Possible gear damage

[xtcommuter]

Hi all this is a bit of a throw it out there one.
Someone decided he would like my XT and because, in the process of taking it away he managed to drop it several times most of the damage was superficial its gone through the insurance and they have decided it is a write off The reason being they have done a superficial inspection and cannot guarantee that their is no fork or frame damage.
I decided rightly or wrongly to accept their offer but given the opportunity would consider buying back.
I noted at the time that the gear lever was mangled my main question is, is their likely to be any damage to the internal gears or would I be safe to assume it is just a bent gear lever unfortunately I am not able to inspect the bike now. I do know that it was out of gear when picked up but went back into gear with clutch in, can't tell you much more really.
If its not viable I will have to look out for another XT.
Any thoughts welcome.
Thanks Ian

[Jens Eskildsen]

Ive bent mine A LOT, nothing ever happened to the internals.

[xtcommuter]

Hi Jens thanks for the quick response, that's reassuring, I figured their built to go off road and consequently dropped occasionally without major damage, try telling that to the insurance company who refused to repair despite my arguments! Ian

[kenymact]

I ve bent and twiste my gear lever with no internal damage so my guess would be its ok....

[xtcommuter]

Thanks my concern was internal damage and it seems from responses that it is unlikely, just need to get the bike back off the insurance company, if I can. Everything that I am aware of is fixable.
Been a massive inconvenience I hate using the car.

[kenymact]

I bought my crash damaged bike back from the insurance company and put it back on the road for a fractioof the price....few more scratches but well worth it...

[jjrider]

At worst case you'll have a spare parts bike, but unlikely it can't be fixed easily so you should have enough $ to repair plus maybe make it better.

I splice an ignition wire and run it to a remote push button switch if I'm going into a shady area. They don't have enough time to search the entire bike looking for a way to start it after normal hotwiring doesn't works. A person should make it so the bike will purposely backfire(and hopefully break their leg or ankle) when the bike is attempted to be started without hitting the switch. As long as the owner always remembers to hit it also.

[steveloomis]

A hidden kill switch is a good idea. Many know that just unplugging the ignition switch will enable it to run... No ground...

[Toast]

I wouldn't worry about it, the shift lever pretty soft. I got knocked over lane splitting last week and my lever was bent around like a pretzel... I twisted it to a usable shape with my hands and it shifts the same as before.

[xtcommuter]

Hi thanks all, I'll have to wait now apparently the insurance company won't sell it back to me but rather they release it to a salvage company so I have to wait until they release it and I will have to see if I can buy it off the salvage company.

[jjrider]

Unfortunately that will mean added "storage fees" plus the possibility that they will strip it and try to sell it piece by piece, all depends on the yard. I bought an car for $200, worth $4000, other than drivers side crinkled sheetmetal(it was tipped on its side). Made me a perfect winter beater for 10 years.

[xtcommuter]

I agree I think they will possibly strip it, probably worth more for the parts, I hoping not but on the look out for a new bike just in case.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by xtcommuter

Hi thanks all, I'll have to wait now apparently the insurance company won't sell it back to me but rather they release it to a salvage company so I have to wait until they release it and I will have to see if I can buy it off the salvage company.

I suspect that this is very common, if not fully universal, with the UK motor insurance companies nowadays; It probably keeps things simple for them and aids them in getting the damaged goods off their hands asap.
So, if the insurance company will let you know just where the bike has gone then you have something of an advantage in negotiating with the salvage company if they don't find out that you were the owner and know the history of the machine.

[jjrider]

Yep definitely try to find out what place gets the bike and contact them asap. It'll be the most likely time for them to sell it as a whole without having any time into it. They'll make some money without any work and on to the next one. If it sits, they'll start to hack. Here in the US, some yards will be nice and offer it to the owner(if they contact them) for just a "nominal fee", but others will sit down and add up what they feel they can get for the parts, then sell it for that amount. Greedy . Some insurance companies won't tell you where it went because they know you'll fix it and put it back on the road, they don't like that.

[xtcommuter]

Hi all just a brief update, I did not get the opportunity to buy the bike back in the end. Have managed to buy another XT 600 e, since getting my new bike guess what the old one turns up on ebay via Hills salvage, should any one be interested they have listed it as 42,100miles however just for reference that is km as it was originally a European import from new. It also still had the original headlight ie lights the wrong way not an issue to me and a bit of tape in the right space gets it through the mot. It will need servicing as that was on my to do list before it got nicked. Looking at the pictures it looks like they have replaced the damaged parts. Ian