The crash

[Bamo]

So it finally happened to me.  Rode the tail of the dragon on my day off, back at the end of Sept.  Fell in with some sport guys and had a great, brisk ride to Deals Gap where we stopped for a break.  Got a phone call from work and since there is no signal I decided to have a nice easy, slow cruise back to the Foothills Parkway.  Well I never made it. A helicopter ride and three days basically unconscious later, I came home.  The point of this is not to tell my tale but to ask for guidance.  I have no idea what happened but I know I did not crash or slide or lock up.  I feel like there was someone in my lane, but I cant remember good enough to be sure.  Anyway I have a Valkyrie in my garage that is basically straight, except for the steering stem being snapped of.  A tree hit the top triple clamp and broke the front end off.  The forks are not bent and the front fender is not even scratched.  A frame is about $3500 and I just dont know what to do with this thing.  I just bought it, my insurance says unless I can prove there was another vehicle, they wont pay for it and I dont know weather to keep it, part it out or turn it into a project. Any advice you guys have is welcome.  Been riding since I was 5, this situation is killing me.  Not sure what to do.  Thanks in advance

[Kidd]

Well , geezz  , reads like you're gonna be okay

what insurance company  do you have ?

[Bamo]

Yeah gonna be alright. Getting better every day.  I have Geico. Long story but I am working on my legal stance for this whole thing.  Going to be a lot for a long time. 

[Moofner]

That makes no sense... Full coverage means you get the market value of the bike minus the deductible. Gap insurance covers the rest if the bike loan is more than the bike.

Glad I don't have Geico. I'm also glad you are still kicking!

As for the bike, it depends on where the snap off happened. If it sheered the frame welds, that is going to a tough fix. If it just ripped the guts and front end off you can always fabricate a setup.

You won't be able to part it out and recover what the bike is worth, but you might get close. That is if you got it while they were in the $11-13K range.
Take it a day at a time, breathing and dealing with a shifty insurance rep is better than 6 ft under.

[Robert]

Any cams in the area? Any skid marks on the road that were noted and how about a Police report.

[Kidd]

Curious , what were you wearing ??

Helmet ?
Leathers/jacket  ?
Non leather riding jacket ?

[Bamo]

That is true Moonfer.  I am very lucky.  No cams in the area and no skid marks.  No scratches on the bike and the cliff I went of you can tell the bike was upright.  I wish I could remember what happened.  I had gone through this bend in the road quicker 15 minutes before and just have no idea what happened.  I have a vision of people in my lane, but don't know if it is real.  I broke my full face helmet and I was wearing gear.  If not, I would be gone for sure.  Broke my foot and shoulder and collapsed a lung.  Was able to crawl back up the hill so people found me right away.  Thankful I had gear on for sure.  Those of you who don't wear it, just be ready, crap gets real quick.  Been racing motocross and Harescrambles all my life, been injured and messed up a million times.  This one is the biggest mental hit I have ever had.  

[Bamo]

Was wearing a full Face HJC, which cracked across the back from hitting the tree.  Joe rocket summer mesh jacket with body armour. Shift motocross, enduro pants and boots and gloves. 

[Kidd]

Wow , this is wnat you doing , huh ?

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/motorsports/offroad/stories/1331797392834/red-bull-hare-scramble-2016-live

That's crazy , if I did that , would be crazy

[Robert]

Did you break the helmet on the tree because if you did maybe it was a case of target fixation. You know going into a curve yet being almost paralyzed in not negotiating the turn correctly. That would mean you just didnt go through the turn and went off the road and hit a tree. That would make sense since there were no skid marks. The only other thing is you said you think you remember a car next to you, were you maybe run off the road?

[Bamo]

Target fixation has come up in conversation, and I guess I have no way to rule it out, I have just never had an issue before. No close calls or oh crap moments where I caught myself doing that.  I am usually pretty focused.  Cant say that it is not possible though, anything is possible. The only thing I have are memory snapshots.  Not even sure if they are real or not.  I remember there being an issue in m lane and then stuff goes black.  I know this sounds weird too, I would not believe it if I was not living it. The yellow line to me is a no fly zone, I take it very very serious.  I don't care how fast I want to go or how smooth I want to be, if it means crossing the yellow line I simply do not do it.  In this instance I did just that and crashed to the outside.  I really hope that since I did, there was a damn good reason for it.  Crossing that line bothers me more than the crash itself.  I would never want to hurt anyone else.  Me, I have hurt me a lot.

[_Sheffjs_]

Wow sorry this happened to you however I am glad you are ok. Just got back from a week in that area and did 209 many times and one of the rides was quite spirited the other rides I was two up. For a flatlander I can see how things can change in a nanno second as cars/rv/trucks like to use more of the road then their lane    this happened when two up and riding slower with time to deal. We were home for a few days and took off for Milton Fl and picked up four 1500 Valk riders and did the Natchaz Trace Parkway ending yesterday and now in Nashville. That has to be the opposite ride as no commercial vehicles or business on the parkway and 50 speed limit. No switchbacks just a very relaxing different ride.

When reading your post I am trying to figure the damage to the headlight as I understand the headlight alone is huge money. Do you have pics you can post of damage?  Also if you do want to replace it with the same bike there are many used now in the $8500 range. Is that what you want to do?  Just seems to me the insurance has to pay something.