Hit and Run

[Lucumon]

Same thing happened to me this past September.  No note and lots of damage... I empathize with you.

One piece of unsolicited advice is to take an active role in reviewing the estimate.  My bike should have been totaled but was not... and I was without a ride for 3 months until the shop that it was originally repaired at offered to replace it with one of the same model year but almost no miles.

[Betty]

Jeez, I cannot believe some of you guys, the poor guys bike got trashed by an a-hole and you come up with "Gee, is your tire bald" and "I wouldn't park on the street". No shit!!! NO ONE I know of who has reasonable access to a garage chooses to park on the freaking street!!

I am just saying out loud what the OP is probably thinking!! Does ANY of that matter NOW?

 



Mark

While I don't want to start an argument, cause offence and certainly not increase the pain for the OP ... I think the comments you mentioned have some validity.

As it turns out the owner did have other options for parking off the street, but that is largely irrelevant now. The concerns I would raise is where and how the bike was parked and what it was 'dressed' in. For example if it was angled towards the kerb a foot it may not have been hit ... if it wasn't wearing camo it may not have been hit either. Considering the photos I would think it would become difficult to not hit the bike there at night.

OK so there may usually be protection offered by other vehicles but that is not evident in the photos so the poor bike must be exposed some of the time. From what we can see the poor sticks out on the curve ... and not unlike an erect nipple on the curvaceous breast of your lover - it is practically begging to be touched.

As for the tyre ... if your insurance companies are anything like ours down here ... it could have been an issue if bald. The tyre would actually deem the vehicle unroadworthy meaning it had no right being parked on a public road to start with ... this also goes for the cover. It would not surprise me if the first response from an insurance company down here would be "your tyre was bald and we have no evidence to suggest you didn't have a single vehicle accident where the tyre contributed to you losing control so you are not entitled to a claim" ... but that would just be the start of the argument - and may very well be irreleveant to you but a valid concern down here.

I agree that none of this helps now but it may help in the future ... or it may even help somebody else reading about this unfortunate incident.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you Kuzemko (just don't let my post get you down) and I am, in no way, making excuses for the arsehole that did this.

[kuzemko]

While I don't want to start an argument, cause offence and certainly not increase the pain for the OP ... I think the comments you mentioned have some validity.

As it turns out the owner did have other options for parking off the street, but that is largely irrelevant now. The concerns I would raise is where and how the bike was parked and what it was 'dressed' in. For example if it was angled towards the kerb a foot it may not have been hit ... if it wasn't wearing camo it may not have been hit either. Considering the photos I would think it would become difficult to not hit the bike there at night.

OK so there may usually be protection offered by other vehicles but that is not evident in the photos so the poor bike must be exposed some of the time. From what we can see the poor sticks out on the curve ... and not unlike an erect nipple on the curvaceous breast of your lover - it is practically begging to be touched.

As for the tyre ... if your insurance companies are anything like ours down here ... it could have been an issue if bald. The tyre would actually deem the vehicle unroadworthy meaning it had no right being parked on a public road to start with ... this also goes for the cover. It would not surprise me if the first response from an insurance company down here would be "your tyre was bald and we have no evidence to suggest you didn't have a single vehicle accident where the tyre contributed to you losing control so you are not entitled to a claim" ... but that would just be the start of the argument - and may very well be irreleveant to you but a valid concern down here.

I agree that none of this helps now but it may help in the future ... or it may even help somebody else reading about this unfortunate incident.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you Kuzemko (just don't let my post get you down) and I am, in no way, making excuses for the arsehole that did this.

