Topic: Where to go from here...

[willis]

I purchased a 1974 a while back and I absolutely fell in love the bike. Sure it's old and there were a few things here and there that needed work, but it was a fantastic bike; they don't make them like that anymore. Anyways, I went for a evening ride tonight and some a$$hole pulled out in front of me and I went down. Worst of all, the person didn't even stop - they just hauled a$$ and drove away. All things considered, I am okay; it was relatively low speed and I had on a helmet and a jacket. I will be sore as all hell tomorrow, but things could have been worse

Anyways, I need some advice on where to go from here. I looked at the bike and the damage is not the end of the world (I think...). The handle bars, controls, and gauges are shot. The tanks is scraped and dented., and the oil tank is broke. Carbs came loose, pegs bent, etc. I looke at the frame and the engine, and as far as I can tell they both seem to have come out on top, save for the clutch cover which is dented; not sure if there is clutch damage.

So I probably need to have someone look at it and tell me if there needs to be major work done related to the engine, transmission, front/back end. I would appreciate any advice on a good person/shop to talk to, or a possible plan of action.

Thanks, and drive safe (ironic I know...)

[ozpacman]

Hi Willis,

Did you actually collide with the vehicle that pulled out in front of you, or did you just lose control and fall as you tried to avoid a collision?  The reason I ask is, if you just laid it down then I think the frame and forks will most likely be fine.

The damage appears to me to be fairly cosmetic.  Some searching on ebay etc should net you the required parts without too much trouble.  That tank will repair quite easily by the looks of it.  A new set of bars and a replacement tach and she'll be looking a lot better.

Take your time and check the frame for any creases or cracked paint etc and don't be afraid to post photos here of anything you're unsure of - plenty of willing helpers on here.a

Mate I'm a little concerned that those rear shocks look to be too long and might be upsetting the handling/steering of your bike.  How was it prior to the crash?

Cheers,

Russ

[70CB750]

The shocks look longer than needed to me too.

Good there was not more damage and mainly that you are ok, but to replace all these pieces quickly adds up. 

Post in wanted section, this forum is usually the cheapes source of parts.

What is broken on the oil tank?

[calj737]

Awfully sorry to hear about your misfortune, and glad you've come thru healthy.

Despite the obvious damage, from the picture, it appears the front down tube of the frame, near the engine mount, shows paint distress and scrapes. If so, you need to very thoroughly examine the frame for damage.

Cosmetics and bent bars are one thing, but a racked or twisted neck/frame are complete losses. Look carefully around the triple clamps, top and bottom for signs of cracks or damage. Also lift the fork gaiters to check for leaking seals, another sign of damage that may not be obvious.

Tank can be fixed but needs to be repainted. I think you're right, oil tank is a replace item due to mashed filler spout.

Once you get things sorted out, ring out and I'm sure many of us will be happy to lend a hand with parts or services to help get you and your bike back on the road!

Be well and take care of your body!

[oldhatt45]

Willis,

Sorry about the mishap.  Glad You are OK!!!  That is the most important thing.

From the picture, it looks like the upper triple got the paint taken off.  I would check that for any bending.  If it is bent it will affect the forks and could cause a problem with (especially) the right fork leg.  If it were mine, I would probably replace the fork seals if that triple was damaged in any way.

There is a small dent at the front of the tank, so I would (as calj737 said) look very closely and carefully at the fork neck area.

Charlie

[RowdyRoddy]

ARRRRGH!
 
How can a human being just run away from a fallen human being - regardless of the fact you were in a traffic accident - regardless of who might be at fault - regardless of fear of litigation/fines etc. If a human being appears to be hurt or in distress and your instinct is to drive/ride/run away then you deserve to be locked up and in therapy until you evolve into compassionate creature that can once again co-habitate with other compassionate creatures on our roadways and in our cities.

This is disgusting to me.

Willis you seem a standup guy that is taking this in stride. Kudos, don't change that. Stay cool and I will vent and fume for you for awhile.

Resuming:

ARRRRGH!

Edit: My advice? Strip that tank and wear it brushed metal with dents and wear it with pride. Battle scars. Screw that person.

[willis]

Hey everyone,

Sorry it took me so long to respond - I've been taking it easy for the past few days. Turns out I had some bruised ribs and a bruised hip. Luckily nothing was broken but I was sore as can be.

So I went back yesterday and took a good close look at the entire motorcycle to see what had been damaged in the accident. I had taken some before pictures when I had purchased the motorcycle so I had something to compare the damage to. So far, here is what I have found...

