning vehicle even if there is no lane. Of course, if you don't want to push it, then accept the insurance company ruling.
In my state it is okay to pass on the sidewalk side IF the vehicle it turning across traffic, or is stopped.
Michael
There is no passing lane at that intersection, so I was in the wrong in that regard. This doesn't however rid the SUV driver from any wrongdoing, as she was signaling the wrong way. She would have to cover half the cost of repairing her vehicle, as I do to my bike. The cost of bike parts however will be considerably less than repairing the bumper of a 2008+ SUV.
I went to a local shop today where my bike is being stored. An insurance adjuster hasn't been around to assess the damages yet, but I took some time today to have a look at the parts I need to get the bike working again. The crankcase cover is toast, as well as the signal generator. No big deal. The generator connects all the way back to the wiring harness so I'll just need to replace that part and not the harness like I thought previously. One thing that's kind of bothering me is that there's a small dent in the gas tank. Can't really notice it but my fingers can definitely find it. Maybe I'll get it pushed out sometime if it doesn't cost that much. I think I can find the three important parts on ebay but I need to wait for that woman's insurance to cover their half of the damages. The parts I need are:
Crankcase cover
Cover that goes over the signal generator
Signal generator
Much appreciated if someone has either of these parts lying around and are willing to sell. Otherwise ebay is my friend.
i dont like being the bearer of bad news but has insurance looked at you bike? mine was about $600 from being totaled when it fell over in a storm. mines an 06 with low mileage. hope you have better luck with insurance. and i think they screwed me on the pay out. doesnt look like they paid for the decals.
I'm assuming they'll pay for half the damages which is what they said they'd do. I was also hurt in the accident so if it's not to my satisfactory, I'll probably be calling a lawyer.
The two most important parts of my bike that need to be replaced are the crankcase cover and signal generator. Considering I can get both for less than $150 on Ebay I'm hoping to get more payout than that.
If insurance is going to look at the SUV and say "Ok, this is how much we're going to pay to fix your bumper" then it's only fair to do the same for my bike.
Insurance companies should try to avoid court more than getting sued by people for not paying out enough.
I don't have any fairings on my bike so damage done to the actual body was minimal at best.
Um I guess we forgot the rule..no pictures..it didn't happen!
Quote from: Anaconda on September 23, 2010, 04:54:32 PM
Quote from: scratch on September 23, 2010, 04:46:00 PM
Glad you survived. What did you learn from this incident?
Never be near SUVs or Minivans, they are just plain and simple dangerous. >:( Either stay behind or pass them
This accident was obviously not
actually your fault, but preventative measures could have been taken. Any time I see a car with a blinker on or acting like they may want to turn soon, I think back to the MSF course & provide them with an ample space cushion. If you stay far enough away from vehicles when they're acting strange or possibly turning, many accidents can be avoided.
That said, I'm glad you're okay & I'm sorry the insurance company is sort of screwing you. SUV's are the worst. Especially the ones with pictures of stick-figure families & sports balls with kids' names & jersey numbers below them. Any time I see a soccer mom cruising at a steady speed, I pass them. I know it makes me look like a jackass & I risk getting a ticket if they're cruising at the speed limit (which is fairly uncommon here) but I would rather get pulled over & look like a dork than be behind a reckless driver.
Quote from: samburger on October 10, 2010, 03:51:33 PM
SUV's are the worst.
Especially the ones with pictures of stick-figure families & sports balls with kids' names & jersey numbers below them.
Any time I see a soccer mom cruising at a steady speed, I pass them. I know it makes me look like a jackass & I risk getting a ticket if they're cruising at the speed limit (which is fairly uncommon here) but I would rather get pulled over & look like a dork than be behind a reckless driver.
Ya know samburger,
I'm starting to appreciate your style.
You've covered more ground in a mere ten posts that others have in a thousand. Not sure if it's your outlook or your delivery, but it certainly makes for an interesting read.
Also. . .
rock, do you have
any pictures of the bike at all?
Perhaps some shots of the damaged components at least?
Just wondering.
Regards,
-Ej-
(http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/121/937/1833649-worthless.gif)
Sorry had to do it :D
Quote from: Electrojake on October 11, 2010, 04:55:35 PM
Ya know samburger,
I'm starting to appreciate your style.
You've covered more ground in a mere ten posts that others have in a thousand. Not sure if it's your outlook or your delivery, but it certainly makes for an interesting read.
[/quote]
Well thank you :D I try to choose my words carefully. But as other forums have reminded me, everyone is capable of saying something stupid. In due time, it will happen to me here too.
Quote from: Electrojake on October 11, 2010, 04:55:35 PM
Quote from: samburger on October 10, 2010, 03:51:33 PM
SUV's are the worst.
Especially the ones with pictures of stick-figure families & sports balls with kids' names & jersey numbers below them.
