| Author | Message | ||
     Ethanr  |
(Cross-posted from KV/Crashes and Mishaps) Lost my XB12S this week. A guy in an F-150 lost control and crossed my lane directly in front of me, hitting the median barrier just about head-on. I had less than 10 feet to get on the brakes and went down when the front tire hit the side of his truck...as he careened back out into traffic. Lessons learned: 1. Gear up! My helmet was destroyed and my leathers took a beating, but I walked away unharmed except for the inevitable sore muscles the next day. I don't always wear full gear...will now! 2. Space, space, space. In traffic you can't always create a good space barrier around you. In this case I could have, as traffic was light, but I wasn't paying attention to this guy. I should have either passed him quickly or backed off, as our speeds were too similar for our proximity. 3. Dirt experience pays off on the street. I'm glad I knew how to ride and get off a falling/sliding bike because my left footpeg and shifter were torn off...could have been my foot. 4. Wear your seatbelt. The pickup driver wasn't, and broke an ankle and at least his nose according to the EMTs. Now it's just a matter of settling the insurance and saving pennies for my next Buell! | ||
| Bb13 |
My sympathies to you. Thank god it was just the bike that got totaled and not you. maybe I'm just mean spirited but I think it was a small amount of justice that the truck driver busted himself up as well. Just out of curiosity was he on a cell phone when he lost control? I find that most of my close calls in the city or highway have a cell phone lurking in the shadows. Again glad you're OK, and hope the rest of your holidays go much smoother. | ||
| Ingemar  |
Glad to hear you're oke. | ||
| SouthernMarine  |
Glad to hear your okay Ethanr. How's the bike? Hope you don't have too much damage. | ||
| Daves |
Glad to hear that you are OK. | ||
| Tucsonxb9s  |
That sucks! I know what you're talking about when it comes to traffic, especially this time of year in AZ. The snow birds are here in full force and NONE of them pay attention! Yesterday I'm in the left turn lane waiting to make a u-turn. I'm watching the oncoming two lanes of traffic with another turn lane directly in front of me. There is quite a bit of traffic coming at me at about 40-45 mph. The lead car in the middle lane is almost to me when he decides to come to a complete stop. He had realized that he wanted to turn left but had missed the turn lane. In the meantime cars are locking their brakes behind him and swerving around him! Oblivious to the whole thing, he proceeds to make his left turn into the parking lot and drives away. All I could do was shake my head. Be careful out there guys, especially if you live in a warm climate this time of year! The blue hairs are out to get ya! Sorry to hear about your bike Ethan. Glad to hear you're okay! | ||
| Jabrien00  |
sorry to hear about the mishap | ||
| Ted  |
bummer. Why would you need to save up $$ ,if the other guys insurance is covering you ? | ||
| Shred  |
Glad your o.k ! What's the damage on the bike ? | ||
| Dj_rider  |
glad to hear your ok, i know the feeling of seeing a mangled buell, its not a pretty site  | ||
| Rooster2168  |
Sorry to hear about what happened, but at least your ok. The bike is replacable, you're not! | ||
| Jlnance  |
Ethan - Glad you didn't get banged up any worse than you did. That must have scared the hell out of you. | ||
| Blake  |
Glad you are okay! Don't forget to claim helmet and leathers too. And going new bike shopping during the Winter ain't a bad deal eh?  | ||
| Ethanr |
