Freak crash this morning - advice needed

[Berty3000]

Hi all,

Got up early this morning for a trip down into Cornwall from Devon. Beautiful day, dry roads, was loving every second of it - until, on the A38 near Plymouth - a deer decided to dart across the dual carriageway and leap over the central reservation right in front of me.

Hit the deer square on. There was no time to react. Bike went skidding down the highway for over 100m, I skidded down the road too. As soon as I stopped, my instinct was to get up and leg it to the other side before I got run over. Me and the bike covered in blood and guts from the animal. I still stink of st. The poor animal was catapulted to the side of the road. Ambulance man said my heart rate was at a weirdly low 65.

A biker coming the other way came round to check on me. Said he just missed the deer and that it was clipped by a car before leaping over in front of me. Anyway, I'm still alive and grateful for it. My RSL gear saved me, as did the helmet. A lot of it is scuffed up. My hips are sore and I have a headache. Otherwise ok. Just gutted that my bike is fked and it'll probably be a while before I get to ride again. I've been enjoying it so much, and I can't see that this was my fault. I'm reasonably sensible, but this was just a freak coincidence that all happened in a blink of an eye.

Now back home with the bike and the misery of contemplating the costs is upon me. The deer didn't have insurance so it's all on my head. My excess is £750, plus I'll probably get bummed when I come to renew next December. So is it worth me pursuing a claim? Or should I just get it repaired myself?

Here's what appears to be damaged:

Front forks not moving
Front mud guard smashed
Radiator looks a bit 'wavy'
Radiator cover broken
Front brakes leaking
Right wing mirror gone
Right brake pedal damaged
Fairing cracked on both sides - part of a deer horn stuck in one side
Several casings scuffed
Right crash bung half gone
Right foot peg scuffed up, possibly damaged
Handle bar end caps scuffed
Engine sort of turns over but doesn't start
Helmet fked. Jacket and trousers torn in several places.

Anybody got a rough estimate of the cost to fix this, parts and labour? The other question is whether it would be written off or end up as a worthless cat D bike that I can never sell, but don't want to ride either.

I could take it to a local garage to have an estimate done but they want 60 quid to collect and return, plus check it. What would you do in this situation? Bike is worth around 3500. Very low miles, like 5000 so might be worth more than I paid over the winter.

If I pursue an insurance claim then they will come and get it and decide what to do.

Many thanks

[DuraAce]

Berty3000 said:

Anybody got a rough estimate of the cost to fix this, parts and labour? The other question is whether it would be written off or end up as a worthless cat D bike that I can never sell, but don't want to ride either.

Sorry to hear of your off. At least you are OK.

However, you posted no pictures or even told us what bike it is! Bit difficult to ascertain repair costs in that scenario!

With fairing and engine case damage, and a value of 3.4k it will be written off if you go via insurance IMHO. (it will only be cat d (or new equivalent) if written off. If fixed on insurance it won't have a marker against it)

I would assess the damage properly during the week and decide what to do. Personally I would look at repairing myself, as I'm handy with spanners and have a high excess to pay so I wouldn't get much money back.
Only you can decide what's best for your circumstances.

[Berty3000]

Thanks. I phoned a repair shop and he said if they can fix it, it will get some label against it which I have to declare when I try to sell. And I'd only be able to sell privately.

Just tried the engine again and it's now running. Yamaha xj6-s diversion.

[Berty3000]

The guy at that repair shop I mentioned said the yamaha shocks alone would be in the region of 700 quid. So I'm thinking maybe I go with a claim. I'll have to declare this in future now anyway so probably will be paying a lot more in future no matter what I do.

Best bet is that it can be fully repaired. Then I just ride the bike as much as poss until end of current policy in December. Then either sorn it and keep as a spare, or sell for what I can get.

If it is written off then no doubt I'll be offered below the value. Minus the excess. Then I buy a new bike and they bum me when I try to insure it.

