Assessment and Repairs - Matchless G9

[njhking]

On Saturday whilst out for a spin on my Matchless G9, I got wiped out on a roundabout. Quite a few dents and scratches - bike and me -, but worst is the forks look to now be at an angle to the frame. I have contacted my Insurance who is going to send out an Assessor, but I also want to get the damaged assessed by someone recommended who can also check frame and head stock alignment.

I'm based in North Essex so can anyone provide recommendations who could take a look and check the damage?




Thanks

Nick

[SPRIDDLER]

On Saturday whilst out for a spin on my Matchless G9, I got wiped out on a roundabout. Quite a few dents and scratches - bike and me -, but worst is the forks look to now be at an angle to the frame. I have contacted my Insurance who is going to send out an Assessor, but I also want to get the damaged assessed by someone recommended who can also check frame and head stock alignment.

I'm based in North Essex so can anyone provide recommendations who could take a look and check the damage?

Condolences, Nick. I had a very similar incident with Marigold, my much travelled and cherished Matchless. Here's Marigold afterwards.

Marigold collision damage (640x480) (2).jpg

and to cut a very long saga short..........
My insurer, Carole Nash, sent a totally incompetent assessor to inspect the bike. After a casual look he said the frame was bent and reported that the bike should be destroyed by an approved vehicle disposal firm. Carole Nash offered me £500 in full settlement. Absolutely ridiculous as my own check showed that the frame appeared to be O.K. I trailered the bike to an insurance approved specialist, Motoliner at Maidstone http://www.motoliner.com/
who jigged it and found a 2.5mm misalignment at the headstock. It was probably like that when it left the Plumstead factory. Anyway they corrected it and provided a certificate. It cost £120 which I added to my insurance claim.

Marigold in jig r hand side (640x480).jpg

2.5 mm twist marked (720x540) (640x480).jpg

With help from Roy Bellett, the club's Dating Officer providing a valuation I submitted an appeal with adverts for similar bikes to Carole Nash which they eventually accepted, reduced the category to 'May be rebuilt', allowed me to keep the bike and paid me £1000. Not an ideal settlement but better than scrapping her.

[SPRIDDLER]

Motoliner are are superb firm and I understand new owners take their new racing bikes there to be checked. They have a collection of classic bikes in their 'museum'.

100_1861 (640x480).jpg

Marigold rear Andy and Tommy (640x480) (2).jpg

Contact me by PM or email (via my members 'Profile' facility) if I can help further as it can be a stressful challenge, especially when you're also under the weather from having been beaten up.

[njhking]

Just found a place not far from me in South Woodham Ferrers

https://motorcycle-frame-straightening. ... tening.asp

Has any body used them before?

[1608]

Hi Nicholas, I used ABBA at South Woodham Ferrers couple of years ago and they cured a twist in the frame of my Ariel. I was pleased with the result as it cured a definite bias on left cornering as opposed to right cornering ( Hope that makes sense ) and good luck. I used them as they are only 12 miles from me. PM me if you want to chat.

[Andy G]

Carole Nash offered me £500 in full settlement

How does that work?

I know insurers can be pirates but if they say the bike is a write off, don't you get the full insured value?

Confused.

[SPRIDDLER]

Carole Nash offered me £500 in full settlement

How does that work?

I know insurers can be pirates but if they say the bike is a write off, don't you get the full insured value?

Unless you have 'Agreed value' policy with the insurer - fill in a form, send in photos etc. (which I didn't) their commitment is to pay market value for a write off in order to put you back in the position that existed before needing to make a claim.
The £500 was the nincompoop assessor's valuation of it in pre-accident condition. In all it took me and with help from my legal team 4 months, about 150 emails, many examples of adverts for similar bikes, a valuation letter from Roy Bellett, copies of my maintenance records for the bike over the past ten years (it was MOT'd and with new tyres three weeks previous to being smashed) and numerous phone calls to Carole Nash to sort it, dealing with a different clueless person every time whilst I was recovering from multiple serious injuries requiring three weeks in hospital (and the permanent loss of use of my right arm and hand).
And that's just a summary of the hassle.

[Andy G]

That's pretty harrowing.
Agreed value obviously is the way ahead then.
Thanks for the heads up.

[njhking]

Thanks all for your help and advice.

I rang ABBA Engineering today and had a productive conversation on how to proceed. I have the Insurance Assessor coming tomorrow and expect they will want to write off, but thats not my plan. Once she ( Margo ) is straight, the rest is cosmetic so bend straight or replace.


Thanks

Nick

[SPRIDDLER]

Thanks all for your help and advice.

I rang ABBA Engineering today and had a productive conversation on how to proceed. I have the Insurance Assessor coming tomorrow and expect they will want to write off, but thats not my plan. Once she ( Margo ) is straight, the rest is cosmetic so bend straight or replace.

There are several categories of write off.....

1. Irrevocably damaged beyond repair. Must be destroyed by an approved vehicle dismantler and the V5 sent to the DVLA.

2. Uneconomic to repair. May be retained with the original V5 for rebuild. Market value will be paid to the insured less their valuation of the retained 'wreck'.

I managed to get mine changed from category 1. to category 2, plus a £1000 payout and retained the bike. I rebuilt it for less than 50 quid as I already had handlebars, mudguard, spare forks, headlamp, gear and kickstart levers plus other sundry stuff. Changing the category is rarely agreed apparently and it did take a lot of arguing (and their realisation that I was considerably more knowledgeable than their assessor ).

Remember that the bike is still your property until you agree terms for settlement and even as a worst case and 'unrepairable' it will probably be worth several hundred quid as parts. Can you put up a pic of the damage as they are rarely completely unrepairable?
It would be sacrilege to destroy it.
Insurance companies are not in business for their customers' benefit.