Without going off into a whole spinoff about what insurance claims agents "could" say, (it *could* have been a Sharknado, and they swam down the drainage ditch next to my bike afterwards. Sharknado's are not covered by my insurance) and without turning my posts into a CSI mini-clip showing dimensions, mockups, reflection ratings of my cover at night under the street light it is parked under, the angle of the skid marks, the amount of tread left on the tire, the amount of gas in the tank, whether the moon was waxing or waning, whether parking it in the non-lit parking lot at the end of the street or under a street light right out front of my building was a better choice, what my damping and rebound were set to, chain tension and sprocket wear-patterns, humidity compared to the national average, cloud cover and any other irrelevant information at this point... I'll leave it at this;

After growing up in Los Angeles, living in 3 different cities in California, 3 places in Washington (state), and 2 places in Connecticut; the condition of the bike, the manor in which it was parked and the covering used were all adequate and sufficient for it to be seen, protected and not hit any more than any other vehicle parked on the street. Arguably less likely to be hit. There was ample room to maneuver around the bike, as demonstrated by the past year it has been parked there. After living in multiple places, owning several different motorcycles, and parking them all in an array of ways, living at the end of a cul-de-sac and having it parked where it was and how it was hardly made it a concern of mine.

Point is: people suck, life goes on, and hopefully there is a new 1100 evo with my name on it at the end of this tunnel. Which I will need to take hourly tread readings on, park in a steel, neon-orange cage that is suspended in the air via a crane with a security camera, spot light and motion sensor on it at all times as to appease all people/insurance agents. 

[Howie]

Sorry to hear.  Insurance differs from state to state, but around these parts, 78% of book value is a total loss and on bikes all damaged parts are replaced with new.  If you want to keep the bike you can ask the adjuster to write a low estimate and avoid salvage title.  I did that with my bike about 11 years ago.

Don' park on the street?  Really guys, some of us use bikes for transportation.

[Ducatamount]

Considering the photos I would think it would become difficult to not hit the bike there at night.

 WTF!  Well that's your opinion, I guess, but it's wrong!
Kuzemko, I hope I would have your good attitude if that happened to me but I would be seeing red and turn into my alter-ego, Black John  , who is not at all reasonable!
Good luck.

[hbliam]

Don' park on the street?  Really guys, some of us use bikes for transportation.

Asked and answered. He had the option to park it in his parking lot.

To the OP. Have you tried parking your truck in a good space in the parking lot and leaving yourself enough room to park the bike in the same spot?

[Skybarney]

I think it fair to say that everyone here feels the pain of his loss.  Nobody on this forum wanted his bike to get hit and I am certain we all hope he gets a shiny new bike of his choice to replace it.  His comments about people sucking are indeed true, it was crappy to hit his bike and not man up about it.

All of that being said:  One of the advantages of a forum like this is the wide range of riders and experience levels.  Some of us more "experienced"  (old and salty) riders have seen or been through what he has.  Hence the comments about the choice of parking spots.  Personally I see anyone on a worn out tire and I will say something.  My comment about the tire was in the spirit of his safety, nothing more. 

May shock you but at one time many years ago I was also young and did things that reflected my lack of worldly experience.  Asking me about tossing my bike into the middle of Wilshire Blvd, right after the hottest redhead in years had asked me to go for a ride that weekend  (Hint: she never called).

Being a pilot every time I get done with a flight I and my other pilot sit down with our crews and debrief the day.  This is done so that we can constantly learn, make better decisions and most importantly talk about our mistakes, Oh and drink a few beers. 

Hopefully he gets the bike of his dreams for the hassle 



 

[Privateer]

just a small tip.
Not sure if it works this way in every state or every insurance provider.  I had a lowside several years ago on my bike 6 months after I bought it.  The adjuster wanted to total the bike based on a value which was about 1/2 of what I paid in a private party sale.

I pushed back, he pushed back, and when I questioned more, he found the value 'in the dealer's book.'  Uh yeah, that's the WHOLESALE blue book you nimrod.  I suggested he do some more research.  I believe my exact words were "Show me where I can buy the bike for that much and I'll accept the total." Two days later they authorized the repairs.