Any time I see a soccer mom cruising at a steady speed, I pass them. I know it makes me look like a jackass & I risk getting a ticket if they're cruising at the speed limit (which is fairly uncommon here) but I would rather get pulled over & look like a dork than be behind a reckless driver.
Ya know samburger,
I'm starting to appreciate your style.
You've covered more ground in a mere ten posts that others have in a thousand. Not sure if it's your outlook or your delivery, but it certainly makes for an interesting read.
Also. . .
rock, do you have any pictures of the bike at all?
Perhaps some shots of the damaged components at least?
Just wondering.
Regards,
-Ej-
I don't have pics of the damage but I'll take them once the bike goes into storage for the winter. That's really the only thing I can do now, as I won't have all the parts until the snow falls :(
Pulling your chain dude! Just saying is all! :thumb:
As promised I'm posing some pics of the current condition of my bike.
Pic 1 shows the cracked right side engine cover and the completely bent pulse generator.
(http://i56.tinypic.com/sztrmr.jpg)
Pic 2 Bent rear brake lever
(http://i53.tinypic.com/demhqf.jpg)
Pic 3 Engine cover again but from a different angle
(http://i51.tinypic.com/rw1c7t.jpg)
Pic 4 Bent handlebar. Thanks to adidasguy I have a set of clip ons arriving shortly :)
(http://i52.tinypic.com/20krl6v.jpg)
Pic 5 Scratched metal casing on exhaust. Any way to fix this?
(http://i54.tinypic.com/260v613.jpg)vv
Pic 6 Dent in gas tank. Seems hardly noticeable to me, but does it look big?
(http://i56.tinypic.com/25r1pja.jpg)
Pic 7 Scratched headlight cowling. I'm removing this anyway and putting a round headlight in it's place, so the scratch isn't a big deal.
(http://i51.tinypic.com/2a8jper.jpg)
So that is the extent of it. The only part I'm having trouble finding is a used pulse generator. Time to start calling some salvage yards.
How was your foot where the lever was? Must have been a close call.
Quote from: samburger on October 10, 2010, 03:51:33 PM
Any time I see a soccer mom cruising at a steady speed, I pass them. I know it makes me look like a jackass & I risk getting a ticket if they're cruising at the speed limit (which is fairly uncommon here) but I would rather get pulled over & look like a dork than be behind a reckless driver.
If I don't need to pass them (especially if they're already doing the limit), then I'd rather be behind them with a good buffer, where I can see what they're up to. The most dangerous time is passing them.
hey bud glad your allright.thats alot of damage for a low speed prang,the most expensive thing to fix is giong to be the tank.if your chasing parts here in australia we have a website called findapart.com.you enter what you need and all the wreckers email you back with price.surely you have a simerlar website for america.good luck mate. :thumb:
I won't be replacing the tank. I can hardly notice the dent, so it must be small. As I said, all I need are the rear brake lever and pulse generator, the most important part being the generator.
Glad to hear you weren't badly hurt...you just mentioned that you were hurt, but not too badly... :dunno_black:
Please tell me that you went to Suzuki to price out the parts and labour for the insurance claim :dunno_white:...they should be giving you credit for new replacement parts, not Ebay and buddies helping you out...you should also get a quote on labour to get the repairs done...just so that you have some documentation on the costs...don't short change yourself... :nono: it won't be a big claim, but a one to two thousand will help you out. Has it all been dealt with now?
Later.
Exactly mate, I know from experience IF this is going through an insurer, or even just thinking or going through an insurer, get all genuine parts quoted, even if you don't intend to use them.
Make them aware the engine cover is damaged, partially opened and exposed to elements and/or dirt/debris.
Get quoted for the bars, instruments of the bars, the headlight cowling, bar-ends and mirrors also. ALL SUZUKI GENUINE!
I stress this because if the incident developes any engine problem in a few 100 km (sorry miles) you will be able to quote the work donne and the parts and be covered for that damage in the future. (unlikely but it does happen, also it will add to your resale)
Also its dosen't effect your insurance, as it will hers, and i guarentee you they will replace her whole bumper, spray it to a total cost of more than the entire GS.
Dont feel like you need to take the cheap option, just get quoted for genuine parts, whether you use them depending on the outcome is rather irrelevant in the short term.
Quote from: Cosmo on October 24, 2010, 02:32:10 AM
Exactly mate, I know from experience IF this is going through an insurer, or even just thinking or going through an insurer, get all genuine parts quoted, even if you don't intend to use them.
Make them aware the engine cover is damaged, partially opened and exposed to elements and/or dirt/debris.
Get quoted for the bars, instruments of the bars, the headlight cowling, bar-ends and mirrors also. ALL SUZUKI GENUINE!
I stress this because if the incident developes any engine problem in a few 100 km (sorry miles) you will be able to quote the work donne and the parts and be covered for that damage in the future. (unlikely but it does happen, also it will add to your resale)
Also its dosen't effect your insurance, as it will hers, and i guarentee you they will replace her whole bumper, spray it to a total cost of more than the entire GS.
