Hit by a truck and trailer today. Sick over the damage.

It happened today. I probably shouldn't post this because I'm so upset I don't think I can handle any criticism, but I could use the support and advice.

I just got my 1997 VFR750 LAST WEEK. It had 5k miles on it, in really, really good condition. I put over 400 miles on it in the last week, I really fell in love with the engine and the whole bike. Even stayed up late last night washing and waxing it. I was riding to work in the morning behind a Chevy pickup pulling a 12ft box trailer at 40mph in a 55 zone. His LEFT rear tail light flashed twice as he was slowing down, so I slowly pulled onto the wide shoulder to pass him on the right. (Flashback: I've been rear ended in a car before waiting for someone in front of me to make a left hand turn on a busy road and I always have that in my mind when someone wants to make a left hander on a busy road.) Again, his left turn signal flashed, and I went to pull around him on the right at about 30 mph? or so. I was past his trailer and by the rear wheel of his truck when he turned RIGHT into a side street. I grabbed all the brake I could, locked the front wheel on gravel in the shoulder and kept it upright till I impacted his truck. We went down on the RH side, I rolled the F off knowing the trailer was coming shortly behind me, looked up just in time to see the rear wheel of the trail roll right over my VFR. It was an explosion of plastic and it broke my heart to see the trailer run over my bike.

There is a lot of damage. Every fairing on the bike is destroyed, forks are likely bent, front wheel is bent, right footpeg is snapped off, right crankcase cover is cracked (I watched her bleed oil out onto the street), even the instrument cluster was crushed when the trailer ran it over. Who knows if the frame is bent, cracked, or not. I'm so upset over how such an awesome bike has been totally destroyed so shortly after I got it.

I'm not sure what to do with it now. Should I repair it to stock? Part it out and try to find another? I don't really want to customize it, it's a VFR, I loved the look and function of it. Plastics will be extremely expensive. New forks expensive too. I want her back to stock so bad, I can't stand it, I just don't have the money for it and who knows if the parts I need still exist.

MORAL for me (and I should have already known this): Never, ever, trust anyone's turn signals. And stop being so damn aggressive.

 

Sorry about your mishalf, glad you ok and not hurt to bad........Is the bike insur or the truck have insurance? Hope thing will work out for you.

 

Looks like the fairing bolts are salvageable. Sorry about the whole ordeal. Was anyone issued a citation?

Rollin

 

I hate most insurance companies but they sure come in handy when you need them. And I needed them recently when my bike fell off some ramps with me on top. A brand new paint job to boot. There was 2500.00 damage to mine so I just paid the deductable.

Looks like some major damage you have there. You are going to have to do the math to determine if that bike is worth fixing. Watch the market for another instead. May not find one in as good shape, but I really think that is the way you should go.

It is not unheard of to have someone wire their trailers wrong. That truck driver may actually have been signalling right and with incorrect wiring, the left came on. Who knows?

Glad you are OK. I am still healing from mine. No need to lecture you. You have already done that to yourself and ruined our fun you jackass.

 

Looks like it was a clean bike. Oh well, bikes are meant to be ridden, consequently they get banged up. If you survived, consider yourself lucky. I'd say it's totaled...

 

Glad to hear you're ok. I know it's hard to deal with, but it's just a bike and it can be fixed or replaced.

 

well first off im sorry what happened bro...its a damn shame. best thing to do here honestly is try to find another bike. your gonna put way more money into fixing this one. secondly i cant help myself but once again the irony in these damn adds. good luck with yourself

 

I never pass on the shoulder because of the possibility of that happening. Glad to hear you're ok. For the money it would probably be best to part it out and go shopping for a replacement...

 

Sorry for your loss. as someone with the Exact same bike, I would have cried...and then flung my poop at the driver of the truck.

Glad the trailer ran over the bike and not you.

Is your insurance covering the Damage? Are you not at fault?

 

Been in a simular situation, It sucks Big tyme! Glad to read that you are OK enough to be able to be behind your puter!

Sincerely Paul

 

Glad you're ok. I shed a tear for you and your bike....

Most likely it would be better to let her RIP. Hope you had insurance. If not, part everything out that is salvagable.

 

Actually I think this ad is very apropos, irony would be an add for a tractor trailer driver! (Sorry, just trying to lighten up the mood with a little humor.)

The good thing Totso is that your are not the one who got run over or your "shell" shattered. I'm with the others who say part it out and get a new ride. If you had owned this since it was new I think the sentimental attachment might be greater and I wouldn't blame you for wanting to fix her up. It's good that you recognize what happened as a learning experience and don't beat yourself up over it.

 

If you do part it out, I'll take the TankBra.

(too soon?)

