Storm Doris Damage help needed

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Good evening

About three weeks ago I purchased a 2014 NC750X DCT.  On the Doris storm day I decided not to take the bike to work as usual and drove the car.  When I returned home the bike was on its side!

I got the bike up and visually checked the bike and found the right control was cracked and would need sorting out.  Along with a couple of cosmetic bits it did not look to bad.  When the bike went over the steering lock was on and when I checked things the right hand mirror now catches the screen, and the lower fork yoke was touching the radiator when on full lock to the right.  I think the yokes have been pushed out of square due to the impact on the end of the handle bar.

So to be careful I got the garage to collect the bike and tell me what the damage was.  It went back to the same garage I purchased from.  I thought including labour we would see a bill around £7-900 pounds which I was willing to push through the insurance.

The assessment made by the garage was £6100.

More than I paid for the bike 3 weeks ago.

I spoke with the service manager about it and due to there being some damage to the frame where the steering lock impacted on it when it fell, they said they must replace the frame!

The frame is not damaged in any other way,  not a scratch anywhere.  When it went over it had a cover on and so from what I can see this is the damage

Possible bent handle bars

RH control cracked in half

RH Clutch cover scuffed

RH Oil Filter cover scuffed

RH bar end scuffed

I did not run the bike, just leaving it for oil and liquids to settle and find their way back to where they should be.  I did turn the key and check electrics and everything was still ok.

The garage said they HAVE to return the bike to SHOWROOM condition so on the appraisal is indicators and parts that were not damaged in the fall.  At this time I have not spoken with the insurers and have asked the garage to give me a price to get it back running.  Most of the cosmetic stuff I can do myself.  It was the out of line yokes that caused me some concern

 

Any thoughts

 

[Tonyj 6,907]

Does sound a bit ott for a drop . I crashed my blade at about 30 mph years ago and the bars on full lock hit the stop on the left side lock stop . Fella stripped the front end off, had my forks trued , Ali welded the stop and re profiled it . They then reassembled the bike with new yokes just in case . He even straightened the bracket for the fairing stay , fitted new plastics and the bill was about £1800 if I remember rightly.

what a royal pia for such a minor thing. I did the same by taking the car to work that day and I left the cover off of the bike to save the same thing happening to me also parked against a wall, just in case .

[Guest bonekicker]

Is the bike on finance ? with Honda ? if so I can see why they want to bring it back to show room condition--but not at that over priced estimate--- I dont see it costing more than-- the amount you thought of £700 - £900 inc labour--you can do it a lot cheaper yourself if capable---let us know how you get on please and I hope you get it sorted soon. 

[Tex 36,817]

Well, it seems you have two choices. Let the insurance company write the bike off and buy yourself a replacement with the money they pay you (is what I would do, you haven't had the bike long enough to have formed an emotional attachment to it, it's hardly 'one of the family') or try and find a repairer who will quote only to repair/replace the minimum needed.

 

FWIW, the repair to the lock stops on the frame needs doing properly and by a skilled welder/engineer. Remember that they are part of the MOT test and a bodged repair could have dire consequences down the line.

 

Good luck.

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Thanks all for the comments

I guess in hind sight putting the cover on the bike was the worst idea!

But not having been on a bike for over ten years I have a bit of catching up to do when it comes to protecting the bike ready for a storm.

The bike is paid for, no finance on it.  It also had a load of extras on it so looking for another one is going to be a real hassle.  It was lowered with fender extenders on front and back and centre stand and some bling bits like brake lever and bar ends.  I have to say it has not take very long to become attached to it.  Its the best bike I've ridden due tot he DCT.  I will hassle the garage on Monday to find out what they will charge to get it running.  There labour rate is £80 per hour !!

[Mikdent 4,070]

Holy Moly! What a crap bit of luck you've had there Bart. 

 

Such a big bill for a simple 'drop' of the bike, bummer.

 

I had my Suzuki RF go over In the wind like that but luckily it fell off of a concrete hard standing onto the grass and caused no damage, luckily.

 

Best of luck with the situation Bart, be sure to keep us posted on any developments. 

[djsb 493]

Pity you aren't nearer to Maidstone as you could probably get some advice off Maidstone Motoliners. I asked them about my bent LH lock stop and did not get a reply. But this was maybe because mine is not as badly bent (forks do not touch the radiator but come a bit closer than the RH side) and hopefully it will pass the MOT. You could also try ST Motorcycle Engineering near Grantham. They do frame straightening and I recently got the damage on my front wheel welded up and painted by them.

