My 1999 Yamaha R1 was stolen this morning right under my nose. I had posted an add for selling it as I am moving overseas.
This guy came to view it and after a thorough inspection he said he would like to see if it rides well around the block. i agreed to it only if he were to take me as a pillion. he then just sat on the bike and rode off with it.
I immediately called the police and registered a complaint.
I have also called the insurance company. its insured for 3rd party fire and theft.
do you guys think my claim would be successful?
is there anything else i could do in the meantime?
Well technically I didnt give him the keys. I didnt know he was going to ride off with it. the engine was just switched on for checking. it was a bit of a surprise for me when he just sat on it and rode off.
yeah, i have his number and i have given it to the police…
obviously, cant get through to the number now…
i called the police minutes within he left with the bike. what are the chances of getting the bike back in this case?
Gutted for ya.
I remember a case not long ago where fella had taken his bike outta the garage and started it up ready to go. He then realised he’d forgot his gloves, popped back indoors grabbed gloves and came out to see someone riding away on his bike. If i remember rightly the insurance company refused to pay out as the rider was deemed negligent in leaving the bike running and unattended.
Not sure if you still have to produce the vehicle keys to make a claim, i’m sure someone on here will know.
I’d be very careful how you word the circumstances of this theft to the insurance company as nowadays if there is the slightest chance of a get out you can be sure they will find it.
Hope you get what you want.
Try and remember EXACTLY what you told the police. And see if there’s a way you can word it so that he stole/jacked the bike? Look into the definitions of jacking etc Go through your insurance details (small print) looking for an area where you can place this incident so that they will pay out.
I know it’s wrong people, but then so are some of those insurance companies the way they try to scam you out of your money with ‘words’…
OK, this is what happened.
i start the engine he does some inspection by walking around it and checking the chain and engine. then we talk while standing next to the bike while the engine is still on. then he jumps on the bike and rides off. i immediately call the police.
will this fit into the definition of stealing for the insurance guys?
There will be a clause in your policy that states if it’s stolen with the keys in then they are either not liable or they’ll only pay out a certain percentage.
sorry to hear this… thats , a big concern of mine , i was so cagey when i sold my 08 r1 the first people that looked at it thought i was trying to hide somthing , in the end i sold it to a friend of shewoolfs
to late now but before i show anyone a bike id ask them for photo id, and they get it back after they have seen the bike
hope you get your bike back in one piece or the insurance payout ok
I’m guessing this is what you told the Police, which presumably means this is what you’ll have to tell your insurance company?
If the keys were in it but the engine wasn’t running you could have argued that the immobiliser was active and therefore you had reason to assume that the bike could not be stolen?
I remember reading an article some time ago abut a guys Porsche being stolen from a petrol station forecourt, his solicitor successfully argued against the insurance who refused to pay out, based on the immobiliser issue above.
Good luck with it, and as has already been said get some legal advice asap! :ermm:
I think it would be very harsh of your insurer to deny your claim as it reads as though you were taking all reasonable precautions - you were with the fella as he was looking the bike over. Not unreasonable for you to have started it up, is it?
If you had left the fella alone with the bike whilst you went indoors or something then you’d be screwed, but as he buggered off while you were about to climb on I would hope you’d be ok. Insurer’s claim staff (in my experience) do indeed try anything to avoid claims and give the industry the bad name it suffers. If (when) they turn it down immediately complain and be ready to carry on complaining to the highest level.
