Well, I went and wrecked my "other" bike yesterday. 2003 VTX 1800C

Lost it off the side of a low water crossing at about 45mph when the rear wheel locked up (still don't know why... i wasn't touching the brake). Nevertheless, I am ok, but the bike isn't so good. Pretty much everything on the bike is damaged. All the tins, forwards, bars, pipes, front wheel, shield, forks, even a chunk of the engine fins is jacked.

What really bothers me now is that the rear end is "off". The rear tire is touching the swing arm on one side and has about 1" clearance on the other. The rear fender now sits cockeyed and one side of it rubbing the tire. It will start now, but the tranny is stuck in 1st, and the engine is knocking.

Insurance adjuster was out to look at it last night and said that it was NOT totaled. He thinks that the swingarm is damaged, but not the frame. He doesn't feel that the engine and tranny repairs would be substantial, and that the rest is cosmetic.

I just don't feel like a bike that is damaged that badly can be fixed properly (at least for less than the 8k the bike is worth). I'm just afraid that something in the rear will still be jacked up and the bike won't be completely safe to ride.

Am I wrong in my thinking, and if not.... Is there a way to convince the insurance company (Progressive) to total it out?

 

What does the service manager at your dealership say??

 

Agree with Whaap. If they think otherwise, you need to get the two of them together.

 

Usually there are three things that have to be known to determine if something is a total loss or not.

1. The ACV (actual cash value) of the vehicle.

2. The cost of repair.

3. The value of the vehicle as it sets there now in its damaged state.

Using a make believe ACV of $10,000.00, let's say the estimate to repair is $5,000.00. However, the best you can get for the bike as it sets there now is $3,000.00. It would be cheaper for the insurance company to pay the $5,000.00 than it would be to give you $10,000.00 for a total loss and then sell the salvage for $3,000.00. They would end up being out $7,000.00 if they totaled it.

However, let's say that the value of the salvage was $6,000.00. The bike would be a total loss because the insurance company could give you $10,000.00, sell the salvage for 6 and only be out 4.

When the numbers are even close most insurance companies will choose to total out a vehicle. It never costs less than the estimate to repair a badly damaged vehicle and most often additional damages are discovered once repairs are started and the cost of repair will only go up. Plus the fact the insurance company has to deal with a customer who might not be satisfied with the repairs, etc, etc.

Establish a good rapor with your shop manager and let him know you want it totaled and ask what his opinion is. If you think your insurance company is being unfair with you, contact your state Insurance Commissioner. They work for you and they are free.

 

I'm no expert, but it seems that if you get a mechanic to work up an estimate, including everything that needs to be repaired, then the cost will determine whether it can be totaled or not. It sounds like it would be, given the year of the bike. Good luck.

 

its jap crap..........throw it away

 

My recent wreck left the bike with a lot of cosmetic damage, plus a tweaked frame. The Ins adjuster came up with a replacement cost of $10.5K. After going thru the catalogs and pricing the parts including a new frame, my estimate was ~$4K to put it back to where it was before the accident. I didn't want a total cause I had designed and had built a truly custom frame. For the price of a new frame I could have my custom straightened and repaired. In my investigations it was determined that a total would be ~80% or more repair cost vs replacement cost. I had my estimate w/part #s and price and got no argument from the adjuster. He had originally put repairs at $800! I am satisfied with this result.
Have your local Stealer give you an accurate estimate, preferably with a list of parts and cost. The Ins Co. will probably accept the estimate without questions.

 

It hasnt gone a dealer yet. The adjuster came out, took pics, took notes, and left it in my back yard.
He said he would get in touch in the next couple of days to let me know what they're gonna do.

I was just asking if there is any "trick" to getting the bike totalled rather than having it repaired. I really don't want the bike anyhow... just couldn't get a decent trade in when I got the Harley so I kept it.

 

I laid my 08' Night Rod special down, and it had less damage than you describe here, and they totaled mine....your's is defenetly a total loss, the claims adjuster always wants to repair, but with the engine fins damaged the frame possibly bent and other stuff, the labor alone is gonna be more than the 70% bracket they use to decide if its a total or not...Listen to the fellas up there, and get youre service guy at the local stealership to print out an estamate for you.

Glad you are ok to tell the tale!

 

Get ait into the dealership and ask them to write an estimate. Also, tell your adjustor that you want that particular dealership to repair it if he thinks it is repairagle and you want him and the shop manager to come to an agreed repair price. This will give you additional ammunition. If the shop manager agrees it is repairable you atleast have someone besides your insurance company saying it's repairable. If the shop manager thinks it's a total loss the adjustor will then have to convince him (and not just you) that it's not a total. Most insurance appraisors aren't that "up" on repairing motorcycles as the majority of their work is on automobiles. They tend to listen to the shop manager in cases of automobiles and especially bikes.

So it might cost you the cost of the tow but it will well be worth it to you in the long run. Call the shop now and ask them to get it in and write an estimate. When your adjustor contacts you, tell him it's at the shop and to contact the shop manager and come to an agreement.