Grumble grumble...

[jtucker]

Couple weeks ago, I just set out to start the return trip after spending a few days visiting some visiting family up near Buffalo NY, and about 3 miles into the trip back to Philly, I crested a hill to find someone attempting an (illegal) 3-point turn in front of me. Didn't collide, but laid the bike down. Proper riding gear did what it does, and I'm fine.

Now I'm dealing with the insurance nightmare. As the other person caused this, got a police report and filed a claim so that hopefully THEIR insurance company would pay for it. Mostly cosmetic damage... if I would have had spare brake levers on me, I would have gotten it rideable and continued on my way. Now my insurance company wants to total it. They apparently worked with some dealers that I never heard of in New England to figure and estimate based solely on the photos that I provided, and I think they over-estimated the cost. I'm going to work on getting a more realistic estimate from the shop that will actually be working on it, and hopefully the insurance company will agree to a repair claim based on that. Really a shame, because the only mechanical problems were broken levers, which are trivial to replace. The rest is entirely cosmetic. Hopefully, I can get this resolved. Wish me luck 🤞

__Jason

[jtucker]

I guess one consolation is that I'm expecting to take delivery on a shiny new V85TT any day now, so that will keep me distracted for a while at least...

__Jason

[Tomchri]

25 minutes ago, jtucker said:

Couple weeks ago, I just set out to start the return trip after spending a few days visiting some visiting family up near Buffalo NY, and about 3 miles into the trip back to Philly, I crested a hill to find someone attempting an (illegal) 3-point turn in front of me. Didn't collide, but laid the bike down. Proper riding gear did what it does, and I'm fine.

Now I'm dealing with the insurance nightmare. As the other person caused this, got a police report and filed a claim so that hopefully THEIR insurance company would pay for it. Mostly cosmetic damage... if I would have had spare brake levers on me, I would have gotten it rideable and continued on my way. Now my insurance company wants to total it. They apparently worked with some dealers that I never heard of in New England to figure and estimate based solely on the photos that I provided, and I think they over-estimated the cost. I'm going to work on getting a more realistic estimate from the shop that will actually be working on it, and hopefully the insurance company will agree to a repair claim based on that. Really a shame, because the only mechanical problems were broken levers, which are trivial to replace. The rest is entirely cosmetic. Hopefully, I can get this resolved. Wish me luck 🤞

__Jason

Glad you are ok,, few hundred $ job. Like your sump & bike, and G luck from further north.

Cheers tom.

[docc]

28 minutes ago, Tomchri said:

Glad you are ok,, few hundred $ job. Like your sump & bike, and G luck from further north.

Cheers tom.

+1 on "glad you are ok" . . .

Getting the damage estimate right is as important as getting the valuation correct. Values of V11 have been on the rise. Any valuation must show that there are comparable vehicles available and include the shipping to you (indemnification).

The liable party (their liability insurance) is also responsible to replace your damaged riding gear.

[red lion]

Let the insurance company total the bike, get the money then buy the bike back from the insurance company for near nothing.Then have the bike fixed and you will have a lot of money left .

[swooshdave]

Get your own appraisal! Do not accept theirs!

[Scud]

13 minutes ago, red lion said:

Let the insurance company total the bike, get the money then buy the bike back from the insurance company for near nothing.Then have the bike fixed and you will have a lot of money left .

That's good in the short run, but it might compromise the title of the bike and show as Salvage, Rebuilt, or whatever term is used in PA.

If you are going to fix it yourself, I'm sure we can find whatever parts you need in our respective parts stashes.  

[fotoguzzi]

2 hours ago, red lion said:

Let the insurance company total the bike, get the money then buy the bike back from the insurance company for near nothing.Then have the bike fixed and you will have a lot of money left .

I did that once, they paid $5500 for the bike, I bought back for $1400. Plus they bought me some new gear. Then they forgot to report it as totaled to the state so I had a clean title too.

[footgoose]

I agree with scud. I laid mine down and it cost me a few hundred to fix. (I did have some items in my pile of stuff)  Leave the Ins Co out of it, if it truly is lite damage. Start here with a list of what you'll need and see what washes up. It'll leave you with a good title.... and a good story. See what they offer, I'll bet no more than 3k.

Of course you might be injured.... so there's that to consider.

[Cabernet]

Cresting blind faster than you can see, over in the UK you wouldn't have claim, and had you have struck said vehicle or a pedestrian you could be charged with reckless riding. Might be worth investing in an advanced riding course. I realise you might be sensitive to your riding being critised, but I'd rather upset you, than hear you made the same gaff again with more serious consequence. That could equally have been a dog or child running out. Don't travel faster than the distance you can see to be safe.

[Weegie]

Speaking personally I've done a lot of stupid of shit in my time, I've just been lucky, you weren't, besides I don't know the full circumstances of your mishap. I'm just sorry that its happened to you and glad you're Ok.

From that picture it looks like the lever(s), indicator(s), mirror(s) and possibly minor damage to the Magni fairing (I'm not sure) are the only casualties.

