Hey Everyone!
Some guy not paying attention, turned left in front of me and we T-Boned.
I walked away (hospital later), and was able to limp my scoot home.
His insurance has informed me they are covering everything.
All the front end is toast, but nothing I can see behind there.
I have an independent fixing it and he said the engine guard bent out the upper mounting lip and even though it could be hammered in, it will never return to powder-coat look; and that he considered that a "Bent" frame and he would tell the insurance co. it is totaled.
I couldn't replace it for what they might pay and even though it's a 1998 80", it has only 15K miles and I want to keep it. He said he could fix it with a lot of effort, either hammer in the pulled out upper mount, or order a frame from Harley, if I wanted. Is he crazy, a crook, or am I a naive idiot? Should I take the "Total?" Should I take it to a dealer instead?
He also said an adjuster might take one look at it and "Total" it, out of my hands. Could I buy it back? Should I? Any experience and advice is truly appreciated.

 

Glad you're ok. That's the important thing. I'd write off the bike, get another. It doesn't take much to total a bike even though it looks ok. I wouldn't feel confident on that bike anymore.

 

If you have doubts get a second estimate. What you are talking about being bent is the little tab where the crash bar mounts. If that is it I don't see where you would have any problems riding the bike forever.

 

Alot of insurance companies and repair shops will not fix frame damage. Reason being, if something happens because of a repaired frame down the road, the shop and the insurance company become liable for the accident. So from their stand point, it is cheaper and safer to total it out, or get a new frame.

 

Thanks. All good advice & opinions. I agree, bent is bent, and I may get 2 opinions.
So far, Ins. is talking about pain & suffering, and if my bike is totaled, that will be additional suffering to me.

 

I got t-boned a few years ago, lot's of damage AND the frame was bent...the shop it went to determined the damages, but the bottom line was that the insurance adjuster was the one who had the final say so, and "totalled" the bike.

 

If your bike is totaled and you buy it back, it comes to you under a slavage title. If you ever tried to re-sale after that well you would get pennies on the dollar. What undetermind issue's would a salvaged bike have later down the road..You would be better off to take the money and go new. Consider yourself lucky you have this option, right glad your ok.

 

Thanks, you are all right on all the points.
If I ran into a wall and I wanted to fix it out of my pocket,
I can see it is entirely possible, based on visible damage.
This is the grey area where the repair guy has me confused.
He said the frame was bent and probably totaled.
I said, where? He said, there!, I said, that little thing?
I said, if I had done that myself and not from collision, I could fix it.
He then changed his tune and said, yes, you could hammer it but might break powder coat, and it would never look the same.
If an adjuster says it's totaled, fine. But if an adjuster doesn't see it...
The repair guy suggests it could go either way if an adjuster just accepts photos and repair estimates less then the total cost, then it could be fixed if I wanted.
I am not trying to scam, I just could not replace it for KBB anyway.
I rode it home broken and I can see and feel it's fine.
p.s. It only has 15K miles and ran perfect.

 

Not so. Don't ever let the ins co take the bike or title. You keep the bike and the title. Just negotiate with the ins co the difference between the salvage value and the actual value (before the wreck) and have them write a check for the difference. You use the check to fix the bike.

Imho you do want the ins co to know the frame is bent. It lowers the ins co's opinion of it's (salvage) value and gets you a bigger check.

The bike gets a salvage title only if it's transferred to the ins co and then resold back to you or someone else. There's no need to do that.

Good luck.

JB

 

Bent frame is just that!! It is risky enuff riding today and not worth it to ride one tweaked. The indy ain't no fool he sounds like he is lookin out for you!!