Hey all,

Here is my adventure...So last week I was driving my bike home from work and hit an oil slick or something wet in the road as I was entering a right hand curve. Before I could blink I was sliding across the asphalt with the bike on top of my right leg and scraping the ground at the same time. My jacket,helmet,Jeans, and boots all took one helluva beating. None of them are usable anymore. Now for the Bike damage. I broke off the right side mirror,bent up the right footpeg, Dented up the front of my tank(baseball sized dent) gas leaking from slightly, Destroyed rear turn signals, busted up front headlight and headlight housing, scrapped up the muffler, and knocked the handlebar out of alignment with front wheel. Somehow I was still able to crank the baby up and drive it 47miles back home on the highway. So my question now is will my insurance total the bike out or do you think they will be able to repair it for less than what my bike is worth. BTW its an 06 S40 with about 5K on it not sure what KBB has it going for yet. Any input is appreciated.

I don't know how insurance companies work in Arizona but from what I've seen they will probably right it off.  Two possible options come to mind.

1. Take the money which probably won't be that much, and buy the bike back from them for peanuts. The damage doesn't sound that bad, make the repairs and enjoy.

2. Take the money and buy another Savage.

Start with having the insurance company giving the bike a look and take it from there. If the bike is repairable see if the insurance company will cut you the check instead of a body shop. It doesn't sound too bad, just cosmetic damage. You should be able to straighten out the front forks by loosening up the triple tree and twisting on the handle bars. I've had to do that a couple times , the rest of the damage is just paint, liights and a tank. He!! you rode it home didn't you so the bike can't be that badly damaged. Glade to hear you didn't get hurt and was able to get back on the steel horse for the ride home.

glad you're ok man! i laid mine down as well, and then the mods started!!

turn signals can be had @ cycle gear online for 20 bucks a set, they won't be og suzuki but who cares?

if u like the rat look, jb weld the hole in your tank, or buy a used replacement! if u do, i'll probably buy the wrecked one just to have another tank to work on

throw a better set of bars on there, go older style buck or find another set of drag bars

u wanna put a sportster muffler on anyway, so no worries

headlights can be had on here or ebay

ummmmm that's all i can think of...i was goin around 55 on mine then went airborne....savage indeed!!

Glad your ok.. a good lesson in always wearing your gear

Wild to hear you rode it home...47 miles!

Steering all out of whack and a leaky gas tank, pretty amazed you and the bike made it home.

Whatever happens with the bike/insurance a MC rider you have remained.

If you decide to fix it up you can get your original
savage Parts cheap at an online store called "pinwall
Motorcycle". Its a bike chop/parts warehouse in ohio
That sells mostly through ebay, check em' out!

Good luck. [/quote]
I have shopped Pinwall with good results- and they have, in stock, anything you need,

Before throwing lotsa dough into (or at ) it, have a shop check out the frame & esp the top of the steering for cracks or stress....sometimes it takes a while for a serious issue to work it way into the open.  Glad you are okay.

Trippah wrote on 04/04/10 at 17:02:32:




Absolutely correct.  Microscopic stress cracks invisible to your eyes can exist within the metal as a result of an accident.  As you continue to stress the metal by riding, the cracks can slowly or quickly increase in size and that can lead to catastrophic failure.  Magnafluxing will reveal these stress cracks.