Hello all, about a year ago, my 97 vfr 750 was stolen. About a month later, the bike was recovered. The guy who stole it recked it while being chased by the cops. I don't know what speed he was going when it happened, but I know he was coming off a freeway off-ramp. My question is: is it worth it to try and repair the bike? Am I trying to bite off too much? Oh yeah, I still owe about $3000 on the bike. Here are some of the things wrong/broken with the bike: Some if not all of the fairing is cracked, I may be able to salvage some of it. The handle bar touches one side of the tank. The tank has a dent. The gear shift foot lever is bent, the gear shift lever on the handle bar is broken. I rode the bike once since I recovered it, and I rode it very slowly as it was difficult to shift due to the handle bar lever being broken. I can't tell if the forks or frame are bent. I did not have insurance at the time, and I don't have a lot of extra cash, so I would do some of the work myself. Keep in mind that the bike hasn't been used in a year and that the disk break, the chain, and the outside of the tank are rusty. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.
Sorry for your misfortune jp. Most of what you describe sounds cosmetic or not that complex. The only real question is the frame and forks. You might need a mechanic to look at that. You could try to sell the bike as is, but I doubt you'd get what you owe on it. The same goes for parting the bike out. That being said, I would keep it. If you lose money on it by selling as is, you have nothing to show for it. So keeping its gonna cost too. If you fix it, you'll still have your ride to enjoy. Its a tough call.
this happened to me on my 06...here One thing I haven't heard you say yet, and I think it is important: Did they catch the guy? If they did, you can use the courts (since the DA will help you with this one) to your advantage. See, in my case, the guy was caught, then got out on bail, then JUMPED bail, and fled to Mexico. In your case, if was caught, ALL restitution should first be attempted through him. Now, please keep in mind, that it may not be all you are after, but if you report the restitution request (through the DA), it is a start, and as he makes income (or his assets are seized, or whatnot) you will start getting restitution. Good luck, and I know how you feel!
