Damaged R18, what would you do?

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adamchandler

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I rent all of my motorcycles online. Anyone can rent them so long as the company I use vets the drivers and insurance is something the rider buys. A young guy shows up on an SV650 and rents my R18 for the day. Pretty typical. I rent my bikes quite often…also, I really don’t want this to turn into a “you’re stupid for renting your bikes” I’ve been doing it for 4 years and no issues.

I turn around after sending him off and he dropped the bike. I wasn’t upset…still am not upset. That’s what insurance is for. He gets the bike up by himself (not my first rodeo but I’m not causing further damage by helping out). I took a few more photos as the engine bars were scratched, as was the left exhaust and a few paint chips on the left pannier. I asked him if he was okay and if he still wanted to continue the rental. He did so I gave him a few more tips about the R18’s weight and handling. All set and off he went. I have a tracker on all of my bikes and he never left Charlotte.

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I saw him 24 hours later and took a photo of his ID and Odometer statement, he apologized for not filling it up with gas and I said they were going to bill him for that and he said he just didn’t want to try to ride it slowly anywhere. He said “just too much bike for me” and left.

During the post-rental walk around I noticed he also dropped the bike on the right side. Damage was nearly identical except the heat shield on the right header was also dented like it was laid into a concrete curb. Then I noticed paint scratches on the fuel tank down to the paint.

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Here are photos of the damage:
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Here’s the damage estimate from BMW which I fully agree with. “As it was before it happened” is always the goal. The rental company will cover up to $40,000 in damage and the rider is on the hook for $1750 of that but that’s due to the company, not me so. They already offered me $7,000 but I didn’t accept it waiting for the final bill. Glad I did:

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As most of you know, I’ve been trying to sell my R18 for a while. I owe $14,000 on it and have had it listed with the recently performed 6,000 mile service was $18K. I was going to drop that to $16K soon because I am tired of paying North carolina insurance and son I’ll have to register is for another $500 so I’m just ready to sell it.

I really have 2 options. I can put $11,600 (probably more) into putting the bike back to how it was and still only get $16K for it.

OR I can drop the price to $11K as is and sell it and just pocked the rest of it. The bike is functionally perfect. It’s not damaged, just ‘laid over’. A matched paint pin can fix the panniers. Most people would just replace the exhaust with aftermarket anyway and you can only see the exhaust damage if you’re laying on your back (just scratches and some dimples) and I’d probably spend $270 replacing that ffont heat shield that is noticeable bent.

As for the fuel tank, paint pen + buffing and some clear-coat and it won’t be perfect but could be a great deal for someone who doesn’t really care much.

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Posting here because I’m wondering what you all would do? Do I just take the money and pay it off then just sell it for $11K with the damage disclosed? I’m still set on selling it And I believe someone out there would buy it pretty fast even with the hard to see damage.
 
Whew, what a day, eh? Since you were thinking of selling it for 18, I think I'd paint-pen it, sell it for 11-ish to someone who wants to customize it, keep the 11,600, and move on. Good luck with this, hope it works out well for you.
 
Whew! Guess that give a whole new meaning to "Ride it like ya stole it!" Sorry ya got so much battle damage. Do what ya can and get out however! Sad to see such a beautiful bike scraped up like that. But also glad your insurance is good and no one got hurt other than "pride hurt"
 
Seems best for everyone to keep the money, there are definitely enough people out there that don't care that much or are planning on changing half the stuff on the bike anyway. for them it's a steal, and you are left with more money than planned.
 
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A grim reminder how expensive owning a BMW motorcycle is if you make even a small mistake. I don't think the insurance company will cut you a check for the damage, find out for sure, first. The title needs to be now listed as having been in an accident, as a leased vehicle, goes against the VIN number.
 
Pork Rind said:
A grim reminder how expensive owning a BMW motorcycle is if you make even a small mistake. I don't think the insurance company will cut you a check for the damage, find out for sure, first. The title needs to be now listed as having been in an accident, as a leased vehicle, goes against the VIN number.
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This isn't my first Insurance claim with a BMW Motorcycle. I've always covered my butt and most of the time, BMWs are totaled unless they're pretty new. A GS Comp on my 2018 would come around $12-14K. Body parts, a wheel and some luggage will easily hit that. Anytime you low-side any BMW over 5 years old, It's probably not coming home with you even if it's perfectly rideable.

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I received my ACH deposit for $12K this morning. The firm self-insures so there's nothing to the bike's title. It wasn't in an accident. It was dropped in my driveway and they cut me a check to replace the damaged parts. Not a typical insurance situation where there's a formal appraiser, police report, title work, etc.
 
Too late now, but it's sad the new owner is going to have to pay sales tax on a $1000 service, that you probably just paid sales tax on too. Better to suggest the new owner do the service after buying the bike. Sales tax is 10.5% where I live, you just added another $105.00 in taxes when I register, plus use tax on that for depreciation for the rest of the life of the bike in my annual registration fees. Just saying, be smart about that stuff.
 
