Dropped Bike

matdaymon

matdaymon

Forum Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Messages
86
Location
New Zealand
Car Year
NA
Car Model
1997 SF5A Forester T/TB
Transmission
4EAT
Well this is neither what I've done to my imaginary car and it didn't happen today, but on Monday I managed to drop (read:crash) my motorbike while in the middle of Auckland rush hour traffic on the Southern Motorway.

You can read most of the details here (ignore the sensationalist title, my editor made me do it) but what I wasn't able to write there was that a woman pulled out in front of me with minimal indication to 'nip into a gap' as I approached said gap. I emergency braked but due to wet conditions the front wheel locked up and down I went.
The bike landed on my leg that appears to have changed colour to a custom shade of purple and my bike is all but officially written off :mad:

So I'm waiting for insurance to be finalised and hopefully my protective gear will be replaced as well. Dunno if I'll be buying another bike right away. No idea what I want and will have piss all money once the finance company takes the balance of my loan so a bit in a ****ty situation.

Bright side is it might push up my Forester plan a bit since I'm reasonably sorted on the bike front thanks to work, and my fiancee isn't particularly keen for me to be back commuting daily in the winter weather at the moment.

So fingers crossed that there are no more issues and I can go vehicle shopping soon.
 
What a bugger, Mat :puke:.

Glad that you are OK, even if shaken and stirred.

Your insurance (actually, hers ... ) should cover your protective gear under the general indemnity provisions of your policy.
 
Ratbag said:
What a bugger, Mat :puke:.

Glad that you are OK, even if shaken and stirred.

Your insurance (actually, hers ... ) should cover your protective gear under the general indemnity provisions of your policy.
Click to expand...

Thanks RB - My insurance covers my gear to $1000 anyway but that'll basically replace the helmet, gloves and boots and I'll have to fork out for the rest.

Unfortunately the cops weren't involved, I was in shock and the woman who pulled out in front of me was taking her husband in for chemo and rushed off after giving me her name and phone number so it's my word against hers. In retrospect I should have called the cops but it has been a completely new experience I was in over my head.

Now I'm starting to look at 20G powered turbo SF's since they are the most affordable Foresters out there since they are common as muck in NZ. Most have 200,000km or more though so will be interesting how much work I bring upon myself.
 
If necessary, advertise for the witnesses ...

However, you never know. There are honest people left in the world! I happen to believe that they are in the majority, regardless of the relentless stream of BS we are fed by the media about all the horrors that occur.
 
Thankfully one of the chaps who helped scrape me off the motorway offered to be a witness so I presume he's on my side.
Should find out Tuesday/Wednesday what the official call from the insurance company.
 
That's good, Mat.

Also fantastic that all those people came to your aid.
 
Damn that's not ideal Matt, I can understand how you feel though! Tomorrow I'm off to pick up my Foz and take it to the wreckers. Sad day.
The quote to fix it was $4000 for the body alone, it needs a new RHS from the C pillar back to the taillight (bodywork is actually pushed back into the light) as well as mirror, glass, 2 doors and a fender, plus the plastic trim. As well, the fuel filler has been displaced backwards so all that needed to be cut out and replaced too. Simply not economic to do.
I'll see how much it's worth as a wreck - if it's too little I may consider parting it out myself as the suspension is near-new (apart from the ruined front struts). Damn.

I really can't recommend having full insurance enough, this whole ordeal has left me considerably out of pocket.
 
Rotten things happen, KF.

kiwifoz said:
I really can't recommend having full insurance enough, this whole ordeal has left me considerably out of pocket.
Click to expand...

When I was about 40 years younger, I nearly backed into a Silver Shadow Rolls in my Landcruiser deep well ute ... :(

Just a new driver's side door was about $4,500 ...

Right about then, I was exceedingly pleased that I had third party property damage insurance ... :poke: :lol:.
 
Well my bike is a write off and my leg is still purple and sore, but the swelling and bruising has finally started going down.
I'll find out in the next couple of days how much I've got left once the finance company takes it's cut. Then will start Foz shopping as the better half is naturally quite anxious about me getting another bike during winter. Guess there is a silver lining.

kiwifoz said:
I really can't recommend having full insurance enough, this whole ordeal has left me considerably out of pocket.
Click to expand...

Damn, so you're not getting paid out for the damage the numpty did to your Foz? Don't imagine a wrecker would give you too much for it, at least not what would be ideal.
 
kiwifoz said:
I'll see how much it's worth as a wreck - if it's too little I may consider parting it out myself as the suspension is near-new (apart from the ruined front struts).
Click to expand...

You might do better putting it on "fleabay". I was trading a car on a Foz three years ago and blew the head gasket the night before. I was only going to get $800-900 as trade in, in running order. The wreckers would pay me tops $300 and sold it on fleabay for over $1,300 even though I clearly stated the head gasket was blown.
 
NachaLuva said:
matdaymon, very glad a witness came forward! :biggrin:

KiwiFoz, are you getting another Subie?
Click to expand...

I wish I was but I took a test drive in an SH and disliked it. Didn't drive anything like my SG, felt like a truck crossed with Dad's 2007 MY08 Impreza that he used to have. As well, I really wanted something with a better low-range gear as I find the 1.19:1 not enough... Even 1.59 wouldn't be enough for NZ tracks as they're pretty damn steep and the last thing you want to be doing is riding the brakes down a narrow, off-camber muddy track bulldozed into the side of a 70-degree slope... I've done this in my SG and it was pretty nerve-wracking when I locked the front wheels up and the ABS kicked in, causing me to release the brakes and go down rather faster than I would have liked. Thank God there was a run-out. Went down in Dad's Pathfinder in low 1st without a problem (2.61:1 DR). Not to mention I've had to tackle uphill obstacles faster than I'd like to have as well...

I've actually bought a Grand Vitara instead. 2:1 reduction, locking centre diff, 47:53 front:rear AWD (great on gravel:lildevil:), locking centre diff and traction control to stop me getting crossed up. Much better approach and departure angles than an SH and better ramp-over due to the larger tyres they run (it's on 225/70r17 D697s currently).
I would have liked another Subie but to get another SG and mod it with diffs/1.59/DCCD is not in my mechanical ability or time to do so unfortunately. And the SHs were a bit out of my price range, especially considering I didn't really like how it drove (understeery and very soft suspension) and it really needs a 1.59/DCCD conversion to work offroad, not to mention the smalle tyre size compared to the Vitara.

Logic has prevailed, it seems. Damn.

I'll see how much the wrecker offers and probably chuck it on TradeMe (NZ copy of eBay) after they offer me bugger-all.

And yes, I didn't get paid out for the Forester in full.
 
^ I know what you mean about the SH, KF ...

Fortunately, SWMBO prefers her car to mine, but I FAR prefer my SG to her SH.

A friend has a 2.7L V6 Grand Vitara. Good vehicle, just doesn't handle like the Subies, but that's just a matter of driving the particular car as it is meant to be driven.

Doesn't matter what car you have, if you drive it outside its design parameters, you will end up in strife!

Hope you get a good price for your wreck, one way or another.
 
Yeah when the front end goes your on the ground before you know you are in trouble. You are lucky with your leg how you did not break a bone with all that bruising is a miracle.

Was the damage to the bike just handle bars fairings and exhaust or did the frame crack as well. When I dropped mine it hit an island and a sign and was a complete right off.

Luck you were able to walk away from it.
 
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