The cost of crashing a gixxer in France

I've sorted all the bits to put it back together. )

Although I only needed the LHS panels, mirror and footrest I've
brought a complete set of plastics off a racer. This includes
exhaust, mirrors, full plastics, lights and all pegs. Half of this
will go on ebay. I knew the racing forums would be the best place to
source this stuff but I still got more offers than expected
considering the time of year.

I've also got a crankcase cover arriving tomorrow from Crescent.
Standard Cover: £55 - Crescent Performance Cover: £436. I think I'll
have the stock one thanks!

So for the whole lot, combien?

 

Short story...
I knobbed it on some gravel in a layby.

Longer story...
I was dying for a piss and was pissed off that the bike had blown
another fuse so concentration was elsewhere. The others pull into a
layby to check the map and I go in too quick, front tucks and I'm on
my arse. Next thing I know I'm watching the bike slide towards Wik.
It's amazing how quickly you can collect your thoughts and works out
firstly where you are then secondly what might happen next, then hope
it doesn't.

The ride back to the hotel involved in no particular order the
following important items:

Oil
Chewing Gum
Gendarmerie
Ear Plugs
Gaffer Tape

 

£500? ish?

 

Made me realise the importance of full breakdown cover for peace of
mind. For the first time ever I'd only gone for the basic cover on
this trip. In the past I've always had the full repatriation etc.

"From the moment he chose the cheap option his fate was sealed."

No idea hence my wanting to get it sorted cosmetically so I can throw
it at the dealer under warranty without fear of them saying the spill
caused it.

 

Only on the un-dropped bits.

 

Excellent news, although I still think you should leave the old
plastics on and just keep the new ones for selling it in.

And what exactly does the 'performance' cover do? It couldn't be any
thinner, for sure.

You seem chuffed, and I know you'd reckoned on about 600 for the
plastics, so I'm going to guess at 800 sheets for the lot, including
the indicator lens and gearchange lever that you fail to mention.

I'm tempted to guess much lower, but you don't seem _that_ chuffed.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

It was only two weeks old at the time.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

The other week, yes. on his driveway.

 

It'll go to the dealer with the new stuff then the plan is to refit
the old if I can be arsed.

Harder I suspect but you are of course forgetting it has a Crescent
logo on it worth £300 at least.

You're spot on, £800 delivered. Indicator lens is in the mirror as
they're 'integrated' on the K5 and footrest includes gear change so
it's all there plus a fair bit to claw some money back on.

 

I'd like to think so but alas no, £800.

 

The thought of eight hours in a recovery truck was enough to convince
me the full package with hire care is money well spent. I *really*
wasn't looking forward to that.

I was curious to know how they handled the ferries with a dead bike
but no of the others had experienced it (luckily). I'd expect to be
dropped off at Calais then picked up again the other side by another
truck but I envisaged getting the bike on and off the ferry with all
my kit to be a royal PITA.

It was, especially considering it wasn't until the following day that
Kiran and I [1] found said blown fuse after we'd wasted three hours
with the recovery truck.

They fall over and bounce around a lot though.

Apart from the scratches it's not bad.

[1] Cheers mate and I'll return the tools next time we meet!

 

Speaking from experience, and IIRC:

- the bike gets taken away somewhere by the French recovery firm;
- a taxi picks you up from the hotel and takes you to collect your
French hire car;
- drive said hire car to Calais hire car depot and exchange for
UK-registered hire car;
- drive to ferry terminal and explain situation, no charge for
transferring ticket[0];
- cross Channel, drive home, drop off hire car within 24 hours;
- bike arrives some time (possibly a week or two) later.


[0] Although I think on this occasion for some reason I got transferred
onto the Tunnel instead.

 

I had to sit in a recovery from Edinburgh to Newbury after I killed an
Audi A3

Long!

 

Not in this case. He wants to know what would happen if you _didn't_
have full cover so wanted to pay the minimum to get your bike shipped
to the channel and back home the other side.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

I was originally thinking 1k but thought you might have got it
disgustingly cheap via the race connections hence me hedging my bets.

Still not bad really considering you can sell on the bits you don't
need.

 

Oh, I see. **** nose - I got cheap and cheerful cover last time (£34 for
16 days, I think), and that still would have covered repatriation.

Can you actually got foreign breakdown cover that wouldn't?

 

Indeed. IMO any decent repair of a sportsbike that's been crashed is
always going to cost £500+ as a minimum.

 

Repatriation yes but mine was in the back of the recovery truck and a
£250 excess.

I'd would have thought so but cost probably means it's hardly worth
it.

 

Which reminds me - I don't suppose you'd care to look in the same
places for k3 plastics as you got yours? I mean, I keep on about
intending to get the existing ones painted matt black, but knowing me
that's just not gonna happen, and a pristine set might make it worth
somewhat more on resale, like.

OTOH the chance of getting a set in silver is probably not exactly
high :-}
--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

http://www.motoforum.net

It's the unofficial forum for Bemsee and pretty much the best place to
get any bits. However, as the K5 is a new bike there are lots that
came out of the crate and went straight on the track this year so
plenty of plastics available. You're not likely to have so much luck
with a K3/4 but you never know.