Looking for advice/opinion from the biker community. Apologies if this is a bit rambled…
My Speed Triple was stolen and recovered at the weekend. To fix it back to previous condition is going to cost me a few hundred more than my excess, so no point in claiming on insurance. Still, quite a hit to the wallet. However, where the steering lock was snapped the frame has been superficially scratched (as that is what the lock pin closes against). It has just gouged a small groove as they’ve ripped it across which the garage say will cause no issue once a new lock/ignition is fitted.
The curve ball is they say that if i put in a claim on insurance, as this counts as frame damage they are pretty sure the bike would be written off. I’ve only had it 6 months and love it but…
My dilemma is that I am questioning whether having a 1050cc, expensive and coveted bike in London is really worth it. The majority of my riding is my 30 min cross town commute, year round and nipping around town at the weekend. I also go to meetings in central on it. ‘Fun’ use is mostly restricted to a few ride outs in the warmer months, occasional trip to see family etc. I am now terrified it will be nicked again and am therefore wondering about the sense of having it, despite the joy. Head over heart really.
I would lose my 3 years no claims of course, but with luck i could get a pay out equal to what i paid for the bike as I got it at a really good price (even after excess). I would then buy a cheap run around for town and perhaps in the future once i had my no claims back and somewhere to leave it safely, look to get a nicer bike for ‘fun’ riding.
Anyone had a similar dilemma or got any pearls of wisdom?!?
First off, bad luck! What a nice bike to have that done to!
It’s an experience that’s becoming more and more common. I really dislike the question you’re made to ask of yourself “can I own a nice bike in London?” because of the theft problem.
For a bike not to be stolen it has to be a real shed. Anything else is fair game. I’ve had two sports-bikes and one dirt-bike stolen so far, but I refuse to ride around on a crap-heap that will most likely break down on me and cause me more trouble than it’s worth.
Changing your security/parking habits has to be a more realistic answer; use secure car-parks, use thick chains on something immovable and covers, etc. It adds a bit more hassle to biking life, but it means you can get back on your bike at the end of the day and smile all the way to summer when you’ll want to get out and really enjoy the P&J you’ve bought.
Also, the bike will almost certainly be written-off if you claim and the frame damage is noted. Also, your repairs would be a few hundred quid more than the excess you say… How much is a few hundred? If your premium goes up by the same difference after claiming then it’s not worth it, but otherwise I’d have to say it is worth claiming!
get a scooter or rat bike for the commute, fix the big bike and come out on more rideouts
Don’t get the insurance involved due to the exess and loss of NCB.
If you have a multibike policy and use the crap bike as a main bike, I thing you might be suprised at the insurance cost as the big bike isn’t being used as much. you will be more at ease not having to use it in London.
Why not do some research on it before you make that decision. Yes, you have running costs on a small bike but the big bike’s cost will drop due to the lack of use. You will regret losing the nice bike.
Am coming to the conclusion that having a nice bike for the commute is a shed load of hassle - both in terms of potential scrapes and security…
So I reckon the two bike option is worth thinking about - a hack for the commute (something not worth stealing) and a weekend play thing to keep clean and play on the lanes at the weekend.
Would potentially cost a fair bit of course - but there are two bike insurance options which might help - plus you can ride and park the hack without the worries you’d have on your nice bike
YOu have to decide what you want out of riding a bike. I have ridden nice sports bikes since 2000 and had one stolen and that was when all I had was a disk lock on it. I commute and like to enjoy my commute and just dont on a sh!t bike. But thats me…
I understand your dilemma - On the same side of the fence but sitting on a different horse (or some such made-up analogy)
The theft problem in London (which is totally bloody ridiculous how bad it is) has actually kept me from getting a big bike…
I got an '05 Fazer FZ6 after passing my DAS. bought it new and have happily been riding it since. For the last two years or so I’ve wanted a litre bike, maybe a new FZ1 or similar but I just know it will get stolen. (only have on-the-street parking at home and I live in the hood innit SE26)
the Fazer is actually a great bike, nice to look at (in my humble opinion), quick off the mark, great to commute etc and touch wood just a notch below the bling bling level the scrotes are after. I’ve probably just jinxed myself but so far I’ve had no probs. It’s a good bike but not very high up on the target list.
Jon
ps the other theft is the insurance - so bad that you are in a situation that you can’t claim because it will end up costing more. daylight robbery insurance is.
how many time do you go for blasts ride outs? if you do most weekends then it makes sense to have two bikes.
if on the other hand your commute makes up the majority of your riding/fun then i dont see the point of doing it on a scrap bike while the one you really want to ride sits at home.
I fall in the second group and prefer to own one good bike rather than two crap ones (although i do have access to the missus scoot i dont use it as much)
Like Jay said better invest in good chains,secure parking (if possible) etc.
as for the insurance Q - id try and fix it myself and keep it
I’m also wondering if getting another nice new bike being in London. And everytime I see someone riding around or hear the sweet sound of it blatting off down the road I’m thinking, yeah I’m gonna do it!
But then the sense kicks in and unless I think your bike is in a private lock up somewhere and you don’t use it much then I think there’s probably not alot of point.
My bike was in underground parking with fob entry needed. Ok I didn’t have a tracker or an alarm but my neighbour heard them taking it and even knowing about it that quickly and me up immediatly after they still got away.
Turns out they had the bike through the inside entrance, up the friggin stairs and through the front door. How brazen is that??? They are on CCTV but of course helmets were on so no faces.
