Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Rear-ended on the bike this morning...

Let's just say I'm pretty lucky and at the moment appear to be completely fine. We'll see how sore I get before the end of the day...

Now for the story.

Today is only suppose to be in the mid-40's (F) and I debated on riding the bike or not. Obviously I decided to go ahead and ride. Got bundled up since it was only about 25f when I left home.

Ride was OK, except for getting gas and the stupid pump spilled gas all over the tank. Then there were no paper towels to clean it up.

About a block from work I enter a right-turn lane that merges directly into traffic - there is a yield sign, and since there was a car coming, I had to stop. Next thing I knew, I get hit from behind. Luckily I stay on the bike and keep it upright. Even more luck was on my side in that the car I had stopped for had passed and there was no other traffic.

The guy (kid actually) got right out and appologized. Since I appeared to be fine, I didn't see a point in causing a scene and kept my cool. Called 911, an officer arrived less than 5 minutes later, we did all the paper work, etc.

The bike appeared to be OK, but the rear fender was flat and pushed almost to the tire - it still rolled fine - I actually rode it onto the tow truck. I'm having it towed to the Triumph dealer for evaluation, since I figure the other guys insurance will be paying for it.

Turns out the other guy works for the same company I do, so I know where to find him if needed.

I'm kind of hoping I'll get a new rear tire out of this, I just ordered a front on Saturday and could use a rear as well.

Again, I'm lucky that it wasn't any worse than it was. I'm sure it wouldn't have taken much for it to have ended badly.

Glad to hear you are OK. A little shaken im sure.

Glad you're okay.

Bugger...

Glad you are ok.

Good to hear you're ok.

Glad you're okay. Sounds like its...

BOBBER TIME!!!

Hmmm, I had exactly the same thing happen to me a couple January's ago in South Carolina. Waiting at a yield before merging onto the main road, and bonk, an old guy bends in my fender. Crushed the taillight, but the bike was rideable in every other way. Glad to hear you walked away OK!

Glad to read this wasn't any worse than it was, Matt.

Now, is it me or is anybody else around here witnessing more and more bozos in both cars and riding motocycles failing to come to a complete stop before continuing their right-turns on a red lights at intersections nowdays???(which this kid in his cage behind Matt here appeared to be doing)

THIS has always REALLY p*ssed me off, especially when I'm going through an intersection on green and some IDIOT makes his right turn on red and I KNOW because he's too friggin' lazy to turn his friggin' steering wheel enough to AT LEAST stay in his now extreme right lane upon his completion of his boneheaded manuever(let alone come to a complete STOP where he SHOULD!!!), will OF COURSE swing wide into the left most lane in which OF COURSE is the lane I'd be riding through that intersection with the friggin' RIGHT OF WAY!!!!!!

As I said, THIS has always REALLY p*ssed me off TOO!!!!

(Remember folks...They're ALL idiots out there just waiting to make YOU their new hood ornament!!!)

Glad you are okay Matt. The bike can be fixed.

Good that you are safe and sound, the bike repair is the easy part. Maybe you can scowl at the kid from time to time when you see him at work...

glad you weren't hurt.

Glad it worked OK so far. Nothing broken = a good accident.

Hope you don't get too sore later, just remember to act gimpy everytime you see the young bugger at work for a little while at least. hehe
mike

Ditto, glad you didn't get injured. Sometimes it's almost impossible to avoid someone else not paying attention. We all know this is something we have to be vigilant about. A friend's father was injured on his Harley right before Thanksgiving. He was on a local 4-lane road in the left lane riding alongside a car in the right lane. Right before an intersection the car to his right slowed down. Another car waiting to dart across the two lanes saw the car slow down and took off TBone-ing my friend's father. He suffered a cracked vertebra in his neck and his right leg was crushed below the knee which had to be amputated the next day while in the hospital.

Unfortunately, the people in the cars just aren't looking for a bike and when they're not looking for them, they don't see them. I saw my friend last night and he said his father plans to get a new bike after he gets a prosthesis and gets through rehab.

Glad you weren't hurt and even better sounds like damage to the bike is probably limted.

Hep, Hep, glad you're okay ole chap. Stiff upper lip there and happy the scooter is fixable.

Similar situation happened to me. I got rear ended in July of this year. Fortunately I was not hurt and received only minor property damage. Their insurance paid for every thing so nothing came out of my pocket. I got a new fender, rear lights, and saddle bags out of it. The only thing negative was not having my bike for 5 weeks during the peak time of the ridding season. So I came out OK so hopefully you will too.

You are lucky glad you were not hurt.

John

Glad to hear you're alright.

Matt,
Man that sucks! So glad you're ok.
I'm off for a ride in a bit. Tell me where I can find that kid and I'll kick his tires or someink! LOL
Take care dude. See you on the road in the Spring, or sooner.
Clive

I heard from the dealer this morning and their initial estimate is $4844!

First he asked me if I had lowered the front forks at all, I said "no". Then he started going through all the items: obvious big ticket items like rear fender, tail light, turn signal lights, possibly a rear tire as well.

He started going over other minor details, which I soon realized were related to my wifes low/no-speed drop last year - scratched mirror, clutch cover, etc. I told him that a few of those were there prior to this incident.

Then he went back to why he asked if I had lowered the front end. He said it looked like I probably had my front brake on when I got it and as a result the front forks may have bottomed out and which pushed them up through the triple clamp an inch or so. I honestly couldn't remember if that's they way it was before or not, so I told him I could come down at lunch and take a look. They did say if it took that kind of impact, they would recommend replacing the front forks as well, which was the other big-ticket item. (I didn't think I got hit that hard - I'm hear talking about it after all and didn't drop the bike).

I'm going to go down there at lunch to show them which minor damage was there before. They did say that if they presented the entire $4800 to the insurance company, it would most likely be totaled.

Worst case scenario, if they did total it, do you think they would allow me to remove some of the non-stock items (pipes, steble horn, clock etc.). Guess I'll ask that when I go down at lunch.

My wife says I should let them total it if it comes to that and then I can buy a new bike. If I did that, I probably would be looking at a Tiger or Sprint, rather than another Speedmaster.

Anyway, I'm still rather surprised that the amount of damage was that much.

Edit: After returning from the dealer, the estimate is down to $2500. It's amazing how many little things they noticed and put on the estimate. But even $2500 I'm a little surprised at!

Glad you are ok. Been rear ended twice. 1st time just lightly, Fender bow a little<$700>. I did the labor. 2nd time knocked me over < $3600>.Almost totaled. Never hurt forks. Triumph crash bars are the best. The bike is over 5 years old and is only worth about 3200 now. I started looking in mirros constantly when stopped at intersections. Bike in gear ready to move.