[PoppetM 16,907]

Have to confess, I didn't realise having the cover on could do that and I put a lock through my cover to prevent it going. I park on it's centrestand, and in high wind I usually watch nervously as if it went over what's it going to hit...yep probably my car!

 

never thought that the cover could be enough to be a parachute. But then they don't teach you that when you do your test!

 

Lesson learned, in future do not cover it high winds....sorry you suffered the damage!

[Mikdent 4,070]

I'd still cover a bike in windy conditions, the trick is to completely wrap it in a long length of elastic to keep the whole cover tight to the bike. 

[Tonyj 6,907]

I'd say your better off not covering in the high winds as it just amplifies the force. I'm mindful of road camber and what way the wind is whistling past me when I'm parking by flats even in town . Seen to many bikes on there sides 

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Dear all

I chatted to the service manager at the garage when he told me the frame needed replacing.  It was a bit of shock so I needed to understand their reasoning behind it.  This was the answer.  The frame if it has ANY damage or POTENTIAL damage will be highlighted for replacement due to the potential of on going issues that may arise.  I asked if the frame was out of shape and the answer was NO.  Was there damage to the paint work.  NO.  It was a case of them seeing some wear/damage and having to highlight it for repair or replacement.  The thing for me is this is a second hand bike.  I know its only a couple of years old but I am sure there was some marks and nicks here and there.  Some of them I know about.  They seem to want to bring the bike back to a new condition and does not seem correct.  The 'assessment' showed a part that didn't need replacing.  I removed the RH plastic cover from the clutch side as it was scuffed.  I wanted to see if the ally cover behind was damaged.  Not a mark on it.  This has been highlighted for change but the outer plastic cover has not been high lighted for change?  The little cover over the extra oil filter was of course highlighted, as was the filter?  This bike was serviced three weeks ago by the same garage.

 

I have until a month ago not ridden a bike for over ten years.  My last bike was a fazer 600.  I found this a bit of an animal.  But the NC is like wearing a well fitting glove.  It may only be 3 weeks from having the bike but it is definitely part of my family.  I even bought some heated grips.  My last bike only came out when it was dry.  This one I want to ride regardless of the weather.  The first week riding to work was through floods.  It was so sure footed.

 

It is really a pia!!

 

Bart. 

[Rev Ken 6,347]

If you insurance firm write it off and you replace it, could you buy it back from them and strip all your extras, or even take time to repair it at your leisure?

 

Or at least before it is scrapped take all the extras off it for your new bike.

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Just realised there is an after market exhaust as well.

I think Monday night I will need to sit down and make a decision.

Do you think there is any mileage is talking with the insurers about the 'assessment' from the garage?

At the moment they are waiting for me to respond.

[Tex 36,817]

Bob, in your original post you said..

 

"I spoke with the service manager about it and due to there being some damage to the frame where the steering lock impacted on it when it fell, they said they must replace the frame!"

 

Then, later, you're saying there's NO damage to the frame. Which is it? It has to be one or the other, can't be both!

 

If the fork is now touching the radiator on full lock it does sound as though the lock stop on the frame has been damaged (obviously I can't be certain without seeing the bike) and that will need careful repair.

 

You could talk to your insurance company and say that you don't want the machine restored to better condition than it was when you bought it - you may need to repeat that a few times because that's exactly what most people DO want and, for some reason, expect. But if the lock stops are damaged I imagine they would want the frame replaced which will cost more than the bike is worth.

 

 

 

[Guest sykospain]

I bought my then-belovéd R1100S back from the Insurance after they'd paid-out for it being thieved.  It took a month for plod to find the bike after I'd kicked up a most enormous fuss, including having journalist pals at the time, who kindly wrote articles in the regional press about how the cops always never bother to get off their fat arses to look for a stolen bike, saying "Oh, it'll be on a boat to Africa by now..."

They no longer have the budgets, nor, sadly, the inclination to do anything other than radar motorists and give burglary victims a Crime Number.....

 

Everybody on this Forum can sympathise with how enamoured you are with the NC, so by a similar token to the above,  I imagine that it's not beyond the bounds of possibility to get your Insurance to write-off the bike and then buy it back from them so you can fettle it yourself.  But in any event, I'd be tempted to totally forget about dealing with your current garage.

Are they wild-eyed Amish with big beards and worry-beads perchance ?

Edited March 5, 2017 by sykospain

[Bart Stilgo 428]

I was going to ask the garage if the bike would pass an MOT.  Maybe that would get an answer about the condition of the steering lock.  The first MOT is due September  I thought there may be some issue with the frame shape.  I really don't know what the damage or what ever it is the garage have seen.  I wish I knew.  Again tomorrow I will ask more questions and maybe this time I wont be in shock!

