First crash, I'm OK, bike not so much.

[DiZ]

Okay had my first crash. Completely my fault, ran off the road and hit a dirt wall doing like 30-20 km/h. I am fine, I will be sore tomorrow but hey better then dead.

Now the bike, a GS500. Engine is fine, box is fine, rear section is fine, brakes are fine, clutch is fine.

Handlebars bent, one mirror gone, levers are ok, footpegs bent a little. Exhaust scratched but ok, tank dented and scratched but not too bad, not leaking and the cluster has some rash on it and some dirt lodged on it. However the forks might not be so good, the wheel is not centred, the bike was ridable home but you don't really want to ride it anymore. when I got home I found the steering lock doesn't work anymore.

Had the front wheel been straight then I would just repair the bike myself easy enough, some second hand bars, stuff the tank, second hand pegs but due to the nature of the front wheel I am starting to think I should just make a claim on my insurance. I have full comp with 2K gear cover and a 65% no claim bonus. My helmet is toast, and one of my boots is toast. The rest of my gear is ok.

I will confirm with my insurer but I believe my excess to be 900 dollars, and if I get the bike repaired it will get, new forks, new tank, new exhaust, new mirrors, new handle bars, a few new plastics, new instrument cluster. Now the bike is only worth $5000-$5500 to the insurers being an 2004 model so they may even write it off.

Basically I wanted some advice on the best way to proceed, I know that if I lodge a claim that will affect my NCB and knock me down 10-15%, but if they want to repair it then it will be more then worth my excess to have the repairs done to the bike.

So yeah, if you have gone through the process of insurance claims, getting quotes and such I would like to hear your experiences, also advice, suggestions on what to do.

[wade193]

Your a real rider now that you have had a crash, although its never a nice feeling.
I would just lodge a claim and hope it gets written off. Do you have NCB protection? i think you will only have to suffer one year at a reduced NCB before it bounces back.

[jasonbw]

Sorry to hear of the off, glad you're ok!

[RUSSELL]

as long as your okay, thats the main thing. sorry to hear

[LAW]

Bad luck mate, it happens to everyone. Wade's right, you're a "real" rider now :D

Those things have great saleability of parts (due to the demand from learners dropping them frequently) so it wouldn't surprise me if it's written off and sold for parts. Check the frame also ;)

You must be off your P's by now aren't you? If it was me, I'd make the claim, hope it gets written off and buy a nice middle-weight bike.

[Dunno]

Sorry to hear of the off, glad you're ok!

That sums it up mate. You walked away so put it down to a learning experience. I think we have all come off a one time or another.
As long as you learned something from it :ayyy:

[wade193]

If it was me, I'd make the claim, hope it gets written off and buy a nice middle-weight bike.

+1 Thats what i would be doing

[DiZ]

You must be off your P's by now aren't you? If it was me, I'd make the claim, hope it gets written off and buy a nice middle-weight bike.

January for that, so if it was written off I might sit on the money for a few more months rather then haggle around for another LAMS bike.

Repair or write off doesn't worry me either way. I don't have NCB protection but I don't mind taking the hit. If I add all the items up that would get replaced: fuel tank, forks, bars, steering, exhaust, mirrors, brake master bracket, stators cover, cluster, rear set, all the pegs and possibly the front wheel. That is pretty close to write off territory for a 5 grand bike. I don't think I will repair it, at the time being I can't be bothered and the benefit is not that good, I am not really attached to my LAMS bike or anything. I don't want to ride around a half tweaked bike either.

I do remember right after the crash laying next to my bike on the dirt and listening to it stall out and I thought "You bloody idiot, look what you did."

Lots of people stopped to check I was OK which was good.

Edit - With the insurance claims, what time frame is best to report in by, obviously asap is better, but if I do it tomorrow is there much of a difference.

[Captain]

"if you do it tomorrow" .... as opposed to when? Today?
Do it on Monday, nothing will happen before then anyhow.

Glad you're OK.

[DiZ]

Sounds good.

