[Lesh]

Crashed my buddies bike earlier today and feel like crap about it. Worst part is that he is at work and isn't answering his cell phone. I've been calling around for the quickest work possible but it looks like he will be borrowing a car until thursday =[.

Crash was incredibly mundane, wasn't used to the bike or the area. Took a gradual left hand turn out of a residential complex on a green turn light. Leaned it a bit and hit one of the little plastic knowbs they put in the road then lowsided. Happened right in front a police officer as well, so she check me out and wrote down some information, no ticket or anything and they were very nice.

the bike is a 1997 suzuki GSXR-600, i broke the stator cover, and might have damaged the stator. Left side fairing needs to be replaces due to a crack, and the rear is scratched. Was wearing his dainese jacket and some jeans (I'm on vacation and didn't bring my own riding pants with me.) that is an amazing jacket, just a couple scratches. Going to have a nice scar on my knee and hip though.

Now comes the matter of re-imbursing him, and this is what I'm currently planning:
Get the stator and stator cover fixed in a shop as soon as humanly possibly, also have a diagnostic to make sure nothing else is broken that is essential to running like a champ. Also reimburse him 1500 bucks for the scratches on the jacket, HJC helmet, plastics, and scratches on the mirror. I'd pay to have the cosmetic stuff fixed but I'm sure he could use any money he would save by getting used parts for those. The jacket is still usuable, just lost a little color on the sleeve, and even though I don't see anything on the helmet it's a cheapy and should be replaced anyway rather than risk it. Also taking him out to dinner a couple times.

Does that sound like fair compensation? Any suggestions for lessening the blow? I've already found someone who's car he can borrow / give him rides until the bike is fixed.

Also learned to always wear your gear, I got pretty lucky for not having riding pants on. and when you riding in a new area there are obtsacles you may not be used to scanning for (we don't have those plastic bumps back home.)

 

[Magic]

Props for taking ownership of the issue and being prepared to make things right. :waytogo:

Since college, my friends and I have all ways had the rule of if you are riding a buddies bike your are willing and able to pay for any and all damage including replacing the entire bike if totaled. No insurance involved.

I think that you are on the right track, be prepared to have your friend a bit pissed but I'm sure he'll get over it quicking. I personally don't know about the gear, I would not ask you pay for it (only thing I'd ask for is a new helmet if that was damaged). Some marks on the gear is cool in my book, that is what it is for.

I did something like this to my buddies FZR600 years ago (15 mph, lost the rear). Cost me some new parts and the tail piece getting touched up. I ended up getting his whole bike touched up and then clear coated. It was never been an issue between us and we've still swapped bikes over the years.

 

[wingswheels]

i agree with magic, sounds like you have things on straight, [censored] happens, he'll understand :waytogo:

 

[JK_DILLA]

That sounds fair enough to me. I wish i had friends like you... Ive had two bikes wrecked by "others". One just bought the parts, i did the work. jerk...

the other was a roomate. i had just taken it off insurance THAT morning and took it for one last short ride before putting it up for the winter. He had ridden it before and did fine so he convinced me to let him ride one more also. 50 yards later he hit a curb and speared a fence post head first (without a helmet). I didnt press for repairs because he nearly died. Come to think of it.... his family never even offered to help me out. hmmmmm

 

[novos]

you're definitely doing the stand-up thing.

bravo to you! :waytogo:

 

[Lesh]

Awesome, Buddy took it extremely well I was impressed. bike is currently at the shop waiting for a call with estimates so they can overnight the parts they need. I told my buddy how I planed to compensate him and he won't take anything more than repairs so I think I'll leave the money with his fiance for anything that pops up.

By the way, wow I am so friggin sore today, my entire left side of the body feels like I worked out way to much, and spots on my right side. Every hour i find somwhere new that hurts. I'm thinking of it as a stupidity tax.

I'm going to make a point of taking them out to dinner tonight and am crossing my fingers that the work can get done soon. On first glance the service dept told me they will probably have to replace the stator cover, the stator, and the flywheel. Also the left side plastics if I want them done, so im just waiting for the full on thorough diagnostic.

Looking back everything went very lucky for me as far as these things go, I think I'll be taking the second msf course whenever I see it offered in my area, this accident definately makes me want a refresher. It also made me glad that I've got a cheap EX500 at home, if anything happened to her it wouldn't be a big deal. I also think that I'm going to be buying thicker leathers. I've got some Joe Rocket textiles at home, but after seeing how well that dainese jacket made it through I'm going to buy some higher quality equipment.

P.S. Is it sick if you keep the thrashed jeans you wrecked in?

 

[SpikedLemon]

[ QUOTE ]
Lesh said:
P.S. Is it sick if you keep the thrashed jeans you wrecked in?

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you don't wash the blood out.

 

[KRG_Designs]

That was definately cool of you to pay for everything and offer it up front. I believe he will treat you as a true friend for doing so and has much more confidence in you and how you treat people. Way to go.

 

[alanheng]

The shop wants to replace the flywheel? REALLY!?

That must have been one HELL of a whack to the engine case, as I've never heard of engine internals needing to be replaced in a crash (unless the engine suffered some sort of catastrophic failure).

 

[PorradaVFR]

Sounds great man. I rarely let ANYONE on my bike to avoid precisely that situation. It's good to see that you took 100% ownership of the accident and are taking care of it.
:waytogo:

 

[SBW-jaseman]

Glad to hear that you and your friend are still cool. That's why there are very few people that will ever ride my bike. The one's that do have the privelage, would have done exactly what you did. :waytogo: to you.

Just as a side note, offer to buy him some frame sliders. It's cheap insurance on the parts you just paid to replace.

 

[klwheat]

[ QUOTE ]
SpikedLemon said:
[ QUOTE ]
Lesh said:
P.S. Is it sick if you keep the thrashed jeans you wrecked in?

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you don't wash the blood out.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's just wrong!

On another note, good for you and your friend not letting something like this ruin your friendship like it so easily can do. Props to you for taking ownership and offering to take care of everything. Props to your friend for refusing to take advantage of the offer. Hope you both get back to riding soon!

 

[Twitch]

:waytogo: :applause:

 

[limenine]

[ QUOTE ]
alanheng said:
The shop wants to replace the flywheel? REALLY!?

That must have been one HELL of a whack to the engine case, as I've never heard of engine internals needing to be replaced in a crash (unless the engine suffered some sort of catastrophic failure).

[/ QUOTE ]

Not too suprising - if it popped the cover (which isn't hard to do) there's nothing between the stator & flywheel and the pavement. They probably just got rashed a bit :crazy:

 

[roadkillr6]

[ QUOTE ]
klwheat said:
[ QUOTE ]
SpikedLemon said:
[ QUOTE ]
Lesh said:
P.S. Is it sick if you keep the thrashed jeans you wrecked in?

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you don't wash the blood out.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's just wrong!



[/ QUOTE ]

I am a sicko!

 

[Dewayne]

I crashed my buddies 2004 F4i, did 4 Grand in damage, paid him 500 for the deductible, he only made me pay 300 or it, and he came away with 4 gradn in his hand , and fixed it all for 1 grand, he made out well.