It seems like a no-win situation. It's not even like I was riding like a tool - if I was, this would be easier to take. A wild animal in - according to the police - a really unexpected place.

[bogie]

At least you are ok, it was a freak accident, nothing you can do about it now. Likely the insurer will write it off and you get a payout minus your excess....sh*t happens

[poo at Paul's]

If the forks are gone, it may well be a write off, sadly.

You're unlucky and lucky in equal measure! You could have been seriously hurt, just by the impact, never mind the fall! Like you say a freak accident, but one to learn from, this time of year, deer in the mornings and evenings and stupid fking pheasants all the time seem to be attracted to bikes! I had a pheasant rear up in fornt of me on the KTM on Thursday night on some back road, all I could so was scrub some speed off and move my head down to the RHS radiators, the stupid bd hit my mirror and was turned into a load of feathers and meat. Screen etc all missed, by milimmeters thankfully, mirror wacked about but pretty well ok, a but scuffed from some bones I think!

Just don't let it get to you, but be wary of EVERYTHING that moves out there next time! I've hit two deer in a car in 30 years and near a million miles, never on a bike. So it is very rare.

Good Luck sorting it.

BTW, the crash may even have been partly caused by the bugger hitting your front brake, so may be worth having some brake guards fitted on the next bike. Can help a bit

[terry tibbs]

pants on a hot wash

anyway crumbs glad you're ok, the issue might be when they strip it down there is more damage than can be seen around the headstock ETC.

its an incident that'll need to be declared so just claim, see if you can buy the salvage back get a donor bike and repair it, or like my brother saw when he went to an auction put it though as CAT whatever damage someone will buy it.

my wife has a recipe for left over venison cooks well on the BBQ

[warch]

Berty3000 said:

It seems like a no-win situation. It's not even like I was riding like a tool - if I was, this would be easier to take. A wild animal in - according to the police - a really unexpected place.

Take the long view, at least you're alive and able to tell us about it. I've think you have to expect the unexpected and ride accordingly, there are far to many riders whose epitaph was 'he/she was a great rider, if it wasn't for that car/cat/loose patch of gravel...

Regarding deer they're usually active early in the morning or at dusk, they're not at all uncommon in rural and even some urban areas.
I think this is where the swerve manoeuvre they teach you at riding school comes into play.

[CoolHands]

TL;DR

nice pics though

[Berty3000]

warch said:

Berty3000 said:

It seems like a no-win situation. It's not even like I was riding like a tool - if I was, this would be easier to take. A wild animal in - according to the police - a really unexpected place.

Take the long view, at least you're alive and able to tell us about it. I've think you have to expect the unexpected and ride accordingly, there are far to many riders whose epitaph was 'he/she was a great rider, if it wasn't for that car/cat/loose patch of gravel...

Regarding deer they're usually active early in the morning or at dusk, they're not at all uncommon in rural and even some urban areas.
I think this is where the swerve manoeuvre they teach you at riding school comes into play.

Agree with the long view and how lucky I am to tell the story.

In terms of the road - dual carriageway passing Plymouth. It wasn't a country road or Dartmoor. 70mph, and a big animal jumps across, looking at me and appearing very paniced and erratic - the sheer coincidence of time and space - I don't think I could've swerved it, there was barely a second to think. I practice swerves literally every time I go out on the bike, and emergency stops. Had there been time to react and I had swerved, there's a good chance I might still have hit it, given its size and movement, and ended up going into the barrier. I think it's truly a case of very bad luck. I doubt it's even one in a million.

[warch]

As you say OP, a freak accident, I agree that you'd be doing well to take any kind of avoiding action at that sort of speed.

I suppose you'll just have to let the insurers sort it out, I'd imagine they'll write the bike off. It'd be much more cost effective to accept a payout, even with your massive excess to pay, even if your insurance goes up somewhat.

[Berty3000]

warch said:

As you say OP, a freak accident, I agree that you'd be doing well to take any kind of avoiding action at that sort of speed.

