Got broadsided...bye bye 05 Kat 750 :-(

[JoeCool]

Well last Thursday it happened...I got broadsided while riding my 05 Kat 750, coming back from lunch.
Pulled off the 405 south at Jamboree...light turned red right before I got there, so I was in front. Light turned green, waited 2 seconds, looked both ways...then I and the car next to me proceeded to make a left turn. That's when I see the jackhole...he's reading papers, doing about 40mph, and blows throw the red light. I hit the brakes, and stop...then walk myself off the bike as he broadsides me. He keeps going and acts for a moment as if he's going to flee, when a lady jumps out of a black suv waving a piece of paper and yelling "I've got your license plate number, I've got your license plate number"...he then decides he would rather pull over to the side of the road.

The guy never gets out of his car to see if I'm okay or anything. Luckily 4 differant cars/witnesses pulled over to help me, call 911, and stay there until the police arrive. When myself and two of the witnesses walked over to the guys car, he was still holding in his hand the papers he was reading when he broadsided me...what an a$$!

So come to find out this guy is a illegal alien, no drivers license, no insurance...the police arrested him, and impounded/towed his vehicle.
So my insurance called me on tuesday, and said there was $5800 in damage to my bike...and that they will probably total it.
I got lucky and no cuts, bruise, or broken bones...I did tear some muscles in my right shoulder, but it's feeling a little better after a week now. So I was really lucky I didn't get hurt.
I'm still very depressed, I looked forever to get a blue 05 kat 750...I just loved the color. I had also just in the past month installed Metzeler Z6's, and a Fumoto oil drain plug...So I'm really bummed.

It will probably take my insurance company 2-3 months to give me the check for my bike...they probably won't give me anything close to $6800 (what I paid for it), and the sob who hit me is probably out driving right now scott free.

Anyway, just thought I would vent a little...kind of angry, hurt, upset, dis-appointed. Sorry for the long post, I just had to let it all out.

I will probably buy a black 06 Kat 750 when I get the check...I'm also looking at a Honda VFR800...

On the day of the accident, all of the police, fire, and investigators had left...I had to wait about an hour for a tow truck to come...during that time a really nice guy on a Kat 600 stopped to make sure I was okay, and talk to me for a little bit. He was the only one who stopped...and if he's reading this I just want to tell you thank you for being really cool and stopping. I appreciated it. I was still really freaked out from the accident, and it was nice to talk to a fellow Kat rider. 8)

Well here is to wishing everyone the best on KR...
By the way I was wearing everything...ATGATT...All The Gear All The Time...this is the second time in my 4 years of riding that my hide was saved by wearing all of my gear... 8)
Walked away from both accidents because of my gear...I'm a believer.

So wear your gear, watch for all of the a-holes in cages, and keep the shiny side up

[tdrcomm]

Re: Got broadsided...bye bye 05 Kat 750

Well last Thursday it happened...I got broadsided while riding my 05 Kat 750, coming back from lunch.
Pulled off the 405 south at Jamboree...

OMG!!! I was riding near there all last week!!! Working on a project in Tustin and OC Airport! Glad you came out ok.

No insurance... typical. I think that anyone that causes an accident and has no insurance should automatically forfeit their vehicle to the other party as restitution. PM me, you got a lot of KatRiders in the O.C. If that lady didn't start screaming he probably would have taken off.

Anything salvagable off the Kat?

[SweetLou]

This is just to much. I don't remember reading about so many accidents EVER in such a short period of time.

I am glad to hear you made it through ok, and be glad that the bike took the brunt of the accident instead of you.

[ArcherDude]

Dude

I’m glad you are OK. Damn that sucks. You know that’s what scares me the most I try to be extremely cautious. But there is always that dumb ass that’s not paying attention to what he is doing. To bad you cant go to jail for being stupid.

Stupid people

[The CyberPoet]

You never mention any injuries, so I'm hoping you are 100%. I'm sorry to hear of your accident.

Were you carrying GAP insurance? Just a thought... I've considered carrying GAP and then having my other half hold a lien, just in case... make sure I have enough to step into a new bike flat-out with the same amenities.

Meanwhile, two things:
(A) If the insurance company is obliged to pay for a rental car until they settle (most comprehensive policies are), get a rental immediately. Even if you don't drive it, the "controlable" extra cost-per-day tends to make insurance companies rush their check-cutting procedures to cut their controlable losses.
(B) Ask the insurance company if there is the possibility of a buy-back. Although if they total it, you may never be able to register it again, if the buy-back is under $500 - $700, there are a lot of riders around KR who could use or need a reasonably new engine/tranny, and if you go with another Kat, you'll have spare parts you can salvage off the bike before you throw the frame & other non-reusable parts to a metal recycler for dollars-per-lb. If nothing else, it will also be an opportunity for a great learning experience, tearing down the Kat

Q: Did you get any pics? Would love to see the results.

Hope Juan ends up somewhere south of the border! Or maybe you should go to small claims, sue him and tell the judge he can work it off two days a week tending to your house-work and yard-work

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[JoeCool]

Thanks everyone for the replys...

I have always really appreciated and taken to heart the words from all on KR over the past year...months before I even had a Katana. It's why I have always came back, and will continue to do so always.

I have always looked up to CyberPoet, and followed his advice like it is the gospel...thanks for posting a reply Cyber.

I'm okay, I just have some pulled muscles in my right shoulder...nothing serious, it will be fine in a week or so I imagine. I did get X-rays and nothing is broken or dis-located.

