A bender and a new bike?

[geoffm]

Well, a car driver took my BMW out today with extreme prejudice as I was on the way to work. Add your own Asian Drivers comments to suit.... Given the value and cost of repairs (fairings, mirrors, indicators, headlight, engine cover, check front wheel and forks) I would not be surprised to see it totalled.
I am also officially out of working motorbikes at present, buggerit since the RG grenaded, nd the RD 350 has a sad motor and tweaked frame.
Thus I might be in the market for a replacement - if I get the mighty FA50 going (or a more speedy replacement) I will use that to go to work - cheap running, so commuting duties won't rate so high.
What be the opinions of things like Triumph ST Sprints, VFR800s and Blackbirds? Other similar bikes?
I haven't been shopping for bikes for 10 years, and my youngest bike was the Beemer - now 16 years old, so i am kinda out of touch with the 21st century.
Budget hasn't been set - it depends if it gets totalled, and if they pay out properly, and the insurance company can recover the excess from the other driver (and State ins).
Geoff

[Hinny]

That's bad news Geoff.
Happy to loan you my Pan for a couple of weeks.

[Pumba]

Shit, bad luck Geoff, well you were thinking of replacing the beamer anyway

I have ridden both the newer VFR and the Sprint, both great bikes, very different to one another. Bikes would have moved on a hell of a lot from the beamer (no ofence) so sounds like some good old fashioned bike testing is the order of the day.

[Swoop]

Hopefully there wasn't any damage to yourself?
You will see a huge difference in handling (for the better)!

Quite simply, ride them all and then make a decision. I am biased to the VFR...

[madbikeboy]

Well, a car driver took my BMW out today with extreme prejudice as I was on the way to work. Add your own Asian Drivers comments to suit.... Given the value and cost of repairs (fairings, mirrors, indicators, headlight, engine cover, check front wheel and forks) I would not be surprised to see it totalled. Geoff

You ran into the only cager stupid enough to be driving in Auckland this morning??? Seriously, really bad luck, trust you're okay, despite the loss of the bike.

[FROSTY:Me]

Mate come on down the yard and try on the bikes Ive got here for size.
They probably wont suit you age etc wise but at least you'll have an idea what style of bike you like

[geoffm]

Thanks for the offer of the Pan Hinny. I might take you up on it if this work/ weekend to Te Puke goes ahead in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I have got the mighty FA50 runnign under it's own power, regoed and insured. at 35kph flat out, it is terrifying on the road... Otherwise I slum it with the Hoi Polloi on the bus.
Geoff

[Hinny]

I have got the mighty FA50 runnign under it's own power, regoed and insured. at 35kph flat out, it is terrifying on the road...
Geoff

Was that you I saw riding down Ronaki road with a new high vis vest on?

[geoffm]

Was that you I saw riding down Ronaki road with a new high vis vest on?

Yup, that would be it - it is this beastie here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=76833

The high-vis is an old one form work, but given the speed I reckon I need all the help I can get to be seen. If the moron driver didn't see a big BMW with a 90w headlight, I dont think a high vis would make any difference.

[geoffm]

Well, got the letter from Swann yesterday (so not a bad turnaround - about a week including postage from delivery to Experience BMW) on the BMW - it's borked and they want to give me money. They are paying out insured value ($7200), which is a fair market replacement value, so that is ok.
I dodn't think the damage was that bad unless there was more than I thought. I would have said $2.5k to fix = $1k painting, $500 panelbeating/ plastic welding and $1000 for a new headlight glass, indicator lens and odds and sods that i missed. Damage was scraped side fairing with broken lug on other side, busted top fairing, busted headlight glass, scraped engine sidecover, indicator lens and maybe some bits and peices.Top fairing Need to check the fairing frame and forks and wheels (they took a hit). Impact speed was may 15-20kph, so I doubt anything was really bent, but I didn't give it a good going over. I rode it to work after the bin.
If anyone wants a good bike, this would be one to get and fix.

Geoff