Blue Book Blues

[Sirplus]

Hello, have a question about what is reasonable in settling a claim on my XS11. Last week I was rear ended on the way home from work. The rear of the bike has a bent under fender, cut tire, bent seat frame and the luggage rack knocked out of it's bracket. When it went down, the left side got tore up a bit, the Jardine 4 to 2 is bent, the tank scratched and dented, side cover gouged and the spark plug and wire broken. The car is insured and has accepted liability and should be ready to settle on Monday. The Kelly Blue Book shows $1215 which unless I donate all the labor (really don't want to) will not be enough to put the bike back the way it was. I am looking to have reasonable terms in mind when negotiating. I am inclined to tell them to jump on Craigslist and buy me another XS11 in good condition regardless of price or have a shop fix my bike. I am also under the impression that my helmet, riding jacket, pants and shoes will be replaced as well. I have an office job, so did not miss any work while hobbling around all week, so am not looking for any injury claims, just want an XS11 I can ride again.

[SFSPECBIKER79]

book

thats the way it is with owning old bikes and autos. if you have alot invested its your bad luck. it really sucks. the book price is real close to right. but the tax value on mine is 1100 dollars. hope you are ok from the accident.

[CatatonicBug]

It depends on what kind of insurance you had on the bike. I have an Agreed Value term (raises the cost of the policy) so I valued the bike at $2500. However, if you don't have that, you'll be lucky to get the book value for it.

Glad you're still here to talk about it though!

[Jamie]

It depends on what kind of insurance you had on the bike. I have an Agreed Value term (raises the cost of the policy) so I valued the bike at $2500. However, if you don't have that, you'll be lucky to get the book value for it.

I agree, I too have an agreed upon amount for insurance on some of my other bikes. Insurance company will just require copies of all the receipts if there have been upgrades and modifications to the bike to bring the value over the blue book. Well worth it if it's a really nice bike. Just my .02

[Sirplus]

Thanks, I just have liability on my bike, so will be taking what I can get from the other guy. If blue book is the standard, then I will take it and be glad. I paid $1500 3 years ago, put some Metzlers on and have been riding daily in good weather ever since. P.S. those riding jackets with the foam pads in them are sweet thx

[Incubus]

It used to be that when you took the donation for a car as a deduction on your tax returns you did not use book value. You could deduct the sales price (or asking price) of three vehicles of the same year, make, model and condition. You needed three similar examples. From what I see people around here are asking when they sell their running XSes, blue book is very much on the low end.

If this were my bike I would search around the internet and find out what other folks are selling their bikes for. I would then argue to the insurance company that I was entitled to replacement value as represented by these prices.

Or you could try to get the improvements to the bike along with the blue book, but they are also just as likely to give you access to the bike to remove aftermarket parts, not the value of the parts in cash.

JMHO.

Patrick

[b.walker5]

Sorry to hear of your mishap, but your okay, which is the main thing.

I too have 'agreed' value on my bike, (and cars) and my policy also includes my riding gear, so i would absolutely be claiming on the helmet and riding gear. Helmets should be replaced after 'any' impact.

What happens here, and i assume there, is an assessor inspects and decides if the vehicle is repaired or written off. To write it off, the repairs have to exceed the insured value, or the required new parts are no longer available and second hand parts cant be found in reasonable condition. The use of second hand parts is restricted to cosmetic or body panel items only. Structural and mechanical parts must be new.

If no agreed value exists then the market rate is what decides the value. (we have a red book, not a blue one)

[petejw]

glad to hear ypour ok,

jat, if they do right the bike off,
suss out and see if you can keep the bike,
if nothing else will make good for parts.

[jetmechmarty]

This happened to me while driving my favorite old car. I had the wreck brought to my house. The adjuster came prepared to write me a check for $200 as repairs would cost far beyond the value of my car. We agreed that he would pay me $20 per hour to fix my own car after he called the salvage yard to price parts. We shook hands and everybody went away happy. I fixed the car myself and drove it several more years.

As they say, "YMMV".

[natemoen]

This happened to me while driving my favorite old car. I had the wreck brought to my house. The adjuster came prepared to write me a check for $200 as repairs would cost far beyond the value of my car. We agreed that he would pay me $20 per hour to fix my own car after he called the salvage yard to price parts. We shook hands and everybody went away happy. I fixed the car myself and drove it several more years.

