I also have an 06 Classic.
First year - laid it down misreading a turn (I don't ride listening to Slayer anymore). Totaled, Geico wrote me a check for $6,000 and dropped me. Baxter Cycles helped me get all the essential parts (gas tank took the longest to get), did the work myself so was able to pocket labor costs. Nothing medical.
Second year - snow just melted, first long ride of the Spring. Spun out on leftover rocksalt and highsided. Totaled, Progressive wrote me a check for $10,000. Once again, Baxter helped me gather all the parts I needed (gas tank took 2 months this time), no labor, no medical.
Sigh...
Last week - coming up to a stoplight, young lady in a parking lot to my right prepares to enter the road, make eye contact with me, pulls right out into the lane. Had a semi to my left, stood up a bit to brace myself, slammed the front end right into her driver's side door. Lay down my ride, throws me backward. Thankfully the gent behind me saw the whole thing, helped me put 'er on the kickstand. She reentered the parking lot and tried to ask if I was ok, I was too ticked to talk. Cops showed up (one on a bike
), found her at fault for failing to yeild AND driving w/o a license! Besides obviously front fender damage, my right headlamp is bent, right turn busted, right petzl light crushed. The fork brackets may be twisted a bit, not sure. Definitely all easily repairable based off my experience. No medical issues.
Guess I just wanted to reflect a bit on my story, due to our similar ride and incident. But mainly to point out how difficult it is for some riders to break their bond with their bike. Apparently I'm cursed with this condition, after laydown #1 I was seriously looking at getting a new R3. I had just picked up my dream bike, knew I'd be riding rockets my entire life, but how I acquired THIS bike was one of the best experiences of my life. If there was anyway I could hold onto that a bit longer, I was gonna. Putting her back together was the most straight forward and cheapest route to keep riding a blood and bones R3 Classic. By total #2 I was even more bonded to this bike and more experienced piecing the rocket puzzle back together. Last week, as time slows down and I watch my front tyre touch her door, I immediately start calculating how I'll handle this one if I live through it.
Many of my friends and family think I'm insane to keep this bike much less keep riding at this point, perhaps with the money I've made, many of you on here feel the same way. Nothing wrong with that. But perhaps someone reading this can relate. If so and if my ramblings had a point it'd be this - only you can decide when to give up your ride. Even if everyone and everything points to the smart decision being to move on, including the insurance check. Cheers!