Pork Rind said:
Too late now, but it's sad the new owner is going to have to pay sales tax on a $1000 service, that you probably just paid sales tax on too. Better to suggest the new owner do the service after buying the bike. Sales tax is 10.5% where I live, you just added another $105.00 in taxes when I register, plus use tax on that for depreciation for the rest of the life of the bike in my annual registration fees. Just saying, be smart about that stuff.
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I have no clue what you’re talking about. Why would the person buying the bike have to service a bike that was recently serviced? Why did I add $105 in taxes when you buy it? Are you buying the bike? I’m going to need a spreadsheet. In most states, the sale price doesn’t dictate the use tax. It’s based on fair market value and further I didn’t increase the cost because it was serviced. I was going to sell it for $12K with it without the service. I’d never sell a car or bike that isn’t ready to take on a trip. If it needed brakes or tires, I’d just do that because I respect and care about the new owner having a good experience.
 
adamchandler said:
I have no clue what you’re talking about. Why would the person buying the bike have to service a bike that was recently serviced? Why did I add $105 in taxes when you buy it? Are you buying the bike? I’m going to need a spreadsheet. In most states, the sale price doesn’t dictate the use tax. It’s based on fair market value and further I didn’t increase the cost because it was serviced. I was going to sell it for $12K with it without the service. I’d never sell a car or bike that isn’t ready to take on a trip. If it needed brakes or tires, I’d just do that because I respect and care about the new owner having a good experience.
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Would you have sold the bike for $1000 less if you just didn't put $1000 in service into the bike? If so... then there's additional sales tax and registration fees on that additional $1000. I'd rather buy it for $11,000 and be taxed and pay registration fees on an $11,000 bike than a $12,000 bike, and service it myself. You take the choice or opportunity away from the new owner, and the opportunity for them to service it themselves and not pay BMW exhorbitant $185/hr service fees to stand around and let oil drip out of two holes before putting the bolts back in and adding the fluid themselves. How many new owner's that are shopping based on price and buying used, can make $185/hr after taxes to pay for BMW to service it, vs doing it themselves? I can put a stethoscope on a cylinder head on a cold engine and move it around and know if the valves are out of adjustment or in adjustment, or if it's a rod knock.

People buy used bikes vs new bikes to save money on the initial entry price of ownership. Many can service them themselves. If they can't, but want to ride it home, make an appointment ahead of time at a BMW dealership of your choice at 9 am when they open, for service, on the trip home.
 
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Pork Rind said:
Would you have sold the bike for $1000 less if you just didn't put $1000 in service into the bike? If so... then there's additional sales tax and registration fees on that additional $1000. I'd rather buy it for $11,000 and be taxed and pay registration fees on an $11,000 bike than a $12,000 bike, and service it myself. You take the choice or opportunity away from the new owner, and the opportunity for them to service it themselves and not pay BMW exhorbitant $185/hr service fees to stand around and let oil drip out of two holes before putting the bolts back in and adding the fluid themselves. How many new owner's that are shopping based on price and buying used, can make $185/hr after taxes to pay for BMW to service it, vs doing it themselves? I can put a stethoscope on a cylinder head on a cold engine and move it around and know if the valves are out of adjustment or in adjustment, or if it's a rod knock.

People buy used bikes vs new bikes to save money on the initial entry price of ownership. Many can service them themselves. If they can't, but want to ride it home, make an appointment ahead of time at a BMW dealership of your choice at 9 am when they open, for service, on the trip home.
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I would prefer to buy a second hand bike that's in order than one I have to service immediately when I buy it. That's how I have more trust the previous owner was good to the bike.
I don't care how he did it, I don't look at the price of the bike with that included, or think I should pay more because he had it done in the dealer. I pay the amount what I think is fair based on mileage and state of the bike compared to others for sale.
 
Pork Rind said:
Would you have sold the bike for $1000 less if you just didn't put $1000 in service into the bike? If so... then there's additional sales tax and registration fees on that additional $1000. I'd rather buy it for $11,000 and be taxed and pay registration fees on an $11,000 bike than a $12,000 bike, and service it myself. You take the choice or opportunity away from the new owner, and the opportunity for them to service it themselves and not pay BMW exhorbitant $185/hr service fees to stand around and let oil drip out of two holes before putting the bolts back in and adding the fluid themselves. How many new owner's that are shopping based on price and buying used, can make $185/hr after taxes to pay for BMW to service it, vs doing it themselves? I can put a stethoscope on a cylinder head on a cold engine and move it around and know if the valves are out of adjustment or in adjustment, or if it's a rod knock.

People buy used bikes vs new bikes to save money on the initial entry price of ownership. Many can service them themselves. If they can't, but want to ride it home, make an appointment ahead of time at a BMW dealership of your choice at 9 am when they open, for service, on the trip home.
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Just answering your first question. Absolutely not. I’ve always serviced cars and bikes before sale and the price is never higher than if they were not sorted.
 
Which platform do you rent your motorcycles out on? I used to rent out our AIRSTREAM RV on the outdoorsy platform; I went into it knowing that damage was going to happen, and I would simply bill the renter for the damaged parts and make repairs. Your recent R18 rental, is right up there with someone driving a 9' 10" high RV under a 9' cobblestone bridge within a National Park...

With the recent insurance payout, you can sell it in "As Is Condition" to someone who can restore it back to its original condition and get many years and miles worth of riding out of it. Stay the original course and sell it for a price that works for you; list it as cosmetic damage..
 
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