I might want a sporty bike…

Thanks for the comments guys, I’ve just collected it. Working out how to set up now while it’s damp and rubbish. Will be ready for any dry spells over the weekend :-)

It doesn’t look quite so good today…..

It’s gone like this…. Collected Hayabusa Friday. Get knocked off it on Saturday. Wake up Sunday to a message from other parties insurance accepting liability and starting to arrange to collect bike. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, but at least the third party are playing ball.

The bike is taking a bit of getting used too. I’m really rusty at the sports bike riding position and relatively narrow bars and don’t really feel comfortable with it yet. Bike feels amazing in faster sweepers, and the performance is bonkers…. Looking forward to getting it looking it’s best again and having some fun days out on it.

Oh! At least it sounds like you are okay, which is important.

Will it likely take long to fix?

I had some crap luck around this time of year many moons ago. Lovely sunny morning so out for an early morning ride. Cutting story short I came across some spilled diesel coming off a roundabout and went down. Not much damage to me but a lot to the bike. It went back to the dealer for repair. They couldn’t start work until parts arrived which was a month or so. Just as they got it onto the bench and stripped down…they went into receivership. I couldn’t take it back because they had started working on it so it was part of stock. Long story cut short: I didn’t get it back until the end of the summer!

That's st news. I hope it all gets sorted quickly!

Oh sorry to hear that. Can you not just take it to the Suzuki dealer and ask them to quote for the damage ? I'd not be happy with a third party handler, whoever they are these days, collecting it and then having no idea who repairs it or how they do it.

It would probably be better to get an estimate myself. I’m a bit tight on time at the moment and rightly or wrongly thought I’ll go with the insurance preference … the claim handling company seem to be used by most Uk bike insurers (certainly mine and the 3rd party). They claim to be an approved Suzuki repairer…. We’ll see how that pans out.

I am half expecting it to be written off. Most of the plastics on one side, lever and pegs on that side, mirror, an engine cover…I could easily believe it’s 4 or 5k of work.

One of the departments at the claim handler were quite keen for me to have a hire bike. It was a credit hire but they said they write the cost off in the event that it isn’t covered by the insurance (not sure what to make of that). Then I saw the charges which were over £300 a day for a 4 year old bike… I don’t need it, and all of our insurances are expensive enough so declined it. I was a bit conflicted as having it would ramp up the likelihood of a write off which I don’t want, but on the other hand, it’s an incentive for them to move quick which I do want. Collection of my bike is slower than the options to drop off a loan bike and collect mine.

It does seem to be that new things attract unfortunate incidents. Back in 94 I wrote off a bike I had for less than a month, and when the replacement finally came, it was only a couple of months before I damaged that… thought those days were a long way behind me.

I’m due some good luck so will pick up a couple of lottery tickets.

Sorry to learn the Suzuki has been dropped.

Well done on declining the hire bike:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbHQMD0auzk

Sorry to heart about the incident, particularly during the novelty stage.

Well done on turning down the bike hire, I would have done the same, it's amazing how many parasitic industries jump on the bandwagon. A friend of mine took the hire car, non fault accident, he hadn't up with a bill anyway, can't remember the details now.

I'd deal with their insurer direct, take it where you want it to go and get a couple of estimates. I believe you are legally allowed to take it to your repairer of choice. If its not approved then I don't think you get the same come back but sounds like you'd be into new panels anyway and damage is relatively minor?!

Good luck, hope it works out well.

The bike went off to be assessed yesterday. The more I look at it, the more damage I see. I really am beginning to expect a write off even though its all cosmetic.

Have also heard quite a few more horror stories about the loan / hire bike from the company that both insurers were directing me too (I'm even more pleased I didn't agree to one). It does sound insane that insurers would work so closely with an organisation that has the clear agenda of driving the cost of claims upwards. I guess ultimately the cost gets past on to their customers so as long as everyone is doing it, it doesn't cause them any pain.