As they say, "YMMV".

Now thats a new one! I like that a lot!

[fredintoon]

- - - The car is insured and has accepted liability and should be ready to settle on Monday. The Kelly Blue Book shows $1215 which unless I donate all the labor (really don't want to) will not be enough to put the bike back the way it was. I am looking to have reasonable terms in mind when negotiating. - - -

Hi Sirplus,
to get what's fair, your bike fixed up to be as it was and your riding gear made good, sue the bastards for $50,000 for shock & trauma and hope they'll settle for the ~$4,000 you'll need.

[oldyam80sg]

Years ago i was going to work on a Sunday and a driver did a u-turn in front of me causing me to go down.I broke the turn signals and scratched some metal parts and had cuts on my legs and arms. I also missed time from work and had to go to the ER to have gravel removed from my arms.The police ticketed the driver and i found out he was unlicensed and had no insurance-Too bad,contacted a lawyer and went to court where he had to pay all my hospital bills,the damage to the bike,2 days lost pay,and got 550.00 pain and suffering.Lawyer costs were not too bad and i got lucky.The judge did want estimates how much was damaged and took the highest estimate.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

You are in control

Hello, have a question about what is reasonable in settling a claim on my XS11. Last week I was rear ended on the way home from work. The rear of the bike has a bent under fender, cut tire, bent seat frame and the luggage rack knocked out of it's bracket. When it went down, the left side got tore up a bit, the Jardine 4 to 2 is bent, the tank scratched and dented, side cover gouged and the spark plug and wire broken. The car is insured and has accepted liability and should be ready to settle on Monday. The Kelly Blue Book shows $1215 which unless I donate all the labor (really don't want to) will not be enough to put the bike back the way it was. I am looking to have reasonable terms in mind when negotiating. I am inclined to tell them to jump on Craigslist and buy me another XS11 in good condition regardless of price or have a shop fix my bike. I am also under the impression that my helmet, riding jacket, pants and shoes will be replaced as well. I have an office job, so did not miss any work while hobbling around all week, so am not looking for any injury claims, just want an XS11 I can ride again.

You are "hobbling around" from no fault of your own, your bike is jacked from no fault of your own. Go to the hospital or at least your doctor and get help for the "hobbling" Talk to the insurance Co. with a "one time offer" of paying your med bills and whatever "you" feel is a fair price to fix your bike at no expence or labor to you (sounds like $2,500.00 will take care of the bike) Tell them you are no legal expert but you are planning to get some legal advice if they feel it is not fair so can can learn your rights and what is fair by the law, You should have a check in two days, if not, call a lawer and you will get much more

[DiverRay]

Here in California, I KNOW the insurance companies AND the "law" does not play well with bikes! You MUST have them pay for ALL medical, plus at LEAST $250 per day that you "hobble". Get checked out buy a Dr. if you have not done so. Give the Dr. the insurance company of the driver who hit you and have him bill them directly.
As far as the bike, DEMAND a replacement bike!! Make them find one with the same mileage and accessories that you bike had. You can then offer to buy back your old bike for a small part of the settlement, about $150 is usually fair for a bike that has been rear ended that bad.
If the insurance does NOT want to agree to this, tell them you will be getting a lawyer, and DO SO as quickly as possible. 33% seems to be the "normal" take for most good lawyers, so you will need to up the ante buy at lest that amount when you talk to your lawyer about a settlement. It is the last resort, but some companies just don't seem to get it.
Hope you recover soon!

[Sirplus]

Thanks all for weighing in on this issue with your insights. I have looked at the injury aspect differently in the past, but you present strong arguments to support an injury settlement. Initially, this was a hit and run. While I was being helped up from under the bike I noticed the guy that hit me staring at me from behind the wheel. When he hit the gas I tried to focus on the license plate and was able to scratch it (most of it) in the dirt before having to lay down to get my wind back. During the clean up and police report process I declined medical attention, tow trucks, fire and rescue, etc as I could only imagine the charges. About 4 hours later, the police came by, the license number was close enough to find the car. The driver had no license, was two weeks out of prison and had borrowed the car from the owner. The owner and driver made statements and accepted responsibility when confronted with the evidence that included the car's turn signal assembly left at the scene. This is pretty common in Stockton, so the only surprise was the the car had a policy that was active. Will speak with the adjuster tomorrow and see what they are prepared to do to get me back on the road.