Similar experience with a friend whose parked car was totaled by a drunk driver.  He ended up getting about double what they originally offered after he fought for it.


TL;DR, do your research, if you feel like you're getting a lowball settlement, don't accept it.  Insurance companies, generally, ARE NOT your friend.

[jsanford]

Same thing happened to me this past September.  No note and lots of damage... I empathize with you.

One piece of unsolicited advice is to take an active role in reviewing the estimate.  My bike should have been totaled but was not... and I was without a ride for 3 months until the shop that it was originally repaired at offered to replace it with one of the same model year but almost no miles.

+1 on this.  One friend of mine had a shop write up an estimate for repairs that did not total his bike, but they missed his bent wheel rim.  A revised estimate had to be submitted to the insurance company and that delayed things.

[kuzemko]

All of that being said:  One of the advantages of a forum like this is the wide range of riders and experience levels.  Some of us more "experienced"  (old and salty) riders have seen or been through what he has.  Hence the comments about the choice of parking spots.  Personally I see anyone on a worn out tire and I will say something.  My comment about the tire was in the spirit of his safety, nothing more. 

I realize most people here are actually just trying to help. I would also be worried about a bald tire, but I promise it wasn't. Like I said before, I do appreciate the extra eyes and opinions on different situations.

To the OP. Have you tried parking your truck in a good space in the parking lot and leaving yourself enough room to park the bike in the same spot?

I asked about doing that when I moved in (I did that living in Seattle) and they told me people have still had their bikes towed for doing so. The towing company they contract out to is vicious.

TL;DR, do your research, if you feel like you're getting a lowball settlement, don't accept it.  Insurance companies, generally, ARE NOT your friend.

I think all insurance is a scam, but I still pay it (just as aI do my taxes). I will definitely be playing a very active roll in the estimates and repair/totalling of my bike.

+1 on this.  One friend of mine had a shop write up an estimate for repairs that did not total his bike, but they missed his bent wheel rim.  A revised estimate had to be submitted to the insurance company and that delayed things.

Not seeing how the bike was actually hit, (how hard, etc...) and only guessing about the circumstances, I'm going to be very cautious of what happens to it. There are a lot of things that may look fine at first glance but will take a lot of disassembly/inspection to really be sure.

I'm not mad at any critiques of the situation, and I understand people's opinions, but there's nothing I can do about it now. Oh well, life sucks, then you die. It's only a motorcycle, and luckily I wasn't on it when it happened. Still haven't gone down on one riding yet. Yet... Small victories.

[zooom]

I asked about doing that when I moved in (I did that living in Seattle) and they told me people have still had their bikes towed for doing so. The towing company they contract out to is vicious.

don't ask then....put down an anchor into the ground and chain the bike to it....if the bike then gets towed, the towing company is liable for the damage because they damaged/broke your property to remove it. Most towing operators don't like to have to tow bikes, and those that do, seem to care very little for the manner in which they do it. but that is my four and a half cents for after this is all settled.

It's only a motorcycle, and luckily I wasn't on it when it happened. Still haven't gone down on one riding yet. Yet... Small victories.

always look on the bright side of life!

[hbliam]

I asked about doing that when I moved in (I did that living in Seattle) and they told me people have still had their bikes towed for doing so. The towing company they contract out to is vicious.

Uhhh, aren't the the ones that hire the tow company? I go talk to them again given the hit and run and tell them you want them to notify the tow company in writing that people can park multiple vehicles in one spot. Or...I would request they make a designated motorcycle parking area. Walk around and look for some weird arrea that isn't good enough to park cars but would work fine for motos.

[Skybarney]

Maybe not an option but have you considered moving?

[ducatiz]

Everyone steps on their dick now and then.

The real problem here is the a-hole that ran over his bike. 

[memper]

Stay hopeful about the insurance...get through it one way or another (you WILL be riding again soon-keep that in mind)...and use the experience to learn from. Pretty much all you can do. Best of luck.