Thanks for the support, guys. I'll try to respond to all at once. Bb13 - No, the guy wasn't on a phone. It was raining lightly, and in AZ that turns too many drivers' brains to mush. Southern/Shred - I've got a feeling USAA's going to total it because of frame damage. Buy those pucks! They were next on my list. Ted - At this point I'm not sure what I'll get from the insurance settlement. Definitely enough to pay off my current loan, but the replacement value may not be enough to buy the extras that I usually get when I buy a new bike...like extended warranty, service contract, etc. (I'm barely mechanical enough to change the oil.) I'll probably have enough cash to put down on a new bike alone, but I'll have to save up for the rest. Jim - Actually I wasn't scared. I don't mean that in a macho way. For one, there simply wasn't time. But more, I'm a Christian and firmly believe Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." That gives me a peace that really is supernatural. I don't mean that to sound preachy or imply that bad things don't happen to Christians...just to say I trust Him to work it out. But I agree with you--I'm really glad I wasn't hurt, too! Given the choice I'll avoid the pain every time. | ||
| Ethanr |
Blake - Hadn't thought of claiming the helmet and leathers. Thanks for the tip! I'm actually looking forward to the bike shopping once the dust clears. I really liked the XB12S, but might try to replace it with one of the R models. Does anybody think I'd be disappointed with a stock 9 after having the 12? I"ve got to start hunting through old 9 vs. 12 threads. | ||
| Forcebuell |
glad you're ok! | ||
| Aldaytona  |
Glad you walked away, contact your extended warranty/service contract provider and you should be able to cash out of those policies for the unused portion. Good luck. | ||
| Djkaplan  |
Holy crap... | ||
| Nedwreck  |
I'm glad you're ok, Ethan, I'm sorry that you're probably going to have to listen to the "So you're giving up bikes now, aren't you?" crowd for at least the next 2 months. Man, do they ever need smackin'. Bob | ||
| Dcmortalcoil |
Ethanr, If the truck driver's insurance does not pay enough to replace your bike, if Arizona state (where the accident occurred) law permits it, you may be able to sue the truck driver for the remainder or the entire amount to replace the bike. You may want to check with your insurance company to see if they have to or will represent you for such suit, and consult with a local lawyer (look up Arizona State bar and see if they have free consultation services - sometimes a mere nominal fee). Good luck. (Message edited by dcmortalcoil on November 28, 2004) | ||
| Ethanr |
Nedwreck - I've already heard that line. Mostly from people that don't know my XB was a "2nd" bike, though I rode it more often. More than a few were surprised when I showed up to work on my Valk the next day. Thanks for all the tips, guys! I'll be talking to my USAA agent tomorrow. | ||
| U4euh |
iMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOUR OKAY, THE BIKE CAN, & SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL, BE REPLACED. i'VE RIDDEN BOTH 12R AND I OWN A 9S. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU WANT A LITTLE MORE SPEED OR A LITTLE BETTER HANDLING. ALL IN ALL PRETTY CLOSE COMPARISON ALL AROUND. GOOD LUCK WITH THE INSURANCE, REMEMBER NOT TO BE QUICK TO SETTLE. SOMETIMES IF YOU HOLD OUT A LITTLE LONGER, THEY WILL COME AROUND TO THE TERMS THAT -YOU- SET, NOT WHAT THEY WANT. GOOD LUCK | ||
| U4euh |
I KNOW I KNOW, turn my caps lock off. Sorry! | ||
| Jlnance |
I love dealing with USAA.  | ||
| Odie  |
USAA is the best by far.....they get most of my $$$$ every month it seems with all the vehicles, house, boat, trailer, 4 wheelers etc. Maybe I should get in to the insurance biz????? Odie | ||
| Ethanr |
Still up in the air. USAA's adjuster has decided he doesn't know enough about Buells on his own so he sent it to my dealer (Chandler HD/B) today for a direct estimate. Probably not a bad idea, but I'm not holding my breath. Hopefully I'll know more tomorrow. | ||
| Ethanr |
Good news, I think. Repair estimate came in significantly under replacement value, so I should be back on the XB in a couple weeks. I say good news because I'll get the bike back sooner than I could have replaced it. On the flip side, I've never had a crashed bike repaired. I've talked to the techs at my dealer (one of the mechanics is a sportbike type with multiple bikes including an XB) and they assured me *all* the damage is included in the estimate. Any advice re things I should make absolute sure of before signing on the dotted line? I know I've got to take it out for a test ride first, but anything else to look for? |