The only way I see it viseable is if I keep it at my parents down south and whats the point if I can’t get up and ride it when I want. Or if I come across a ridiculous bargain so the insurance covers the event of a theft massively!! It does suck, but who knows, one day!!
BikerGirl, there’s not a lot more you could have done… Yes an Almax chain protects, yes a tracker helps but if the guys who want the bike know what they are doing nothing will get in the way…
Back to the original question I think that a nice posh bike is not worth the hassle is London. After all you’ll always be paranoid what happened if you left it here, there etc. I’d be upset if someone nicked my bike, but at least I won’t have lost a 6,7,8K bike. And if you keep it under lock and key you can only use it to play at the weekends? Just buy a medium bike that has oomph and you won’t have to heavily invest to buy.
P.S. BikerGirl I’m contemplating moving down your part of town so we might need to have a discussion about things in the area… That is before I go out and buy an Almax!
I know not much I could’ve done but always have that ‘what if’ but that’s just me being stupid!!
Anyway, I’ve been here for 2 years now and not had a problem so it’s only when these things happen u hear about tons more and suddenly your looking over your shoulder every 5 seconds.
I have a suspicion when the summer comes the heart may rule!! I’ll just have to consider moving!! lol!
Serrisan - yeh Ill try to be at LB on wednesday and still might try to get out of work this sunday. I feel like I’m missing out on the Jets ride I’ve yet to experiance!!
you’re on LB know… you mean BMM I’m not gonna be there… leaving for Greece that day
I’ll be doing the little ride/ poodle with TimR on Sunday if it’s not raining as my coccyx is not going to take a Jetstream rideout… but will be at the Ace early enough!
If we don’t catch up then I’ll catch you when I get back!
If you need to park up and leave a bike in London, best to have one that isnt the best one around to nick. A really heavy old lump of iron so it cant easily be lifted Those if you who know me know what I ride for my commute (its still a bit good I know but its getting there )
Even if you don’t claim, your premiums might go up as you’ve had an ‘incident’. If you don’t inform your insurance of the ‘incident’ and the bike gets stolen again they could refuse to pay out because of your non-disclosure. If I were in your position I’d ask your insurers how this ‘incident’ will be logged, I’ve read of people having a claim put on their record even though they didn’t claim, because ‘the system doesn’t allow for any other type of entry’.
I think your best bet is not involving the insurance like has been said, as you’ll only be murdered by them next time you want to renew or take out a new policy.
It’s crap, but you’re best swallowing the costs to repair the Triumph and get a cheap run around for the commute.
London riding with all it’s potholed, diesel strewn glory, kills a bike after any length of time, so besides the security risk of riding something shiny into town, you’ll also have less wear on your nice machine.
Just use the nice machine at the weekend or for any other journey where you’ll be able to keep an eye on it or ensure it is very secure and not left for hours.
This is all of course if you can justify having a second bike, with a second lot of insurance and tax.
If you can’t, still fix the bike yourself, but pay to store your bike in a decent off road parking facility.
In terms of cheap run arounds that you can still have fun on, I’d recommend a Honda CBF 5/600. They’re fairly light with good brakes, and are great around town or chucked around corners out of town.
I was pleasantly surprised by them when I used them as a courier, so I think I may buy one to use for work rather than the GSX-R 1000.
Been mulling it all over for the past week, talked to a few friends and family members and of course read all your posts. I’m 99% sure I’m going to swallow the cost and fix the Trumpet and keep using it as I have been. I would not have been looking to get rid and downgrade to a run-around had it not been stolen so I don’t see why I should let the theft ruin the enjoyment I was getting from owning it. True I don’t need such a big bike for the sort of riding I generally do, but I worked hard to earn the money to be able to have it as my every day ride, so I’m not going to let some scum thief take that away, even if it does mean throwing money at the situation. I know I would regret getting rid of it and going back to a more budget bike and within 3 months would be pining for a better ride.
My excess is 500 sheets (ouch) which I guess is the price you pay for having a nice bike in London and to put it back to the same condition is going to cost about £700. Not ideal in January, but I guess that is what savings are for. I’ll just have to go and earn it back…
This was the bike I have always wanted and it makes me smile every time I ride it, so as sensible as buying a hack for town is, life is too short to always take the sensible option. Need to make sure I get more use of it out of town once the weather turns though, so i’ll have to pop my LB ride out cherry come spring time!
I’ll up the security on it (I feel a visit to the Almax website coming on) although I am lucky that it is parked in a very secure place at my office most days. I guess when I am out and about with it i’ll just have to hope that lightning does not strike twice and that the new measures make it too much hassle for joyriders to pinch it… And it will be sleeping cuddled up to a lamppost with the chain from now on.
I just spoke to my insurance as still awaiting the payout though maybe some more handy information.
I only took my insurance out in October with MCE as the broker though the claim is through RSA. Anyway, I paid around £693 for that policy and added multibike on it for an extra £30 I think.
Anyway, i wanted to know if I’d see that premium back since I’d paid outright for it and turns out I dont.
Though obviously I’ll keep going with the policy for my current bike but I could get a new one and not pay anything for it as it would be on this same policy.
Also my no claims bonus makes no difference as it was only one year anyway.
My excess is £450 FYI.
So now that for me makes it tempting to get another bike if the insurance isnt going to double like I’d thought.
I’m not gonna be there… leaving for Greece that day 
Those if you who know me know what I ride for my commute (its still a bit good I know but its getting there