Thread: So.much.gravel
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Old August 27th, 2016, 12:25 PM   #12
FrugalNinja250
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Name: Frugal
Location: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Join Date: Mar 2010

Motorcycle(s): Several

Posts: A lot.
The bike's totaled, in an economic sense at least. Adjusters typically total at around 2/3 book value in damages. Book for that bike may be as high as $2K-2.5K, but just the fairing bits and gas tank will be over $2K.

There will be generally two paths here, one path has two options. Path one is that the bike is estimated and totaled, and the insurance company cuts you a check and takes the bike. The option here is that you can keep the bike and they deduct the salvage value (typically what they would get at auction) from the settlement check. That value would only be a few hundred dollars, the settlement check may be $2k or a bit higher. The bike would then have a salvage title, you could fix it or part it out and try to get back the deduction value (which you could do).

The second path is to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company to keep the bike with a clear title, and receiving a smaller cash settlement. The advantage to this path is that repairing the bike will leave it with a clean title which makes about every aspect of owning (and later selling) it far, far easier.

You need to see what's actually damaged on the bike mechanically, and explore what you can find replacement parts for. If the frame's tweaked then the bike's a gonner IMHO. If the forks are bent significantly then it's likely the frame's tweaked at the headset. Take a really good look at the bike, don't rely on the adjuster's estimate because they start with the expensive body parts first.

As an example, I got hit head-on by a Toyota pickup truck at a four way stop. The impact was in the 15mph range and she wound up parked on my bike. The insurance adjuster estimated over $4K damage to my pregen, far more than the book value then of around $2,600. They offered me I think around $3.5K that also covered doctor visits and damaged gear. It was the middle of winter and there were no pregens for sale, and I wanted to get back to riding right away. I looked at the bike and nothing structural other than the upper fairing brace was damaged, and I had a couple of parts bikes I'd accumulated that I could use to get mine back in good rideable (though color-mismatched) condition.

I negotiated a settlement for ~$2,700 with me keeping clear title on the bike with no salvage notation then I repaired it and had and ready to ride by the end of that weekend. Because the title is clear I could start riding it as soon as it was repaired, needing no salvage inspection, re-registration, none of that paperwork. That worked best for me.

BTW, make sure your gear that is damaged in any way is also paid for, including helmet. That's part of your coverage. You may also investigate placing a claim with your county as they have a duty to keep the roads in safe condition. That may not go anywhere but you ought to look into it anyway.

I'm glad you weren't injured. ATTGAT is so important, and hopefully your example will change someone's mind and inspire them to ride ATTGAT too.
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