Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Bikepool is mortally wounded...

So apparently, giving my bike a "Deadpool" paint job did NOT bestow the character's mutant ability to heal any injury.
I got put into a ditch Friday coming home from work. I'm okay, though pretty sore (I think I took a bar end to the chest). I even managed to ride the rest of the way home, thanks to a couple guys on dualsports that stopped to check on me, and help get her out of the ditch.
Engine runs okay still, lights and everything works.
Tank has three big dents in it, heel/toe shifter is J-shaped, left turn signal and clutch housing are bent, headlight bucket is dented and the light is loose in the bucket, rear signal/brake assembly is bent and loose. Front and rear fenders are scraped to hell, but the worst thing is that my fork legs are twisted a few degrees left.
Haven't filed with the insurance yet, doing that tonight.
I'm worried that needing a fork replacement will make it expensive enough to total the bike.
I think I'm saddest about the paint job that my buddy and I put so much time and care into.

Insurance wrote off my 07 last year and it just had a standard paint job. I feel for you that is a crying shame.

Darn shame. I remember when I was a young man putting a "custom" paint job on my bike with a rattle can and a paint brush. I didn't wait long enough for the paint to dry and had to show it off to my relatives. It lasted about 8 hours and then I splashed some gas out of the cap and totally ruined hours of work!

sorry to hear that, Eric. depending on how you go, you can probably get a lot of parts on here to get her back to how she was. man, a bar end to the chest does not sound like much fun at all!

Sorry to hear that .

'I got put into a ditch ' sounds like there is more story to it.

Glad you are ok even if a little sore.

I have a friend that bought an older America last year that the engine was shot in. He has been parting it out. Bet he has the forks and more.

Message me if you want me to get you his number.

Bill, thank you. I'm waiting on the insurance assessment, but if they don't total it out, it would be great to source a fork at something less than dealer prices, because holy crap.

There's a little more to the story, but it's not even a very good one. I was coming home from work, taking the county highway to avoid the interstate parking lot. Guy in a pickup in front of me suddenly locked up his brakes. I panic-braked and headed for the shoulder to miss him. Then he fishtailed right and it was either truck bumper or ditch. It was only like three feet deep but the front wheel dug into the dirt at bottom and slammed the front end hard over and I slid to a stop on my left side. Of course, by the time I got up, truck dude was a mile down the road.
Could have been worse. I could have gotten a faceful of Chevy bumper...
Got home and my wife immediately took me to the ER, because wife. Chest X-ray and CAT scan (helmet was scratched up on the side) and I'm okay.
And oh yeah, Happy 10th Anniversary babe, instead of a romantic candlelight dinner, let's sit in a crowded ER. At least I wasn't bringing home flowers and gifts, I had all that delivered earlier

Although not how you would have preferred it you spent it with your beloved. Hope you can get back in the saddle soon.

Well it looks like it's going to be a total loss. The one bit of damage I missed seeing is a bent fork stop tab on the frame just below the neck. For all practical purposes it could get heated up and bent back - but of course that's not considered a safe and proper repair so it's a frame replacement. Sending repair costs rocketing waaaay past the value.
I do have to say Progressive is treating me pretty well, and living up to their commercials - the claim agent handling the case, the adjuster, and everybody else I've dealt with are motorcycle riders.
No deductible, they're paying out almost $3k for accessories and gear, and they're going to get a quote from a fancy custom bike builder place on what they would charge to design and complete a similar paint job to mine, and add that to the bike's overall value for what they pay out.

I'm keeping it. Wife wants me to get a brand new bike as a replacement, but I'm also keeping the America as a project. Haven't decided yet if I'm going to do a rebuild with the stock frame or use the motor and electricals in a new chopper/bobber frame but she will live again.

man I just tossed a good frame in the scrap pile a few weeks ago... I have a set of speedmaster forks if you decide to go that route

Check carefully that the fork legs are bent. They may just be twisted and simply need reclamping.

Update - they did total it out and a check is on the way. Minus the $675 "salvage value" because I'm keeping it. I'm not mad, I have way more than that worth of motor and parts for a bobber build, which is what I'm doing at some point.
In the meantime, I have become the proud owner of a 2019 Bonneville Speedmaster in Cranberry Red. I spent about 10 minutes looking online at Triumph's current lineup (and 2 minutes looking at Indian's) and maybe 30 seconds sitting on it to make that decision. Didn't even test ride, I just knew she was a worthy successor. I pick her up Saturday.
And shout out to Cascade Moto Classics in Beaverton, Oregon for being as wonderful as they are. There's a reason I drove 146 miles (one way) to get a bike there, when there's a Triumph dealer here in Seattle.

Sweet, let us know how you like the new Speedy! I'm looking to go that route soon, my Tbird is feeling heavier and heavier.

Eric congrats!