• dented points pover
• busted right foot peg
• broken oil cap/dipstick
• broken right/left side covers
• bent handlebars
• torn seat
• broken tachometer/speedometer
• broken right hand switches
• broken mirrors
• dented tank
• torn grips

I was able to compare the damage against the pictures I had taken earlier and, luckily, there didn't seem to be any frame/engine/triple tree damage. Both the scrapes on the frame by the engine mount, as well as the scrapes on the triple tree where there when I purchased the bike. I need to remove the points cover to see if there was any damage to the ignition system but I don't think so. I also didn't see any damage to the front forks or the front/back ends in general.

- Russ (@ozpacman)
Luckily I did not collide with the car. I am embarrassed to say that I just lost control of the motorcycle. It was slightly wet outside and I must have braked too hard and slid out. To tell you the truth it all happened so fast I'm not really sure what caused me to loose control. As far as the shocks go, I was not aware (naively) that the length of the rear shocks can affect the handling of the motorcycle. The shocks that are currently on there came with the motorcycle when I purchased it. How would you recommend I go about seeing if they are too long?

- @70CB750
I took the right side oil cover off and was able to verify that the tank wasn't damaged or cracked, with the exception of two small scrapes, so I should just have to replace the cap and the dipstick. I have attached some pictures of the tank/dipstick. Do you think that is the correct conclusion? Is there anything I should look out for or be aware of in regards to the oil tank?

- @calj737
As I mentioned above, I had taken some pictures when I had purchased the motorcycle and the scrapes on the frame and the triple tree were both there before the accident. I looked at the entire frame/engine very closely and I don't think there was any damage/twisting. Is there any way for me to confirm this? I would hate to fix up the motorcycle and them have something worse happen whilst I am riding it.

- Charlie (@oldhatt45)
No damage to the triple tree that I could find (see above). Thanks for the response and the sentiments.

- @SpiderCracks
Thanks for the response. To tell you the truth I was a little astounded that the person just drove off, but what can you do?

I will probably begin getting some replacement parts today or tomorrow, starting with the parts that I need to get the bike back up and running, like the handlebars, oil tank parts, right hand controls, etc. Does anyone perhaps have any advice on what to do about the gas tank? Is there a way to get the dents out of the tank, or would it be better to see if I can get my hands on a new tank?

Thanks again for the concern and all the responses - it is very much appreciated.
-Willis

[oldhatt45]

Willis,

Glad you're doing better!!!!  Sometimes having a broken bone is less painful than a hard bruise.  Don't ask how I come to that conclusion.   

Can you take a picture of the bike from straight ahead with the front wheel pointing straight ahead???
I was just looking at the picture above, and it looks like the gator on the right fork has some road rash. 
Would just like to see how the forks look from in front.

The tank looks like a good body man should be able to pop the dents out and repaint.  If it were mine, I would try that route first.

Also, check your brake pedal.  From the picture it's hard to tell if it was bent toward the frame or not.

Glad the frame and neck looks OK.

Charlie

[70CB750]

I would check the oil tank for leaks and get a new cover from Frankenstuff - problem solved.

Bill Benton will most likely have an dipstick.

[calj737]

That is all more good news, Willis.

To confirm your forks are straight, loosen the clamps top and BOTM, slide the forks down, then back up and secure them. You'll encounter broken clamps or twisted forks (they won't slide easily up or down) as a quick and easy test.

Of course, inspect beneath the gaiters too for seal damage. Front end damage isn't likely unless you struck a curb or car. If you simply had to ditch or low side, then I'd look at covers etc. as they will likely bear the brunt.

Hope you heal quickly and completely.

[willis]

Charlie - I will straighten up the bike and take some pictures this weekend when I get some free time to work on the motorcycle. I checked the brake pedal and it seems to be fine. However I did notice that the pedal will hit the exhaust pipe if I push it all the way down, so I will probably have to do something about that.

@70CB750 - Thanks for the recommendation - those side covers look great!

@calj737 - I will take the forks apart this weekend and see if they are bent. Thank you for the advice.

I was in the garage yesterday just taking inventory of what I need to buy and I did notice that the engine now seems to be leaking a little bit. I had noticed a few days ago that there was a few drops on the cement, so I put a piece of paper towel on the ground to see if it was leaking alot. Yesterday I came home from work and it seems that the leak has gotten bigger. It seems to be coming somewhere from the top left part of the engine. Is there any way that this could be due to there being almost no oil in the system? Or is something else most likely wrong? Thanks for all the advice so far..