Insurance companies and claim assesors can be a nightmare to deal with. Less known older bikes can easily get written off as their value is lower and parts scarcer, add in the assesors can't be bothered to do the research, declaring a "Write Off" is the easy way out. The assesors will probably add up the Guzzi parts prices look at the book price of a cooking V11 and their time to transport and sort it, then do the arithmetic. As docc states, point out recent market prices, I'll wager book price doesn't reflect anything like current market value and the bike looks imaculate which should also figure in the valuation

If insurance insists on a "Write Off" buy it back as a last resort. As others have said first try to get it reassesed and repaired first so as your title doesn't get affected.

I don't know how it works in the US but if you hit a wall with the insurers, I'd get a lawyer involved, that usually "focuses" them somewhat, here in the UK anyway.

Nice bike, MotoSpezial Vee Sump (with site glass) and Magni fairing make it something well worth saving IMHO and it seems crazy that such superficial damage would result in a "Write Off"

Guessing you junked the cooler, and routed the breather return through the sump plug, I've thought now and again about doing the same to a HiCam engine

[pete roper]

4 hours ago, Cabernet said:

Cresting blind faster than you can see, over in the UK you wouldn't have claim, and had you have struck said vehicle or a pedestrian you could be charged with reckless riding. Might be worth investing in an advanced riding course. I realise you might be sensitive to your riding being critised, but I'd rather upset you, than hear you made the same gaff again with more serious consequence. That could equally have been a dog or child running out. Don't travel faster than the distance you can see to be safe.

Over here it would very much depend on the road marking and signage.

A good few years ago my mate Johnny the Sheep Fucker crested a hill and found a bloke doing a U turn over double lines in the middle of the road towing a fucking caravan. Johnny entered under the draw bar on the van and probably died instantly but it didn't stop the driver completing his U turn and only stopping when he thought the van wasn't towing right.

He pleaded guilty to negligent driving. A plea that was accepted purely because if a charge of Culpable Driving Occasioning Death had been pursued and lost then the widow and family would of got nothing from the insurance company.

Driver got a three month ban and a fine <$1,000.

 

Be careful out there. Even if you are the victim you need to consider your family........ Even if you aren't around to consider them yourself...... 

[Bill Hagan]

4 hours ago, Cabernet said:

Cresting blind faster than you can see, over in the UK you wouldn't have claim, and had you have struck said vehicle or a pedestrian you could be charged with reckless riding. Might be worth investing in an advanced riding course. I realise you might be sensitive to your riding being critised, but I'd rather upset you, than hear you made the same gaff again with more serious consequence. That could equally have been a dog or child running out. Don't travel faster than the distance you can see to be safe.

Perhaps I misread your post, Cabernet, but it seems to me that your statement would mean that one would need to approach every crest at walking speed to ensure nothing sinister awaits.

Surely the traveling public may rely on a reasonable supposition that the road ahead is clear in the absence of various warning signs, e.g., "Hidden Driveway," etc.

 In the OP's case, he "crested a hill to find someone attempting an (illegal) 3-point turn in front of" him. I recall some years ago Pete Roper reporting the death of aan Aussie friend and Guzzista who had a less fortunate encounter with a u-turning vehicle just over a hilltop.  

It seems ludicrous to me that the late rider and the OP -- on the facts presented -- would be liable to prosecution for their riding.  [Edit: I just read Pete's post!]

My only quibble with the OP's rendition was that he "laid the bike down."  I have no doubt that he lowsided, but having BTDT on other occasions, suspect he was not in charge of the applied-physics lesson happening to him at the time.  

Bill

[R.I.P. Mikko]

Those kinds of situations happen often. I see plenty of examples of people making some very bad decisions. Because we weren’t there to see exactly what happened, I don’t think it’s fair to judge.

Skill levels, years of experience, road conditions are just a few variables at work. I used to street race my Ducati and more often then not, someone would dump their bike.

I watched a chick on a CBR run straight into the woods. Never even tried making the turn. Pilots do it too. Target fixation I think? Instead of looking at where you want to be, they look right where they are.

If it was me, I’d just fix it myself. Less then $1,000 imo. Insurance companies are not your friends. Warren Buffett didn’t create a empire paying out claims....

[Cabernet]

3 hours ago, Bill Hagan said:

Perhaps I misread your post, Cabernet, but it seems to me that your statement would mean that one would need to approach every crest at walking speed to ensure nothing sinister awaits.

Surely the traveling public may rely on a reasonable supposition that the road ahead is clear in the absence of various warning signs, e.g., "Hidden Driveway," etc.

 

 In the OP's case, he "crested a hill to find someone attempting an (illegal) 3-point turn in front of" him. I recall some years ago Pete Roper reporting the death of aan Aussie friend and Guzzista who had a less fortunate encounter with a u-turning vehicle just over a hilltop.  

It seems ludicrous to me that the late rider and the OP -- on the facts presented -- would be liable to prosecution for their riding.  [Edit: I just read Pete's post!]

My only quibble with the OP's rendition was that he "laid the bike down."  I have no doubt that he lowsided, but having BTDT on other occasions, suspect he was not in charge of the applied-physics lesson happening to him at the time.  

Bill

There can be anything over a blind crest. A fallen tree. A queue of traffic. A subsided road. A turned over vehicle due to a blow out. What ever the local laws, when we end up in a grave yard or wheel chair for life, there is little solace in the result being someone else's fought for us or our families.