Motorcycle accident - repair quality?

So, some 17 year old idiot crashed his Renault clio into my bike as I was travelling at around 40mph... (last week Sunday)

Will not go into too much detail, but at the end of the day, police witnessed it - he's being prosecuted for careless driving and I'm taking him to court for damages, loss, injuries etc etc.

Anyway, so the people that are holding my bike at the moment Sudden Impact have had the go ahead from the engineer to start work on my bike. I've asked for a list of the things to be done to it...

I was shocked when they said they were going to "repair and respray" the front cowl and right hand fairing... Shocked because the front cowl had pieces broken from it and the left fairing had cracks and scratches all over it... Not to mention the bent/weakened metal that is holding it together to the frame.

I told my insurance that I wasn't happy and it will not go back to it's original condition like that, but they told me that they trust the engineers decision and if I have a problem in the end, I can refuse the bike and they will look into it further.

Any suggestions..

[timwilky]

Repairing damaged panels is standard insurance industry practice, however it is a thin divide to labour a repair against the cost of a replacement panel. You will be required to sign a satisfaction note on the repair. Not happy, don't sign and demand the insurer rectify the sub standard repair.

I would be checking for any frame damage that would warrant writing off the bike.

Originally Posted by timwilky

Repairing damaged panels is standard insurance industry practice, however it is a thin divide to labour a repair against the cost of a replacement panel. You will be required to sign a satisfaction note on the repair. Not happy, don't sign and demand the insurer rectify the sub standard repair.

I would be checking for any frame damage that would warrant writing off the bike.

If there's not much difference I don't understand why they don't just fit a new one in, surely it will be a lot less hassel etc.

as for checking for frame damage, I was thinking of doing that for certain because the car hit the muffler at a 90 degree angle. so the swing arm might be bent or damaged?

Normally insurance assessors authorise the fitting of new panels. Repairing a panel is labour intensive and I[me] can not see how it will be cheaper to repair rather than replace.
Panels can be successfully repaired and I have repaired several but only as favours to help out,doing it for either myself or a friend where no commercial labour cost is involved.
The biggest problem is getting a excellent colour match when they respray--especially that blue metalic which I had difficulty in getting the colour code that would enable me to get the right paint mixed
As it is an insurance claim against a third party I would be on at both my insurance and the engineers,firstly asking why they propose to repair the panels,and secondly your displeasure at having to accept damage repair which will reflect should you wish to sell as it will affect the value

[timwilky]

The drive to repair panels comes really from the car part of the motor insurance industry when you look at those huge plastic rear bumpers that some cars have costing £700 and then still requiring paint, so they can spend a few hours repairing and save £500 on the total repair bill.

Sadly most assessors (where they are still used) are not bike savy, fairing panels need to retain an element of flexibity whereas a car bumper should remain rigid so you have to question the quality of the repair. Also where the repair has been costed by an "approved repairer" whose estimate is automatically accepted, he would be looking to add hours rather than cost of parts if they both run out the same.

[Drew Carey]

+1 to what Dicky ticker has said. I would speak with them and request they cease what they are doing and they agree to replace the panels.

It will not be "as new", it will be repaired. When mine was hit by a dosy so and so from behind, everything was replaced with new with no quibles.

Sniff--sniff, can I smell fish

Personally I wouldn't accept anything but new panels, it wasn't your fault, why should you have any different to what you had pre accident.

A repaired panel can never be as good as a new one surely ?

I can't see there being much difference between a repaired and painted one and a suzuki supplied replacement which is pre painted.

I got 2 brand new ones off eBay for £200.

urgh, reading all these comments makes me so angry, because I rung up the insurance so many times and they keep telling me that they trust the garage will do an excellent job.

@specialone
"A repaired panel can never be as good as a new one surely ?"

That's exactly what I told them... If the bike was to drop again on the same side, the repaired panel will not hold up as well as a new panel. It will probably just crack again and all the "repaired" parts will come off.