Poor thundercat

Hi everyone, I have some bad news...

I was knocked off my cat again in March by a car driver, worse than the last time unfortunately. I'm fine, but the got Category-C written off.

Rough damage:
R&G Bung took a good bashing & the bolt was bent about 30-35 degrees.
Mirror, scratched.
Front brake lever, scratched.
Exhaust end can, ripped off at the joint with the manifold/headers/downpipes (whatever they're called)
Rear brake lever got about 90 degree bend at the rubbered end.

I have recieved the engineers report from the insurers, it is only cosmetic damage (nothing was mentioned about frame, swingarm etc). So I've got the cat back now (and a cheque for the value) and I'm going to repair it (hopefully in time for BCV!!!).

Iv'e done most of the repairs already, the new bungs, mirror, front lever are all on. I just need to source a new back brake lever and an end can (was thinking of upgrading that at the same time). Did I mention the crash bung was just plain scary to remove, I seriously thought I had snapped it off in the block when it started to slaken!

I'll add pictures later when im not at work!

All of this just as the weather starts to get better as well!

Very unlucky Ben but as you've clearly demonstrated now on more than on occasion bikes are nearly always fixable, especially cats with 9 lives, the main thing you're okay after your latest brush with a car.

Hope you get her ready for BC

Cheers pal

Steve

sorry to hear about this ben, but seems your on the right track to getting back on 2 wheels, fingers crossed for you and glad that you didnt come out with any serious injuries.

Cats are very tank like it seems!...

Terrible news but happy you're ok, looking forward to meeting you at BC, good luck!

Aarrghhhh! Sorry to hear your news.

Glad to hear you're OK and you're up for ressurecting the 'cat.
Sounds as if you're making good progress.
Look forward to seeing the results at BC.

I know what you mean about the weather, although it's blowing a gale outside at the min.

Aw crap. Sorry to hear that.

Good luck with all the repairs.

Rosco

Aw, nasty. But always look on the bright side of life! Sounds like you're OK and the Cat soon will be.

Hope the car driver gets what he/she deserves - revenge is sweet!

Bummer Ben, where did the accident happen?

Hope you get it sorted in time for BC, give me a shout if you need a hand

robertcains wrote:Bummer Ben, where did the accident happen?

It was the A5/A49 roundabout south/southeast of Shrewsbury, just giving way on the roundabout & got hit in the area of arse end
Car drivers words: "Sorry, I just thought you would carry on..." yeah, as I was giving way

Yeah progress is good on the repair, ordering the brake lever & end can on Friday. Good clean this weekend ready for the can & lever when I get em, then off for the new MOT.

Once that's done just need to find out how / who / what you do Re: getting the Cat-C status off the bike... Pretty sure this is just ringing DVLA & telling them it's fixed & MOT'd (give a bit of proof) and they send you a new V5 for it while taking the Cat-C status off it.

Dobbies island? Shit of a place at the best of times

I thought Cat-C was marked for life?

YZFJohn wrote:I thought Cat-C was marked for life?

Did some googling out of interest:
Besides re-MOTing.

Other Site wrote:A Cat C must have a VIC (Vehicle Identity Check) inspection before returning to the road.

The V5 document was returned to DVLA and the bike recorded as a category C vehicle. You can re-apply for a V5 on the original identity once the VIC inspection has been done. VIC inspection and re-registration removes the Category C classification, but evidence it was at one time Category C remains on the vehicle's record at the DVLA and so will appear on a vehicle data check.

This tells you how to apply for a VIC [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Only on cars John, doesn't apply to bikes

robertcains wrote:Bummer Ben, where did the accident happen?

Damn, came from another bike site.

robertcains wrote:Dobbies island? Shit of a place at the best of times

No 2 roundabouts up, the one with the A5/M54 coming on/off it.

Yeah I checked up on that VIC thing too. I found it was John Major finding out he owned a cut & shut that prompted him to introduce the test. But when he brought it up in government, he said "car" and not "vehicle" so to this day, bikes are exempt from it. (I don't know if that really is why bikes are exempt, but it sounds believe-able for our gov't).

For a bike, as far as I know.... It's just a new MOT that is needed before DVLA will remove the Cat-C state for you. Then, once you have the new V5 the insurance companies will start talking to you again.

It will always be recorded as a cat C once given the marker, that applies to both cars & bikes, The reason for a VIC is purely for identification (vehicle identification check) to establish it is indeed the same vehicle & not a ringer.
Not at any stage is the quality of repair looked at, once a VIC has been passed on a car then it's ok to apply for the log book/MOT which is retained by DVLA from the insurance company.
A bike log book can be applied for at any stage of repair but both car & bike will have permanent records of a cat C.
There are many vehicles currently on the road that have previously been written off but have been repaired to a very poor standard, I see them daily in my job & it beggars belief that anyone can repair a write off without any qualifications/training & it goes back on the road without any form of test other than an MOT which is only a very basic test & even if the tester spots something dangerous that is outside of his test rules can only give it an advisory & pass the test.