Seeking advice on crash repairs

twowheels · #1 10-23-2012, 04:01 PM

Looking for advice on repairing crashed bike. See attached pictures.

I locked my front brake accidentally trying to avoid a taxi crossing the road in front of me and before I could count to 0.0001 seconds my bike was on it's side and sliding. To say it happened quickly is an understatement. Anyway I believe the Barkbuster hand guards and SW-Motech engine bars prevented a lot more serious damage to the bike but I still have:

- bent handle bar
- rashed and cracked left fairing
- broken off spindle/spool mount on swing arm
- ground down engine bars

Should I replace the fairing piece or try and repair with Plastex and then paint? Only one fairing piece is damaged.

What aftermarket bars will fit the versys without causing cable issues or should I just replace with OEM bar. Can this be bent back safely?

Can a competent welder weld a new piece for spool attachment on my swing arm without weakening it?

MTS · #2 10-23-2012, 04:24 PM

Twowheels first off thank god you are ok! Slider jeans would have been better. Glad you are not hangin it up, and want to keep ridin!

Good luck getting your bike back together.

twowheels · #3 10-23-2012, 04:38 PM

I know all about the hazards of locking your front brake in a panic stop. Still I managed to do this in a nano second when faced with a taxi pulling out in front of me. That's all it took to put the bike on it's side.

I went for a approx 50ft slide at 65kph/40mph. Fortunately I did not hit anything solid. Gear really, really, really helps is all I can say, cannot stress this enough. Olympia AST jacket prevented any upper body damage. Sidi boots and Rev'It gloves and helmet all worked and took some abuse. I now however can conclusively say after thorough testing that Tommy Hilfiger jeans offer no abrasion resistance.

If I had on my motorcycle pants I probably could have walked away unscathed. As it was I spent the better part of last night and the early hours of this morning waiting in ER to have the abrasion injuries to my leg treated. There were many more seriously injured and sick people there who got priority over my road rash.

MTS · #4 10-23-2012, 06:13 PM

That front brake deal is a beeeaach! I've done it and it can dump a person soooo fast!

Sorry to hear about your road rash that sucks! But on the good note you had almost all other areas covered! Good job! Head injuries are sometimes for life! Glad you had a helmet!

Hope you heal up fast and get your bike fixed!!

Mt. Versuvius · #5 10-23-2012, 06:21 PM

The handlebars are toasted. You can try a Renthal atv bar, but the bar end weights won't work (the Renthals aren't threaded). The OEM bar is pretty expensive >$100. I think you'll have a hard time repairing the cracked fairing, but you could keep an eye on the classifieds, as parts like that come up for sale fairly often. Even if it's the wrong colour you can get it painted or spray it yourself. Possibly the easiest repair will be the swingarm spool, but you'll have to find someone who can weld aluminum (it won't weaken the swingarm). I have a theory that the welds for those spools are made weak on purpose so that the spool will snap off before the swingarm gets trashed. I had the exact same damage to my bike (plus a broken footpeg) after I threw my bike down the road this summer. Everything is good now although I didn't repair the rash on the fairing (mine didn't crack) to remind myself not to be an idiot. To be honest, I love the bike more now that we've been through the hardship together. If you want it all to look like new you're going to have to dump some money into it. I'm okay with my bike looking a bit ragged, because I know that mechanically it is sound.

craigercj · #6 10-23-2012, 06:21 PM

Sucks you crashed, hope the rash heals quick!

New bars. Aftermarket are likely easier/cheaper to get. Search the forum for dimensions. I'd take the opportunity to upgrade to fatbars, but you may be limited by handguard mounts.

New fairing, smooth and spraypaint crash bars, weld on a spool mount. That's what I'd do anyways..

Kawa007 · #7 10-23-2012, 07:11 PM

If I were you I'd just call my insurance company and have them put it back to new condition. Keep in mind time is money. And the time and money you'll spend to put it back to "decent" condition imho isn't worth it.

My other bike fell on it's side because of the wind catching in the protective cover, the bike just tipped over. At first I thought I would fix it myself...then started adding up price of parts...I decided to call my insurance company. I had a 250$ deductible and they put it back to new replacing every single part that had a scratch or ding on it. Total for them: 1100$, and the bike just fell on the side while parked!

twowheels · #8 10-23-2012, 07:40 PM

I only have liability insurance and the police did not catch the cab driver who took off, none of the witnesses go a license numberso it looks like I am paying this out of pocket. Think I will start with the bars and do this gradually rather than all at once.

Kawa007 · #9 10-23-2012, 08:33 PM

Oh that sucks...

Streeter · #10 10-25-2012, 09:49 AM

You can try to straighten the handlebars. Just put a piece of 2" pipe over the grip and bend it back.

You can also mend the plastic, but it won't look as good as a new piece.

Fix the bars, replace the mirror and just ride it.

good luck

Kawa007 · #11 10-25-2012, 10:02 AM

If my bars bent like that I woudlnt rebend them, I'd just replace. But I like to have peace of mind on everything

Streeter · #12 10-25-2012, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawa007

If my bars bent like that I woudlnt rebend them, I'd just replace. But I like to have peace of mind on everything

Believe me, if it takes a 4' to 6' long steel pipe to bend them back, you don't have anything to worry about.

twowheels · #13 10-25-2012, 04:53 PM

Thought about bending the bars back but I just don't have the tools to do this and wonder if it would even be possible to get them symmetrical again.

Does anyone know the color code for the red used on the 08 bike?

Ordered new OEM bars, Ebay mirrors and Plastex kit to repair the fairing. Will try removing crash bars to repaint them.

ttpete · #14 10-25-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Thought about bending the bars back but I just don't have the tools to do this and wonder if it would even be possible to get them symmetrical again.

Does anyone know the color code for the red used on the 08 bike?

Ordered new OEM bars, Ebay mirrors and Plastex kit to repair the fairing. Will try removing crash bars to repaint them.

Those bars are kinked. Go to the Renthal site and look for something with the same rise and pullback. Check on the side panel cost for a new one. It's pretty reasonable, and you can get one in the correct color. A new hand guard plastic should be inexpensive, and if the bark buster is bent, it can be straightened. Work on the engine bars with a file and sandpaper to smooth them and paint with barbecue black rattle can paint. The spool mount can be welded back on if you still have it, or someone should be able to make a new one for you.

I dropped mine with about the same results, and you'd have to look close to see where it happened. You really need only a few parts: Bars, side panel, hand guard, and mirror.

Tgoods · #15 11-11-2012, 08:23 PM

I low-sided my Versys at a track day and the swingarm spool attachment broke off like yours did. I was going to try to get a weld job done, but then I realized it would be cheaper and easier to get different attachments for my Pit Bull rear stand (about $20), so now the rear stand props directly underneath the swingarm instead of spools.

jagrugger · #16 11-15-2012, 07:06 PM

It is difficult to get the handlebars back to original. I tried and it sucked. I even had the advantage of a blow torch to heat the metal up. I gave up and bought OEM. Even after I put my new handlebars on my stearing was still offset, forcing one hand slightly forward of the other to ride straight. Something had tweaked in the stearing and it took me completley taking the stearing system apart and reassembling to set it straight again.