I suppose you'll just have to let the insurers sort it out, I'd imagine they'll write the bike off. It'd be much more cost effective to accept a payout, even with your massive excess to pay, even if your insurance goes up somewhat.

Thanks. That's pretty much the conclusion I've come to. Hey ho!

[Krikkit]

Nasty stuff, glad to see you're ok.

I've had a couple of encounters with deer, and their speed, agility, and perpendicular trajectory means that sometimes you just can't avoid hitting them. They can hit 30mph and clear barriers, hedges etc cleanly, so if spooked they can literally appear out of thin air, even if you're paying attention.

Regarding the bike I'd probably bite the bullet and claim for it. You could take it on the chin, but it's a big whack.

[NITO]

I wouldn’t claim through insurance. Sell the bike as is, no need to inform insurers of incident, that way they can’t stiff you for the next 5 years and by the time you’ve paid excess, don’t know how much yours is but you’d probably see 2.5k back after xs and insurance knocck and then you’ll pay more for insurance, you’ll probably get 1k plus as is so you’ll be 1.5-2k down at most, use it as an excuse to treat yourself for the inconvenience!! Some retail therapy time on the plus side its good you’re ok, sorry for the bad luck.

[mckeann]

I had my first ever claim end of last year in my girlfriends car. Own fault claim , hit someone else. Caused about 1K damage to
Mine and probably the same to hers. Premium only went up £50 each for my van and her car insurance. Just claim. That's what it's for

[Berty3000]

Krikkit said:

Nasty stuff, glad to see you're ok.

I've had a couple of encounters with deer, and their speed, agility, and perpendicular trajectory means that sometimes you just can't avoid hitting them. They can hit 30mph and clear barriers, hedges etc cleanly, so if spooked they can literally appear out of thin air, even if you're paying attention.

Regarding the bike I'd probably bite the bullet and claim for it. You could take it on the chin, but it's a big whack.

Thanks mate. Agree about the deer. They're leggy and tall, very fast. This one was pumped with adrenaline. My last thought in that split second was "where is it going!?" next thing I know, I'm off the bike. Different kettle of fish to some pothole or brick sitting in the road.

Tend to agree about the insurance. I'm getting bummed either way so might as well take the easy route.

[Berty3000]

NITO said:

I wouldn’t claim through insurance. Sell the bike as is, no need to inform insurers of incident, that way they can’t stiff you for the next 5 years and by the time you’ve paid excess, don’t know how much yours is but you’d probably see 2.5k back after xs and insurance knocck and then you’ll pay more for insurance, you’ll probably get 1k plus as is so you’ll be 1.5-2k down at most, use it as an excuse to treat yourself for the inconvenience!! Some retail therapy time on the plus side its good you’re ok, sorry for the bad luck.

The thing is, the police wanted my bike off the road so I had to get on to the insurance pronto to get recovery. Naturally, they wanted to know why. Seems to me it'll be much of a muchness either way. Unless not making a claim is less damaging to future premiums.

Edited by Berty3000 on Saturday 19th May 19:28

[Andybow]

Christ, lucky your OK, I ride that peice of road a lot and have never seen deer on it, A380 top of Holden hill is where I see them the most, glad you’re ok!

[Berty3000]

mckeann said:

I had my first ever claim end of last year in my girlfriends car. Own fault claim , hit someone else. Caused about 1K damage to
Mine and probably the same to hers. Premium only went up £50 each for my van and her car insurance. Just claim. That's what it's for

Can't argue with that. Suspect it might be a bit worse for me as, despite being a driver for many years, it's my first as a biker. Unless they manage to be vaguely reasonable and acknowledge it was a freak. Suspect it might be "computer says no" though...

[Berty3000]

Andybow said:

Christ, lucky your OK, I ride that peice of road a lot and have never seen deer on it, A380 top of Holden hill is where I see them the most, glad you’re ok!

Yeah, unusual apparently. Beware!