Dont feel like you need to take the cheap option, just get quoted for genuine parts, whether you use them depending on the outcome is rather irrelevant in the short term.
Do you mean get quoted for the parts without having to actually buy the parts? The reason why I'm trying to go th used route is that She's also blaming me and because there was no witnesses, it's a disputed claim. That means I'll probably have to pay half of the damages. I didn't get a written statement from her, because at the time I was lying on the pavement getting lifted aboard an ambulance. I didn't want the dealer to fix it because I would have to pay around $600 myself where I could get the parts cheap, fix it myself, then bank the rest of the money. I have a price list from the dealer, over $600 in parts. Need to go back to get the cost of labor though. My leg was injured in the accident and I'm still having pain, so that has to be taken into account as well.
Quote from: rock_rebel on October 24, 2010, 07:13:51 AM
Do you mean get quoted for the parts without having to actually buy the parts? The reason why I'm trying to go th used route is that She's also blaming me and because there was no witnesses, it's a disputed claim. That means I'll probably have to pay half of the damages. I didn't get a written statement from her, because at the time I was lying on the pavement getting lifted aboard an ambulance. I didn't want the dealer to fix it because I would have to pay around $600 myself where I could get the parts cheap, fix it myself, then bank the rest of the money. I have a price list from the dealer, over $600 in parts. Need to go back to get the cost of labor though. My leg was injured in the accident and I'm still having pain, so that has to be taken into account as well.
Only get quoted for the parts, dont actually buy them until you know the outcome of the claim. Honestly it may got either way, it would be unlikely her insurance company, or your own would be after a court settlement. If the agreement comes to you paying half, then go the cheap option, but if not take the peice of mind.
Quote from: the mole on October 23, 2010, 03:30:10 PM
Quote from: samburger on October 10, 2010, 03:51:33 PM
Any time I see a soccer mom cruising at a steady speed, I pass them. I know it makes me look like a jackass & I risk getting a ticket if they're cruising at the speed limit (which is fairly uncommon here) but I would rather get pulled over & look like a dork than be behind a reckless driver.
If I don't need to pass them (especially if they're already doing the limit), then I'd rather be behind them with a good buffer, where I can see what they're up to. The most dangerous time is passing them.
+1
I'd rather have odd behavior in front of me where I can see it and stay away from it, than behind me sneaking up.
Although, the other day riding to work I was on the left lane. There was a large gap in the right lane so I moved into it to allow the traffic merging from a merge lane to do it better. I don't know but this must have enraged the bloke behind. He starting swerving left and right, tried to go around me on my right in a non existent lane, right up my ass and stuck his head out the window and yelled obscenities at me. My solution in this instance... lane split through the traffic to put him about 30-40 cars behind then merge back in and continue as normal.
I normally will let oddballs go by me. but in this case with his agress gestures I didn't trust him not to swerve into me as he passed. So my solution was a 30-40 car buffer. And with the way that road works, he could try dodging in and out of lanes but won't progress any further than the person who just stays in their lane. But I still kept my eye on him, just in case.
Also. Sometimes it's just plain pleasant to not be going past people all the time. So sit back, let the mayhem happen around you and cruise along.
Michael
If I knew, I could have sent a brake lever with the clip ons. There are some on ebay. I saw one with shipping to Canada was about $15 total. It was the older style with the rubber tread. Go for that type. Looks nicer than the stamped metal one they use now. Then, looking up the dealer price it is only $13. Sometimes new parts are the same or cheaper than used. Go figure!?!?!
For the exhaust, explore Eastwood. Probably call them and ask what products they have to re-do the chrome exhaust. They have all kinds of paint supplies for restoration. Maybe a textured silver metallic with a heavy clear coat over it? Whatever you do - put the R&G exhaust guards on.
FYI: If you are a member of the Suzuki Owners Club of Canada and you have a dealer that supports it, you get 10%-20% off of everything. Watch for dealer specials. I ordered some parts and Alpine Star shoes when the dealer had 20% off everything including special orders. Another dealer had a weekend special discount and no sales tax. With offers like that, it can make sense to buy some new parts.
Always buy on sale. Never pay retail!
I don't know how it works up NORT
but, in the good ol US of F*CKING A
It is real tough to get the ins co to write you a check(unless it's a write-off)
they will write a check to you/repair facility where both have to sign
also, here, they will not use used parts on a bike in an ins claim. that is why most bikes get totaled. every scratched piece of plastic/metal must be replaced to "as new" condition
I got em to write me repair checks from the 2006 accident without any real trouble. I just got the dealer to hold it while the guy inspected it, and they gave him the prices and labor. I presume after he died of a heart attack, his replacement gave me a check.
My savage rear end turned out to be a total so I got a check for that just fine.
Cool.
Buddha.