Falling Off It!

Went out to buy a bike magazine ironically and bike slid out from under me when slowing for a roundabout, only slow speed and presume it was on some gravel dotted around at the entrance to the roundabout. It's a 2013 Bonneville, dent in tank, scratched chrome primary case, broken speedo, mirror, and clutch pedal. I've decided to put it through the insurers as I've been paying bike insurance since 1976 and never made a claim.

Several car drivers asked if I was ok, several bike riders went straight on by.

Shitty bank holiday, will get pissed now.

Cheers

 

Thanks all.

I didn't feel too bad until I reported the accident to my insurers. They said their recommended repairers were 4th Dimension. Looking them up on Google is akin to looking up a medical condition, the results are pretty worrying.

Strangely, it's the side that didn't hit the ground that is starting to hurt.

 

Thanks again.

Starting to feel more pains now but don't think I've done anything serious, don't bounce as well when you are 60.

I will call my Triumph dealer and see what they say. It's just the whole kerfuffle involved, you pay insurance and I think this is the 1st time I've claimed on a motorcycle policy since 1976, but decided I pay for it so I'll use it for once. Unfortunately, as you say I'll now have to declare it, both on bike and car insurance, and I'm guessing my excess will be about 50% of the claim. If it wasn't for the tank dent I think I'd just have done it myself.

Cheers

 

Thanks all,

Just been out to have a look and wish I hadn't called the insurance now. Handlebars had rotated but aren't bent, switch gear looks fine despite denting the tank. Only real issues are the tank, chrome engine casing, and the speedo. Might have damaged the gear shaft I suppose, but looks ok, the gear pedal bit at the end snapped off, but presume the gear lever itself is bent.

Oh well, I'll call Jack Lilleys Triumph on Tue, expect the insurers will make a fuss. Actually, might try a little independent mechanic near me as well.

Cheers

 

I thought the clutch had been damaged as I had no pull at the lever, checked at the engine casing end and the pivot lever had somehow spun round 180 degrees, rotated it and it snapped back into place. Can now start her up although the speedo is displaying some odd hieroglyphics. Need a new clutch pedal and it should be rideable. That will make it a lot easier to get some quotes. Also, the bloke a few doors up from me has one of those mobile repair franchises for car repairs, and it says A1 dents on the side. It's a long shot because of the curvature of the tank, but just maybe it can be pulled out. It's a nice square indent but no paint damage.

 

We

Well, I was feeling better until I looked up the cost of a new speedo, it is ridiculous. It might not need a complete replacement though, but it is an EFI model and I have no idea about the electrics it contains. My excess is £250 and the chaincase is about that, so I probably will still go with the insurance. I've ordered a new gear lever so I can ride it and will see about taking it to a Triumph dealer for a quote.

So annoying, last time I fell off was probably about 1979, but only 3rd party insurance then so we always did our own repairs. Don't even know what I did wrong, can only assume it was the general pitted road condition and some gravel.

 

Too late, I've told them!

To be honest I was just so pissed off I just called them, plus I haven't made a bike claim since I started riding in 1976, any teenage incidents I just repaired myself at the time. Paid so much insurance over the years that I felt I should use it for once, but as you say I will probably regret it. Cost of the tank repair, speedo, and chaincase cover will probably be a fair bit, but I'm in the system now. My broker seemed quite good, put me onto their bike specific legal team who said they would deal with the insurers. Said I wasn't happy with the approved repairer's reputation and they said I don't have to use them. Leave it with them and they fully understand my wish to go with a Triumph dealer.