Now what

[mgoakes]

Well this is embarrassing but the k75 I just got is now all scraped up and the Insurance wants to total it. I’m looking for advice.
A couple factors:
- I’m just returning to bikes after about 40 years hiatus.
- the current bike is a not perfect but well maintained k75 (naked). 25k miles. Got it for a great price. 1992, no ABS.
- damage is broken-off turn signals front and rear, big scrape on engine head (left side of bike), busted aftermarket windscreen, little scrapes on handlebar end, shifter, and muffler, and a hard case with a busted-off latch (the one locking it to the bike). Bike still seems to function otherwise.
- I think I would prefer an S set-up to the upright C position, now that I’ve been riding again a bit.
- the Insurance pay-off is about $4500 - more than twice what I paid for the bike.
So, I’m trying to decide:
1. Take the Insurance money and find an S to buy; or
2. Withdraw the Insurance claim and fix the current bike and convert it to an S.
Part of my dilemma is that now that I’ve finally got a k75, which was always my dream bike, I hate to go through the process of finding another.
Any Thoughts?
Thanks!

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Welcome!

Take the money and run.  $4500 should get you a pretty nice S model when people start selling their bikes in the Spring.

[Past-my-Prime]

Can you take the money and buy back the bike? Then modify it to your heart's content!  The broken parts should be available or replaceable, if you are up to some mechanical work.

I have been told that I may have an attachment disorder, when it comes to mechanical things. So you are getting one perspective, here. . .

[Chaos]

Take the money.  Buying the bike back from the insurance company might be an option, but it would probably be cheaper to find a nice S rather than fixing yours and retrofitting all the S stuff.

[natalena]

$4500 would get a really nice S model, that you actually want. Spend the winter searching the sales sites for a killer deal. Good luck.

[milq]

S Fairings and belly pans tend to be in short supply in my limited experience. Some nice, complete bikes are still out there though. If you can buy back this bike for engine and other hard parts, that would be a bonus.

[Laitch]

"Hard to beat a 10x beaver, 'specially if you're gonna work it."

So that is what Michael Jackson was singing about?