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View Full Version : To fix or not to fix



Wonko
14th April 2004, 00:34
Cosmetically my bike is currently a write off after the lady knocked it over end of Feb. Insurance are going to write it off, but I still don't know how much I'm going to get in the way of reddies, or how much they want for it. The main farring and belly pan are chipped and cracked, broken fairing bracket, missing a mirror, bent handle bar, dinged can and broken exhust pipe.

Mechanically it's still sound, the broken exhust pipe still has pressure. Hell it still goes to withing 5km's of it's original factory top speed.(Not admitting anything :Police: ) Needs the stearing head beerings done thou.

Now here is the question that's been floating around my head, should I buy it back and do it up, or say goodbye to it? I hope to get in the region of 2k from insurance, but have no idea what they'll over me for a buy back price.

I'm open to all advice, ideas etc. I can do most of the needed work myself, but to if I fix the fairings(or get someone else to do it) and then painted I don't know.

FROSTY
14th April 2004, 08:25
I think they have to offer it back to you.See what kind of deal they offer if you keep the bike or if they wreck it and pay ya out.
Id do a list of all the parts you need and ring round the wreckers -see what the parts will cost.
Keep in mind some parts might be the same as other kwakka models -the bars for example.

vifferman
14th April 2004, 10:24
They don't have to offer it to you, but you do have the option of buying it back from them at whatever they assess the value of the 'wreck' at.
It will only be worth fixing it if you can get parts for it. There are plastic repairers who can make a reasonable job of repairing the plastic for not much, but that depends how stuffed it is. Ask around and see who has had repairs done, where they had it done, what it cost, and how good a job was done.

If you can do most of the work yourself, it will save heaps, as quite a large portion of the quote the insurance co get for repairs will be labour and profit. Also, assessors price some things at replacement value, whereas sometimes you can straighten or repair it for less as your labour cost is zero to you. Aftermarket parts (zorsts, f'rinstance) are often cheaper than genuine OEM.

When my VFR was attacked by a brain-dead Audi driver, the total cost of repairs was $7800, according to the assessor. This included $1100 for the main fairing stay, over $1000 for a dented muffler, and $1800 for plastic and paint. Apart from the fairing stay, there was no structural damage. The guy who bought the 'wreck' at auction spent a lot less than $8000, as he straightened the fairing bracket himself, had a s/steel sleeve made to cover the dented muffler, and did all his own work. I was tempted to buy it and fix it myself, but the cost of reapirs was too much of an unknown factor, the insurance company and auction house pissed about too long giving me a price on the bike, and my wife didn't want a semi-dead bike cluttering up "her" (WTF?!?) garage for an indefinite period.

If I were you, I'd do a bit of research on which of the parts that you need are available secondhand, how much plastic repairs (or aftermarket replicas) will cost, and what you could get instead for around $2K if you decide it's all too much work. Bear in mind that the insurance company will require it to be fixed to an acceptable standard, or reappraised to assess what value it has after it's been fixed (if you want it to be insured by them).

FROSTY
14th April 2004, 21:37
Give Henry at takinini motorcycles a call He has a few gpz600 parts.

Motu
14th April 2004, 21:38
They may offer you a buy back price,but it won't be cheap enough for you to repair it,take the money and run.

My daughters car was written off recently - repairs were $1500,they valued it at $2800,so with repairs being over half the value it's a write off(the prices are just numbers to make this required result) then they offered it back to me $2300!!!! like,I can repair it for $500! I paid $150 for it in the first place,I'd buy it back for the same.