Danm Deer

[jobvfr]

My much loved 5th gen went 77810mi and likely will go no further
Last night on the way home a deer ran into the left front of my bike. I was going about 55 or so and we all fell down and went boom. The deer and I got up, but the bike didn't make out too well. The upper and left side fairing are destroyed as well as the gauge cluster and most of the right side. I'll let the insurance company decide, but likely it's totaled. (that really sucks!!) I'll try to get some pix.
On the plus side, I walked away with only some back pain (turned out to be a broken rib) and a badly scratched arai helmet. My roadcrafter saved my ass!!! Those suits are worth every penny!!
That was probably the best bike I've ever owned and I've gotta get another if this one's not repairable!

[Knife]

Glad you made it out alive! And, yes, definitely get another 5th Gen.

[jobvfr]

Here are some of the pix (depressing)

[hondajt]

Glad you were wearing your gear! Hope everything works out!

[tinkerinWstuff]

Glad to hear your alright. I don't suppose you can claim helmets on insurance can you? I've never thought about it. Throw that brain bucket away and get a new one!! No telling if the shell has been compromised in the crash.

[vfrhusband]

Glad you're OK. Shame about the Gen 5. I think she looks repairable. But I'm crazy like that!

[jaimev34]

It may depend on the coverage, but when I went down earlier this year, insurance cut me a check for my x-11, jacket, and wanted to pay for my gloves, although they had no damage. I declined the new gloves, mine were good. They'll simply take your old, crashed stuff for their records.

Glad you're ok, job. If it gets totalled, maybe you can buy it back for pennies and get it fixed. Either way, I'd get another 5th gen.

[Triplepac]

Glad you're OK. Sorry 'bout the ribs. If you like any of the surviving bits still, can you buy back the wrecked title / bike? (Cowl, tank, seat etc...)

[jaimev34]

And you were so close to 100k miles! That's a shame.

[jobvfr]

I'm hoping insurance pays for a new helmet, my suit seems ok. The bike might be repairable, but there are alot of expensive broken pieces. Upper fairing, both sides, instrument cluster, the left radiator is smashed in, etc...
I'll let the insurance adjuster figure it out, but I gotta go the cheapest route to another vfr. It would be nice to have spares... We'll see

[tinkerinWstuff]

I haven't read the details of my policy or known anyone who crashed and claimed their helmet.

But it seems to me, if you rear end someone in your car and your airbag goes off, the insurance company would replace the airbag. Granted, the airbag is equipment on the vehicle, but it's safety equipment all the same. Your policy, you paid into, can buy you a new helmet now, or pay more in medical costs if you get in another wreck and your helmet fails to perform properly because it's been compromised.

I'm in need of a new helmet. Right now I'm riding around in a DOT approved motocross helmet and a pair of goggles. I pulled the visor off so I don't look too rediculous. Anyway, my point is that I've seen lots of helmets on Craigslist cheap as can be and claim to be "only used twice". I can't help but wonder if that means "only dropped twice." I will only buy a helmet new in the box.

Once again, glad you are alright. How are your nervers? Is this your first crash?

[AndyJ]

Wow glad you're mostly OK!! Gear=good!!!
My 5th gen came about a foot from meeting a similar fate on Monday.
If the frame & forks are straight maybe you could keep the title clean and do a rebuild over the winter. VFRhusband seems like a glutton for punishment that way if you don't like wrenching for yourself...
Regarding gear, when I crashed State Farm bought me a new helmet, but wouldn't do anything with the rest of my gear. This was ten years ago, maybe they've figured out that it's cheaper to pay for 1500 worth of gear than a helicopter ride and a few days in the hospital.

[jobvfr]

Usaa is giving me the run-around about my gear, and that's starting to piss me off. My Triumph is insured with Progressive and they will cover safety gear up to $1800. So I will wait and see, but this might be the final straw with Usaa.
This wasn't my first crash, I put down my ZX-11 and found out that jeans and a jacket look cool, but do nothing to prevent road rash. This time I was going much faster, but aside from the rib, you could say I walked away without a scratch! I was bundled up for the cold so that might have helped too. A good helmet and riding suit and boots where key. These guys I see with the half helmet and a t-shirt are insane!!
I keep thinking about how quickly it all happened. I doubt I even got off the gas, much less grabbed some brake. The deer ran into the left front of the bike hard enough to knock it over and off the road. I ended up bouncing straight down the road and the bike went off to the right and slid into the grass.
I just wish this rib would heal quick cause I want to go riding!
And yes, I really wanted to get this bike to 100k!!!!

[mrich12000]

Dam Forest Rats!!Glad your ok ..

[goinphaster]

PM sent.............................................................

[jobvfr]

Thanks Dude - I'll try that

[steven113]

This is how stupid these animals are this time of the year!
Deer loses head-butt with Wisconsin lawn ornament - TwinCities.com

[Cyborg]

Stupid mother bucker...

[Knife]

I smell a subpoena from PETA coming.

