My Rocket Is Destroyed

[Rob D]

Well, I'm afraid my career as a Rocket rider has come to a screeching halt for this year and maybe beyond.

On our regular Tuesday night ride I was leading the pack on some back roads to our destination. I missed a turned and was quickly heading for a dirt road ahead that I didn't want to take. I pointed to the right at the road we needed to take and began slowing down before hitting the upcoming gravel. Although we had been maintaining decent spacing during the ride the rider behind me was looking elsewhere as I began to stop in preparation of turning around. He totally blasted me with a rear end collision ending the Rocket and flipping himself and his Indian in the air. He totally raked the rear and left side of my bike. For him, it as 14 stitches and an ambulance ride to the hospital to close the open wound on his elbow. I on the other hand, landed on the ground with the left side of the Rocket and my lower left leg trapped between the handlebars and the gas tank. Hoping my leg wasn't broke, as the crew lifted the bike off me, I was able to get an assist standing and was able to walk even though I was in considerable pain. Eventually the bikes were loaded into a trailer with mine being dropped off at the house. A trip to the ER, after I made it home, X-rays and a CT scan on my neck revealed I hadn't broken anything much to my relief. I'm In considerable pain as a result of my leg being bruised and crushed along with the whiplash I sustained. This has not added up to a fun day with an even worse night last night. I'm sure it will continue to be so for a good many more days. Lots of swelling and what feels like a new pain in a different place hourly, but for the most part I'm good. Thirty years of riding and nothing from the four wheelers and in the end I get slammed by a two wheel distracted rider. Who would have thunk!

Anyway, waiting on all the insurance stuff to see what happens next. My Rocket days may be over and I just got my bike the way I wanted it. I don't want a new bike...I want my old one!

Looks like you were very lucky. This is always a fear, being hit back there.
Hope you are injury free and looking at your bike, it can be fixed. Bolt in here, bolt in there and boom, you're on the road. Good luck with that.

 

[Ishrub]

Glad your mostly ok, a few bumps and bruises after an off is generally a good outcome. Hope your mate heals up quickly as well.

Regarding the bike, it's not nearly what I expected to see when opening the pics. If you can't get it to a dealer for the inspection, I suggest going on world of Triumph, finding every piece to replace, plus every bolt, plus grommet, connector, bulb, bracket, etc that is damaged. Put them all in your cart, showing part numbers and print the list. Provide it to the inspector and let him know your going to put it back like new. When I did this for my Daytona I got a check, on the spot, to cover all the parts costs minus deductible.

They would jump at that because there is no labor time for the repairer! Saves the insurance company a fortune but leaves you open if you find more or bigger issues later.

Best of luck with repairs to you and bike.

 

[Claviger]

Ishrub, you're absolutely correct. On the other hand, full price MSRP parts in British Pounds listed including VAT automatically gets a hefty check above what the parts actually cost through a US retailer Doing it that way paid for an exhaust, sprockets, new plastics, new windshield and HIDs for my Daytona, when the actual damage was just the slip-on and the right side plastics

 

[rocketjohn]

I had a Jeep Wrangler whose right front corner I pranged pretty good. I gathered a list of what I needed to replace, and when the adjuster came, and looked, I said..."see this is all bolt on stuff....I can fix it myself and save a ton of labor cost. Just allow me some money for professional painting and it'll be good as new!" She wrote a check on the spot!

 

[Rick McC.]

That's a danm shame, Sir; hope you come out of it all right!

 

[EasTexRIII]

They OWE you list price for ALL of the damaged parts, but they also OWE all book labor times. Dont tell them they can just keep the labor $$$$$$$ of course the crooks will be to keep YOUR $$$$$$$ - thats just throwing money away that YOU have been paying into on your premiums. Dont cut them one cent slack. Make them pay labor times even if you do the work. They owe it. Period

 

[rocketjohn]

I'll do what I can to minimize an insurance claim...it keeps my rates from going up.

 

[EasTexRIII]

I'll do what I can to minimize an insurance claim...it keeps my rates from going up.

I respect yout thoughts on that but trust me, ive been working as an estimator in collision repair since 1995 dealing with the insurance companies every day. Also spent a few years on the other side as an adjuster. You keeping a claim to a minimal $ amount does not cause them to reciprocate on your rates. Your rates are dictated by how long youve been with them, total number of claims in a period of time, driving record, your credit score and states will also increase across the board for everyone every so often. If you collect an extra $300 for labor (that they owe) its not going to raise your rates. If you save them $300 on one claim, your going to get $300 savings on your rates. Think bout it

 

[rocketjohn]

Well, I dunno...I don't get the best rates available, but I do get stable rates, and I'd like to think pro-activity is part of that stability. I do hang onto the same two insurers for decades though.

 

[EasTexRIII]

Well, I dunno...I don't get the best rates available, but I do get stable rates, and I'd like to think pro-activity is part of that stability. I do hang onto the same two insurers for decades though.

I hear ya John, trust me tho, they don't look at your claim & say awe, look, he saved us a little money. Let's reward him
Ins co's too huge, your just another number. They deal in billions $$$$