I've tried to find some images of the steering lock and how it works to try and understand more fully.  When the bike went over it had the steering lock on and the disc lock on.  I removed both before up righting the bike.  When back upright and after checking the electrics I just put the steering lock back on.  There were no issues with it getting it to work.

 

 

[Guest sykospain]

Like i said - take the bike to a different mechanic's workshop.  A trusted, experienced mechanic with alocal reputation for excellence and fair dealing.  They   d  o   exist !

[djsb 493]

Why not get an independent engineer report. That's what I did and he is the person that spotted the bent lock stop on my bike. I paid £100 for the report and he came to the same conclusion about the bike being beyond economic repair (the quote for repair also included a completely new frame). The engineers report from the insurance company was even more expensive as they assumed the bike had a full frontal impact whereas it had dropped on it's left at very low speed. In the end, my insurance settlement has paid for all of the repair work, but in my case, a third party was involved.

[Tex 36,817]

Bob, If the forks hit the radiator it will fail an MOT. The question is, what needs to be done to stop that happening.

 

I think you're confusing the ignition/steering lock (that operates with the key) with the 'steering lock' (the amount the handlebars can be turned from side to side). There are 'lock stops' built into the frame which stop the handlebars (and forks) from turning too far and coming into contact with other things (fuel tank, radiator etc). It sounds (to me) as though they are damaged which is why the garage wants to change the frame. Ask them if that is, indeed, the case. And then we'll all know!

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Tex.  Thanks for your tech knowledge.  I thought (maybe wrongly) that because the ignition lock was active (and didn't break) that neither lock stops would have been contacted.  I have some photos of the bike when I got it back up right.  Perhaps I should add these.  None of the ignition lock though. 

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Update on Doris Damage to NC750

 

Well Monday came and went and on Tuesday I got a second 'assessment' to put right the parts needed to get the bike back on the road.  Priced at nearly £1k

On the list of parts is the lower yoke that they are insistent must be replaced.  I think Tex has a point about being attached to the bike maybe I need to let go and get on and claim and let the insurance sort out the mess.

I know there are ways of sorting this out and other garages that would take a look and put it back together for a lot less money.  But my intentions were to go for trouble free two wheel riding spending more on a newer bike. 

I've given the insurers the original assessment and will follow this through and see what happens

My outstanding grievance is how expensive it is when a motorbike gets blown over!

At this time I don't want another NC.  Maybe I need some stories of how good the bikes are.

Anyway.  Thanks all for comments and thoughts and if you want to buy a newish looking white NC750X that will be written off fairly soon the insurers are Marble Arch

[Hamish 334]

Can it be that the lowered yoke causes the fork to touch the radiator anyway and its not due to its falling over? Just asking the experts really.

 

Bikes seem to fall over a lot from stand still without any real damage.

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Well got the insurance assessment today and yes they agree with the original assessment from the garage and have written the bike off.  Down to the damage on the lower fork yoke and the frame.

So I will wait for a value to arrive.

I gotta say I am not sure if I want another if this is what happens when it falls over.

[Bart Stilgo 428]

Storm Doris has gone the better weather is now here and I have been paid out and managed to find another black NC DCT and will be picking it up on Saturday with a nice 150 mile ride home

I got a full payout (less excess) from the insurers with no haggle.  Although the assessor was keen to try and mend the bike he agreed with Bridge Garage that the frame damage was too significant to risk putting the bike back on the road.

The insurers also payed out for the lock that was on the bike too.

I managed to find a newer style NC for about an extra £500 so thought it was a good deal for a 2016 with 360 miles on the clock.  The suspension will be lowered and it has already got a centre stand fitted.  So all looks good.

Oh insurance.  I thought I might get a high premium but low and behold an extra £40 which seems fair for a newer bike and less mileage.  Funny thing happened when buying the insurance.  I did not want any voluntary excess so lowered it from the standard £100 to zero AND the quote went down £10!!

 

One thing did raise its head over the falling over incident.  The white NC was lowered but no change was made to the side stand.  Maybe this had some impact so now I have a new bike arriving with a lowering kit on it and the side stand still the original length.  Get it sorted out??  Or is retrospective wisdom enough to keep things upright.

 

Cheers all.  Enjoy the weather.

[Tex 36,817]

Don't use a standard length side stand on a machine that's been lowered! It holds the bike too upright and there's a massive risk of it falling over..