[agrich2]

I hit a deer back in August and the insurance company totalled the bike. I never fell down but it broke the head light, left side fairing, upper fairing, front fender, rear cowling, left radiator and bent both brake rotors. The forks came out OK. It was about 3,200 dollars total and they only valued my bike at 3850. I fought for two months over the value and even wrote the insurance commisioner but I got nowhere. It actually worked out OK as they paid off the loan and then I went and bought the bike back ($200), bought parts through my local Honda dealer (brought in the Service Honda quote-which they matched in price) and repaired the bike myself. I own it outright and now have all new parts

If you need some parts I still have some good mirrors and repairable left side fairing (I expoxied the cracks and fiberglassed them with aviation grade fiberglass) It needs some paint and has some minor scratches and in several hours of prep could be ready for a top coat.
I also have a stock exhaust header that I bead blasted, acid ethched and then painted with high temp black paint.

You are more than welcome to the parts for a very reasonable price (like 50 bucks for the whole lot)

I would like to see you get back on your mount.

Go Gen 5's!!!!!!

[diVeFR]

Glad your Ok! Happy that your here to tell your story. Sucks about the bike though. Now, what you need to do is go and find that fcuker and get some payback. You know they are all sitting around in a circle laughing at what happened. Probably talking it over beers too. Then when you find that a-hole put it up on an mantle overlooking the VFR and see who has the last laugh. (Then invite us all over for some venison steaks!!!)

[RVFR]

Round two today. Sheesh just when I thought enough was enough, this time I was ready, Ha I'm in the 3/4 ton truck. I came around this somewhat of a blind corner and no more around the corner out jumped Bambi, figured ok slowed down to miss it, said to myself #$@! that was a near miss, then right when I thought all was a close call, it's buddy followed right behind. Smack... not much damage to the truck, and the idiot deer limped off into the woods. I tell ya it's crazy out there.. be on your A game..

[tinkerinWstuff]

Round two today. Sheesh just when I thought enough was enough, this time I was ready, Ha I'm in the 3/4 ton truck. I came around this somewhat of a blind corner and no more around the corner out jumped Bambi, figured ok slowed down to miss it, said to myself #$@! that was a near miss, then right when I thought all was a close call, it's buddy followed right behind. Smack... not much damage to the truck, and the idiot deer limped off into the woods. I tell ya it's crazy out there.. be on your A game..

One more and you could beat my record. I've hit two deer in one month, and the third one within 6month. The 1st one ran into the side of the truck - same story as this, the episode ended up in the engine compartment of the truck, and the third episode entailed me scooping one off the highway with my little honda civic (ended up with a dent in the roof).

really gets a guy jittery for a while

[Knife]

One more and you could beat my record. I've hit two deer in one month, and the third one within 6month. The 1st one ran into the side of the truck - same story as this, the episode ended up in the engine compartment of the truck, and the third episode entailed me scooping one off the highway with my little honda civic (ended up with a dent in the roof).

really gets a guy jittery for a while

Sounds like you mounted your deer whistles backwards.

[TimRav]

Sorry to hear about the your VFR but glad you're OK, Jobvfr. Gear works, and bikes (and gear) can be replaced. You were able to walk away mostly unscathed, and that's the important thing.

[jobvfr]

Well the insurance co totaled the bike -- said repair est was $5900!! I could have kept the bike for salvage, but they wanted $900 for it and I don't have the time or money for a prolonged repair adventure. I will miss that bike, it was probably the best sportbike I ever owned!
It looks like they will pay for my gear, but I'm still working it out with them.
The rib is healing and I still have the Triumph to ride so I'll hold off for now. I gotta keep an eye out for another 5th gen (they're the best!)
I have some spares laying around (rear cowl, front fender, thermostat and misc bearings) I may put on classifieds. If anyone is interested lemme know.

[agrich2]

I battled it out with my insurance company Liberty Mutual on my deer hit. They had my value of my bike at about 3700 bucks prior to the crash. It was going to take 3400 dollars to fix it (retail). Doing simple math-it should only be worth about 300 dollars in salvage. No one would buy the bike for anything over that and spend more than the bike could be worth in driving condition. That is what you have to do to get them down on the salvage price. They can't have their cake and eat it too.
Looking at the pictures, it looks like we had close to the same amount of damage. I don't know if you bent your forks which is where the money can add up. However, there is a set of good fork on this column's classified ads for sale for a gen 5 bike.
I basically bought all the plastic (except right side fairing), new rotors, turn signals, front headlight, left raditor, clear LED taillight, fender eliminator, mirrors, and misc nuts and bolts for about 2400 dollars. I did all the work myself and now I own a sweet ass bike.
I can totally understand you not wanting to hassle with it. I guess I just don't like insurance companies. I told the guy who was trying to screw me over on my bike to get out the asshole flow chart and difficult person manual when he was working with me. I threaten attorneys and insurance commisoners before they started playing fair. One calculation you can get back at them with it what they valued your bike at to get their collision premium. Once you give them all the information on your bike they come up with a value and then charge you a premium off that value. That value should be good for the duration of the policy year. It shoud go down as your bike gets older and supposedly worth less. When I asked them to back calculate my premium they stalled and shit themselves and told be they couldn't retrieve that information. A billion dollar a year company can't get that kind of information? Yeah right!
Keep up the fight or just go get a good attorney to be your mouthpiece.