I would recomend taking it to a Harley Dealer and let them do the est. and repair. There is a good chance the other Ins. company will just take their est. I had a accident a few years ago and they replaced everything including after market parts with the same parts. I would just take it one step at a time, get Harley to say how much and see if the ins. company covers it.

 

I laid my bike down in July (gravel on a blind curve) and Shelter was my agency. They covered all my medical and were great on covering the bike. They totaled the bike and paid me sales tax on the value (approximately $7,200) they put on the bike, which was more than fair.
I loved my bike and asked about buying it back. The adjuster said I would have to buy it back from the salvage company they deal with: www.copart.com. It took about 30 days for it to show up on their site. Mean time I bought an Ultra Classic, so I didn't bid, however I watched the site and believe it sold for around $900.

 

Yuh, you gotta remember -- Insurance Companies are being paid by their Policy Holder to protect THEM, not anybody else.

It sounds dirty, and in a sense it is, but that's the legal game. That's how it's played. If I were in an at-fault accident, I'd expect my Ins Co to protect me not to announce to the whole freaking world that I'm a screw-up. Even if the best they got is, "If you hadn't been there, our client wouldn't have hit you." Not much, but it's something.

That would be like you hiring a Divorce Attorney and him going to Court and telling the Judge, "Oh yeah, my client was a regular douchenozzle. He'd ride his bike all times day and night. Neglecting his wife and his chores and home. Going on trips with his pals. Even meeting them at Bars sometimes and coming home with (gasp!!) beer on his breath.!!" Might be true, but hey.....

You're paying him to do..... What?

 

Did the cops not issue this guy a ticket for leaving the scene of an accident? If the book value of the bike is $5000, and there's $4000 worth of damage, it's a total for sure. I would absolutely be talking to the guy that hit the bike. I would also make it perfectly clear that he's going to cover any gap in what the insurance company pays, and what it costs to put the bike back to the way it was. Remind him that you know who he is, where he lives, and what kind of car he drives.

 

You're looking for a problem before one exists. Odds are good that the at fault driver's Ins Co will just want this one 'off the books' as quickly as possible. They don't have a leg to stand on. A couple grand to an Ins Co is like a couple pennies to you and me. And if they turn into complete morons, they're just gonna lose and cost themselves more money than it would have if they'd just settle and get it over with.

I wouldn't communicate with the other driver in any way, shape or form. If he calls, be polite and ask if he turned in the claim and if he has a claim number. Say, 'Thank You' and go about your business. Its business, not personal.

Ins Cos just aren't interested in what Cops think. Ticket, no ticket. Not interested. Means nothing to them. Ins Cos eat Cops for breakfast and lawyers for dinner.

This is so minor, so unimportant, so meaningless to an Ins Co, they're just gonna want it gone. Nobody hurt? Minor. Small potatoes.

Threatening or trying to intimidate the other driver? Not real bright. Never threaten. NEVER. Never, ever, ever.

Do. Or don't do. NEVER threaten. For one thing, it's illegal and might get the Cops interested in you. For another, you'd just be giving the other guy's Ins Co an excuse to bust your chops. Plus, you'd be giving the other guy a chance to prepare for you. If you're going to take some kind of (legal, I hope) action, why let the other guy know ahead of time?

This is business guys. It ain't personal. I doubt the other guy ran over the bike because he was having a bad hair day. It was an accident. Accidents happen.

Be cool. Always, be cool.

I kinda feel sorry for the guy that hit the bike. Leaving the scene of an accident? Wow, is he ever in deep trouble. Real deep. First, it's a MAJOR violation. Major. Second, I can just about guarantee you his own Ins Co is going to non renew, or maybe even mid-term cancel, him for it. In most States and with most Ins Cos, a 'Leaving The Scene' ranks with a DUI. Because of that, he'll soon be paying twice or three time as much premium for Insurance.

The guy is gonna get hurt bad enough.

 

Real good advice..

 

Grendel4 has given you some damn good advice. Let YOUR insurance company handle it. Turn it in to them and they will subrogate against the person at fault. Do not even talk to the other driver, it can make matters worse and he could turn you in for harassment.
This is what you pay your insurance company to do for you.

 

I carry a additional $ 10,000 rider (for accessories) on my bike and up /or revisit that amount every 2-3 years,pays to do this when your add ons outweigh the bluebook value of an older bike.

 

Most probably had been drinking.

 

Hope his insurance company isn't the same as yours. Last time I was involved in that mess they tried to split the responsability to please both parties. Whole thing was my fault, I backed into a very clean all original low mile 60's Ford F100. Ended up paying cash for it because the guy let me and a friend do the work. Cost me a fender, piece of trim and some paint.