 

I guess I'm doing ok today. Definitely beating myself up still over ruining such a great bike. I got really attached to it pretty quickly, it's an electric bike to ride. I wasn't hurt at all, besides a little soreness in my shoulder. I was wearing full gear: boots, protective pants, armored jacket, gloves, and shoei helmet, but looking at my gear I can't even tell what I landed on. I rolled out of the way to avoid the trailer, but the VFR didn't.

I didn't have collision insurance on it (stupid me), but the truck driver has been labeled the "at fault" driver so his insurance will likely cover some of it. The police officer (who was really great) said passing a stopped vehicle on the right is completely legal since the vehicle is considered a road hazard. Although I agree that passing on the right is risky, sitting stopped in the middle of a busy main road is risky too - people generally aren't expecting a stopped vehicle and can't stop themselves in time. Either way can be pretty dangerous, I guess.

The truck driver's insurance will probably total it, although I'm seriously hoping they won't. It had 5k miles on it, so the value is going to be kind of hard to determine. That said, even if I decide to repair it, I can do the work myself (besides getting the frame checked for straightness) but who knows if parts exist (instrument cluster anyone??). I seriously want this bike back like there's no tomorrow.

 

DUDE!

"PLEASE" listen to everyones advice about letting the bike go & get a new one!

As I said in my earlier reply,
I was in a very simular situation to you, & I thought I could repair my bike & be back riding in no-tyme, & I was.
My bike looked like it just had some road rash, broken mirror & left side directionals needed replacing, 3 weeks later I went to get a sunday paper on the bike & woke-up in the hospital a couple days later!
The police pronounced me dead at the scene! The ambulance that had been dispatched to the scene was canceled, but they decided to come down & toss me into a body bag exctra. when they rolled me into the body bag, one of the medics seen blood flow, ergo I wasn't as dead as the police officer thought!

Your bike is NOT worth your life!

Sincerely,
Paul

 

cant agree more with the previous post. thats a crazy story man.

 

First: Im sorry for your loss, An angle looses a wing for every bike that gets totaled.

Second:
emotions aside, plastics 2500 to 3500$, instrument cluster (certified used and programmed to your milage) I found one for 750$, forks can be tested for straightness but would be better to replace 1200$ (maybe less if they take your old ones as core) new wheel and tire 700$ peg and mount 75$ oil cooler 100$ crank case cover 65$ and this is what i see in your pics, you will have to have the tripples checked with the frame for trueness and cracks if the frame is toast then ...

you can see real quickly where this is going. If you have it rebuilt it will nickel and dime you to death and it will never ride the same. it will forever always feel just a little bit off.

sorry about the bike, hope you find a new mistress soon

 

Not once in 25 years of being a LEO. a full 1/3 of it Highway patrol with all that goes with that, did I even suggest someone was dead for resons such as this. Not even when it was obvious, like that very distingushing aroma of rotting meat.

Back to the topic.

If the guys insurance is going to pay, don't involve yourself in trying to save anyone money. I went through this very recently and got just the Royal fucking run around. If they are going to fix it, let them pay for you to take it to a reputable repair shop and get it done right. This way, if it is not right, you have somewhere to go to make things right. If you do some repairs and someone does other repairs, this opens a debate as to whose work caused what problem.

My accident was my fault and inolved no other properties or vehicles. So simple claim against my own insurance. Naturally there was a deductable. I wanted to do most of the repairs I could. I had contacts for OEM parts at cost from a guy who witnessed the acrobatics whose son worked for Honda Canada. I had offers from this site as well which is parr for the course here.

The insurance company, one that is highly praised by the bikeing world here, wanted me to still pay the deductable, they would give me 80% on the parts when I submitt the bills, and they would pay the professional labour. So with $2200.00 damage, I was going to end up paying about a grand for trying to save everyone money. After debating this over the phone with a woman who sounded like was answering the phone from a closet in Bangladesh, I told them piss on it. I will just take it into the shop and they can pay full price on all parts and labour. I won't seek any deals. I will pay my $500.00 deductable. Fuggem.

I reiterate, walk away from the bike and search out a new one. You will determine this to be the better choice in the very near future and it will be far less anguish. Just make sure you do you homework on the bikes value. But don't ask $10,000. for a $5,000. bike. Be reasonable. And if your helmet hit the ground, you need a new one of those too. Damage to the rest of your gear should also be covered as are medical expenses. I suspect there are pain and suffering provisions there as in most places.

 

yep... walk away from it.. his insurance will total it just on the fairings alone .. mileage doesn't matter.. but be sure that they give you a fair price. and don't forget to get yourself check out as some injuries take a day to surface go make sure you didn't bonk your head on the ground.. check your helmet out and be sure to throw in all your gear that you where wearing.. because it is all damaged...

good luck

 

Really sorry to hear about your crash and glad that you are ok.