[Mozzie]

Had my bike repaired this year from insurance, paid $1050 execess and was glad to have my bike back looking the way it does now (better than new). With $8500 of damage the assessor wrote it off , the insurance company decided to fix it. I didn't mind which way it went , but I'm glad I went though insurance than fixing it me self. My 2c

[zoltanp1967]

be careful if the insurers want you to report it to the cops, as the cops might give you a neg driving ticket for losing control for whatever reason even by yourself. be nice to 'em to avoid it.
sometimes the forks twist only, just need to losen all triple clamp / axle bolts and straigthen manally and retighten, but sound like if your steering lock doesn't work, there's more to it.
take it to a shop on monday for a pro to check the frame.
See you soon on a new bike next year? :)

[LAW]

I do remember right after the crash laying next to my bike on the dirt and listening to it stall out and I thought "You bloody idiot, look what you did."

That's the second worst feeling ever. next to, "Son, we've found you magazines..." :lmao:

I remember lying next to my baby 'blade for a minute listening to the front tire spin down slowly, it's funny how relaxed you are in that moment.

[ROB83R]

Had that feeling last saturday...


Chin up if you think its that shagged go the insurance route. Hopefully its bent and they take it off your hands.

Goodluck and remember the main thing is your alive and well.

P.s. If you feel any major pain in the morning go to the doctors. Im a knob and didn't go the 1st time. 3months it took for my left arm to be able to work properly and the same for my knee and hip.

Luckily this time I just came off with a couple scrapes.

[Mozzie]

[QUOTE=zoltanp1967;227433]be careful if the insurers want you to report it to the cops, as the cops might give you a neg driving ticket for losing control for whatever reason even by yourself.

If no alcohol was involved or no one else, you didn't need medical attention and you could ride your bike home like me, you will not get booked. Only if one of the above you could not do you will. You may need an event number for your insurer, ring them first and they will let you know. Mine didn't need one (e bike). If you do need one , report it to the cops and they will give you a number to ring to get an event number, you wont get booked if you have the right answers. My own experience.

[drukenhard]

Had my first off on a GS500F!

Hope all works out well for you

[DiZ]

If you feel any major pain in the morning go to the doctors. Im a knob and didn't go the 1st time. 3months it took for my left arm to be able to work properly and the same for my knee and hip.


Yeah I have pulled up pretty well this morning, one or two little aches but nothing serious, full motor range in all my limbs, knee is bruised but not sore anymore. Feeling pretty good considering.



take it to a shop on monday for a pro to check the frame.
See you soon on a new bike next year? :)

I will see what the Insurance want to do with it after I lodge a claim. It will probably end up at Action Parramatta, its just down the road from my house so I could ride it there or get the Insurance to get it towed what ever.

I'll definitely be back on another bike, you can count on that.

[noz]

I've dumped my GS about 3 times, so I guess I'm a "real" rider too (or a third of one, which is really a bit of a loser :)). Glad to hear you're fine: that's the most important thing. :ayyy:

Don't sweat the decision too much: just do the arithmetic (cost-benefit analysis). Should take about 30 minutes.

Yes, insurance will be paperwork, but you pay the premium and you're looked after. That's why we have insurance, no?

[Azza]

I think you'll be considerably above the write off territory. They write bikes off pretty easy these days, with what seems to be small damage.

[Boony]

Just depends on how keen you are to find out whats going to happen to your bike i put my claim in a week after i drop my bike which had a repair bill of $4500 for scratches to the faring and exhaust and a bent brake lever so you may be looking at a write off

[Mr Bones]

G'day Diz Glad your not feeling to bad this morning.
Like the boys said the main thing is your ok & hopefully you have learnt something from your off.

You should be close to the write off mark.
Good luck

[Oldyella]

What actually happened mate? Coming in too hot and then target fixation set in?

It’s always great to getaway with such incidents…and even better to know what you did wrong to avoid it in the future.

[lilninja]

Yeah I think youll find it will definately be a write off, a new tank will set the insurance campany back at least a thousand bucks, not to mention the labour to fit it.

Start shopping for a nice 600.

[DiZ]

Dropped the bike down, frame has a crack in it at the front at the steering assembly.

So do I wait till the middle of Jan or do I get another LAMS bike with my payout now?

[James]

Sorry to hear about this Diz - glad you are OK though

[DiZ]

Ok so the frame of the bike wasn't cracked. The bike has been repaired, all the damage was only cosmetic so now it looks brand spanking new.

I haven't had time to pick it up yet but I need to go get a new helmet and boots before then.

Sorry about the late update.

[Apoc585]

good to hear your alright mate!! best of luck with the bike from now on!

[Heidi1]

Will make it easier to upgrade with a nice shiny trade-in.