Sad day for the Brick

[Euro Spec]

Went out for a winter ride yesterday on the RS 16V and about an hour in I noticed a rough idle and my ABS lights flashing.  I pulled over and turned her off, and when I went to turn the bike on again, not enough juice to turn her over.  Thinking maybe it might be a ground or alternator issue, I called a tow truck to have the bike taken to my house for diagnosis.  This bike has always been 100% reliable, so I was pretty surprised.


Tow truck driver apparently had no experience with bikes.  He ratcheted it down by the passenger hand grips, pulling one mostly off.  And then, we he got the bike to my place, he undid the straps and I heard a CRASH as he tipped her over on the right side.  Mirror, fairing, handlebars, front mud guard, saddle bag, all have pretty serious damage. 


Not quite sure what to do at this point.  Obviously the tow truck company owes me.  The owner of the company has a motorcycle repair shop and offered to restore the bike, but I think it would be better to have his insurance cut me a check for the bike and someone could use my RS as a nice project bike.  Thoughts?

[zipster68]

Wow that sucks.  No tip for him (excuse the pun).

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Personally, if the engine is in good shape with reasonable miles on it, I would opt for the restoration along with repair of your electrical problem.  Be magnanimous and tell the owner of the shop that the bike is your pride and joy, and you are willing to take the time to have a good job done as long as it doesn't take more than 4-5 weeks.  I assume he does good work, and if so, the restoration could be worth more than the amount you could get from the insurance.  If the damage is mainly cosmetic, a good body man should be able to get everything like new in a week or so after getting the needed replacement parts.
 
However...If you can get market value from the insurance AND keep the bike, and you weren't planning to keep the bike anyway, it might be worth more to take the insurance and sell the bike. 

But, 16V K100's are sweet machines, and I know I would hate to give mine up.

[Euro Spec]

The problem is, I know nothing about this guy's shop.  I was on the fence with selling this one next year anyways, since I also have the K1, and I currently have a Triumph Thruxton and my wife has a Honda Rebel, so I'm pretty stacked on motos at the moment. 

[Chaos]

I'd get the most insurance money possible, then fix it up cheaply myself and sell it.  But that tow truck driver, and his boss, owe you big time.  Let them take the insurance premium hit. Stay away from their shop, can't be that good,  look at the driver he hired.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Stay away from their shop, can't be that good,  look at the driver he hired.

In retrospect I totally agree.

[Martin]

I had a transmission shop drop the wife's pride and joy off the hoist, it rolled and got every panel. I went to a Solicitor and got some bad advice. Because he had his own panel shop and  would give my wife a loan car, and promised to start it straight away, against my instincts I allowed him to do the work. I did try a couple of other preferred panel shops but they would not even start the work for 6-8 weeks and no loan car. Worst job ever had numerous arguments and fights until it was up to reasonable standard superficially. The car was never the same. I later found out from a good Solicitor that we could have gone to the preferred panel shop, and been suppled with a hire car equivalent to the car they damaged. I would take the insurance, because the tow company by doing the repair is entering into a conflict of interest. In my case they tried to make as much money as the could from substandard work. Pick your own repairer based on reputation.
Regards Martin.

[Euro Spec]

Thanks for the advice, I called him today and told him to call  his insurance company and have them contact me. Not going to risk getting hosed on this

[jakgieger]

This is a horrible turn of events.  +1 on not trusting the "company repair".  Insurance settlement, then decide either repair or cafe conversion.  A repair will usually be detectable unless you spend an arm and a leg for completely professional work (go get your quote for insurance from a BMW dealer :hehehe ), at which point you have far more in the bike than it is worth.  Then you get to address how sentimental you REALLY are!  You mentioned that your stable was full...try and find a kid (craigslist) with not a lot of money but willing to work and sell it as a starter bike.  Create a new KNUT out of the current mess .  Good luck 

[Scud]

Just as a point of comparison - I had an R1100RT dropped by a tow-truck driver. They were happy to pay cash to avoid an insurance claim. In my case, the damage was cosmetic and I didn't even bother fixing anything.


I would go for cash, not repairs - because what happens if you are not happy with the quality of the repair? I suggest that you settle it quickly and keep your options open.

[Laitch]

I would go for cash, not repairs - because what happens if you are not happy with the quality of the repair? I suggest that you settle it quickly and keep your options open.

+1
He'd probably be glad to keep his insurance company out of it.

[Euro Spec]

Yeah, he said he would prefer to keep his insurance company out of it.  I told him that won't be an option and he was understandable.  His towing company has absolutely terrible reviews online...sounds like lowest bidder for the insurance companies who need a tow truck operator.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Just curious, but what insurance company do you use?  There was some discussion in the past on insurance company towing services, and that the best is AAA.  It was said that, unlike the insurance companies, they pay promptly and provide a lot of business.  I suspect that they have a lot of tow companies competing for their business and they can pick and choose.

My family has used the service several times in the past and always found the operators to be excellent.

For that reason, I cancelled the towing rider with my three Progressive Motorcycle policies and went to AAA RV Plus.

[Euro Spec]

Just curious, but what insurance company do you use?  There was some discussion in the past on insurance company towing services, and that the best is AAA.  It was said that, unlike the insurance companies, they pay promptly and provide a lot of business.  I suspect that they have a lot of tow companies competing for their business and they can pick and choose.

My family has used the service several times in the past and always found the operators to be excellent.

For that reason, I cancelled the towing rider with my three Progressive Motorcycle policies and went to AAA RV Plus.

Nailed it, I'm with Progressive

[Euro Spec]

Here is a photo of the accident:

[Motorhobo]

Problem with AAA is that they charge you close about $150/yr for their Motorcycle/RV plan. Without it they won't even look at a bike.

But for that money they will send you a flatbed -- I wouldn't let any tower put my bike on a sling hoist or anything other than a flatbed. I had a flat tire out on past Kingston on the Edmonds Ferry north of Seattle once. AAA sent a 20 foot flatbed for the bike, paid for the ferry ride home, and unloaded the bike in Wallingford, no charge. That $150 for AAA is just the cost of doing business AFAIC. As to Progressive and the other insurance company gimmes...respectable tow operators won't even come for you because these insurance companies don't pay their bills.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Motorhobo, If I am not mistaken, the $150 number also covers your cages as well.  The RV coverage for my bikes is only $30 or thereabouts over the regular cost of the gold coverage on the family vehicles.   

Really a good deal when you figure that I get $20 knocked off my Progressive bike policies since I don't take the breakdown coverage.  Then you can figure in the AAA discount on lodging and stuff as well as unlimited maps, that extra $10 is a steal.

[Motorhobo]

Motorhobo, If I am not mistaken, the $150 number also covers your cages as well.  The RV coverage for my bikes is only $30 or thereabouts over the regular cost of the gold coverage on the family vehicles.   

Really a good deal when you figure that I get $20 knocked off my Progressive bike policies since I don't take the breakdown coverage.  Then you can figure in the AAA discount on lodging and stuff as well as unlimited maps, that extra $10 is a steal.

That's true -- I guess my point was that even if you don't want 100 mi AAA towing coverage on your cages, it's worth it for your bikes.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I have to double check, but RV plus gets you 200 mile towing and I think there is some lodging allowance in there too.