2011 Limited Ultra w/64K miles. Got hit by a car on Sunday afternoon. No injuries. I was lucky. Could've been worse. Looks like bent crash bar on right side, bent bar that goes across between lowers, right lower pushed into gas tank, and thinking possible total because of that, crash bar in front of smashed rear saddlebag, and also because of the mileage. Anyway, I have 4 JL Audio speakers on it, and a nice JL Audio amp in the tourpak. Also, a Street Glide front fender, and a 19" Enforcer front wheel. I hate to let all that stuff go with the bike if it's totaled, even though I have receipts. Would you take that stuff off of the bike before it gets picked up? I still have stock bags & front fender, and I have some old Hogtunes speakers I can throw in there. I think I'm done with my "customizing" phase --- stretched bags & fender, and the 19" wheel, but I'd like to keep all the JL Audio stereo stuff. What about my almost-new Dresser Duals, and the Rush Big Louie slip-ons? Get the dealer to throw some stock stuff back on it?

 

I would take it off only if I have the stock replacements to go back on. There will be another bike, I'm glad to hear you are ok. Like my dad says you are harder to replace than a fender.

 

You'll need to discuss this with your insurance company.

If you have coverage for that stuff, and the insurance company totals the bike, you are already being compensated and technically at that point they own it (the accessories, that is). If you take it off AND accept the settlement, that's not kosher.

In practical terms, odds are no one will ever know the difference. The insurance company will send the bike off to a salvage auction and get what they can for it. No one will ever realize that the various bibs and bobs you took off were supposed to be there.

But right is right.

 

If the adjuster looks at it and you settle on a value then remove items before it's picked up then that's insurance fraud.

 

Yup, a totaled bike belongs to the insurance co, including the accessories. Proceed carefully.

 

As I suspected. It hasn't been looked at yet. I might consider getting the stereo stuff before anybody looks at it, and leave everything else on it. I wouldn't do it AFTER a settlement is reached.

 

Just put a stock radio back in and you should be fine. As long as you don't pull something and not replace it. If the amp and speakers will fit the next bike then why not.

 

A couple questions... Is the bike at your house? Swapping parts like a fender will be difficult if it's at an impound lot or at a dealership. A dealership service department isn't likely to agree to swap off a fender or aftermarket exhaust. They don't know what kind of insurance coverage you have, in as much as what's covered, to what extent, and what's not, so they won't want to interject themselves into a dispute between you and your insurance co. They'll let you grab your personal effects out of the bags, but anything that is supposed to be 'permanently attached' like a stereo or amp or exhaust will probably have to stay that way.

Has the insurance adjuster already seen it? If so, you can bet that he took pics. Discrepancies between what's on the bike and what the pics show will not look good when it's time for them to write a check.

There is a narrow gray area between retrieving things that are simply contained within the bike versus parts that are attached. There are mounts to hold your cell phone to the handlebars. That doesn't mean your cell phone is now part of the bike, so it's safe to take. But the mount might be. Or might not. Like I said, a gray area. If you go too far, the insurance company might say you're trying to salvage the bike and deduct the value from the settlement. Be careful.

You might be better off showing receipts to the adjuster and seeing if they'll cover the value.

 

I would definitely have a list of aftermarket that they do cover and anything else I would tell them I am taking it off. If they are not compensating you for all of it it should be yours. I would look at your contract very carefully..no sense in getting in trouble over a few things especially if they ARE compensating you. If I wrecked mine I would definitely keep the tourpak because they only give me $3000 in aftermarket and I have a list over over $6000 in parts so they would not be covering that.

 

I would be pulling everything off that I changed and is worth anything to me while replacing with stock parts where applicable.