Years ago when this happened the insurance company offered me the chance to buy back the motorcycle for $500...I will definately do that this time. Last time I didn't buy the bike back, but the insurance company let me take off all of my mod's...I gave about $500 of stuff to a co-worker with a similar r1150rt...just not into the eBay scene...would rather give it away than to let someone get it in a auction.
If I get another Kat, I'll keep the parts myself...if not I'll probably take my mods off and let a local So Calif member have them.

The insurance company isn't obliged for a rental car, but I have a car myself...so no worry's there. I had un-insured motorists coverage, so I don't even have to pay the $250 deductable. I don't have gap coverage, and I paid cash for the bike...so I'll just have to see how bad I get screwed by the insurance company. I'll keep you updated on what happens.

The guy definately would of fled the scene, but after the witness chased him, and he pulled over...we saw he had broke his rear axle, and wouldn't have went far anyway. Not to mention there were 3 Irvine motorcycle officer on scene in 2-3 minutes...wow, that was quick! 2 of the officers came from the direction he was heading, so he wouldn't have gone far.
Hopefully they deported him, and rid us of one more stupid cager...

SweetLou mentioned of so many accidents happening in such a short time...well listen to this, the accident scene officers were telling me that they have had 4 motorcycle accidents in the past 2 weeks, all were fatal/near fatal accidents for the motorcyclists...they were so amazed that I was perfectly okay after this guy hit me doing 40mph...I wish I had pictures of my bike, but from start to finish, it took me 5hrs to get home...I was just gone afterwards. The bike was towed to Corona Motorsports to be fixed, and I just left it there. It broke my heart to see it like that...every morning I would wipe it down with a micro fiber towel & autoGlym autowash, check the tire pressure...it made me think back to earlier in the day when my bike was still perfect. Very heartbreaking.
I'm 40, and have only had 2 accidents in my life, both on motorcycles...both terrible un-avoidable situations...the first I was hit from behind by a hit&run driver doing 90-100mph...and now this. I tell you it's very hard to drum up the courage to get back on, and to re-assure my wife, who is just freaking out now after this latest incident
But I will be back, I can't imagine life ever without riding a motorcycle...I think I just need to move to another state with less idiots...if that's even possible

Thanks again Tdrcomm, SweetLou, ArcherDude, and CyberPoet for your posts...I really appreciate everthing you said.

Wishing you all the very best 8)

[brooder]

NADA Value

If the insurance company totals it, that is what they should use to determine the value.

Glad to hear you're ok. If it were me, I probably would have gone over and hauled the guy out of his car, the whole time kicking him in the ribs. Show him what it could have felt like for you. Heal up fast.

[Anonymous]

man that sucks, glad to hear your ok.

[KansasKat]

Sorry to hear about your Kat but at least you made it ok. Keep your chin up. Theres always a chance that theres another 2005 Deep Sea Blue Metallic GSX750F out there with your name on it.

[Mojoe]

that totally blows. damn illegal aliens. of all the things that nutjob Bush did in office, his policy on them is the ONLY thing I can agree with. It is bad enough that there are real citizens who drive around uninsured...but at least they are apt to have something you can sue them for. I am sure they can't legal purchase a gun without the right identification, so a car should be the same way.

anyway....I am just glad you are ok. And if you can't find the kat you are looking for, shoot me a pm. There are tons of them for sale here in all colors and years.

[FloridaKat]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I have/had the same bike and swear it blends into the environment too easily.

You now are really making me think about how much more cautious I need to be at a traffic light (especially if I'm first).

Hope you get the insurance company to give you a fair amount, but most importantly glad to hear you are relatively unscaved.

[Anonymous]

Duuuude! That's close to home...we go by there all the time! Glad your not worse off, that guy could'a killed you!

[JoeCool]

Duuuude! That's close to home...we go by there all the time! Glad your not worse off, that guy could'a killed you!

Thanks everyone for the posts...

Yes it's scary how I think that if I hadn't stopped as short as I did...he would of hit me dead center sideways, and my left leg would of received a 40mph hit...it's quite possible it could of severed my leg worse case situation, or at least broken it. It wouldn't of been pretty

I'm already missing my commute to work on my bike. Yesterday there was a accident on the 91 freeway, a tractor trailer lost it's load of gravel...took me 2.5hrs to get to work in my car...it would of taken me 20-30min had I been on my motorcycle. I really miss my bike...

Hopefully the insurance company will give me around 6K if going by the Nada value "brooder" linked in his message...thanks for that by the way. If they do, I won't be too bad off...just short $800 from what I paid. I have seen several So Calif dealers with 2006 Kat 750's for $6900 OTD...so I'll probably just pick up one in black. I guess I'll just hope they don't take forever to send me the check...when I got in my first accident, a few years ago, it took them 5 months to finally pay me. They thought up every lame excuse in the book to delay payment

Thanks again everyone for the encouraging posts...it's always somewhat a shock/downer when these things happen...always hard to get on another bike.

Wishing everyone the best...I consider all of you a friend
Stay cool 8)

[onthedot]

Dang! I'm so sorry to hear about the accident. I'm so glad you're okay.

Cops need to focus more on driving error rather than speed limit posts. What has to happen before people are FORCED to obey the law. Every time I ride I'm cut off by someone without even a turn signal. Trucks and SUVs are the worst. Young female bimbos rate right up there too. And cell phones are usually in hand.

I hate to sound too old, but I'm old enough to remember when driving was an art, not an inconvenient necessity. What scares the hell out of me are all the head-on collisions where I live. My dad taught me one thing that stood out more than anything else: NEVER drive over the center line, no matter what. That sucks. Life is very unfair. But I'm glad you're okay.

[Najus]

You never mention any injuries, so I'm hoping you are 100%. I'm sorry to hear of your accident.

Hope Juan ends up somewhere south of the border! :

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

Hey man not all Juan's are bad. My and my donkey are peoples.