Unluckiest.Bike.Ever plus ignition lock question

[2015 Blue RT]

So my R1200RT was hit by a buzzard not long after I got it back in 2021. Then I hit another bird in 2023.

 

Today took the cake, though. I parked at work like I always do and some lady in a mustang hit a parked co-worker's pickup, then the front wheel of my bike- spun it 180 degrees and then flipped it over- then hit a second parked pickup and pushed it into another parked car.

 

Oil leaked out onto the parking lot, as did gas. My cover is ruined, and so far it looks like the right valve cover is the main engine damage. 

 

I'm concerned though since I lock the ignition when I park it (keyless ride). It will no longer lock. As far as I can tell, this is a function of the ignition switch, and that's a dealer only item due to coding required. I'm curious what all is involved here to repair or replace that? I'm going to reach out to her insurance company this week with a list of parts I need to replace and see what they say, or if they want an adjuster to look at it.

 

 

[Krid]

I'm just wondering ....HOW IN THE HELL did she manage to do that much damage in a  parking lot?

[Krid]

Also, I am sorry about your luck with this bike but it's not the moto's fault, and I would absolutely have the damage looked at by a BMW dealership tech and get the estimate from them, not concern yourself with trying to do her or her insurance co. any favors by trying to get the parts and do the work yourself! She's the one who was either gabbing on the phone or otherwise not paying attention to her driving and she bears all responsibilities for your bike and all the other damaged vehicles.

[Skywagon]

DR and others can jump in...first...sorry that happened.   Gives a whole new meaning to door ding.

 

I would recommend pulling the plugs before you turn that engine over.  If oil seeped into the barrels, you don't want to crank it that way.  Pull the plugs, then turn it over to see if any oil comes out.  Check your battery too as I have seen battery cases crack and leak acid in a hard fall.  If it were me and she is insured....I would take it to a BMW shop and get her insurance company to pay for a loaner.

 

Good luck on getting it all worked out.  Keep us posted.

[2015 Blue RT]

Two good things- I took the tablet off it when I parked it, so that didn't get busted this time, and I'm about 700 miles shy of my next oil change. Glad it didn't happen right after that.

 

I talked to the driver's son and he says she's fully insured. She'll need it. The first pickup, a full size Silverado, is no longer level.

 

I was wondering about having a dealer look at it, but the nearest one is over 130 miles away in Jacksonville (hate the traffic there) and I have an inoperable bike. I got a ride home & brought back my trailer so it's back in my shop now. I'll see what her insurance says this week. If they'll pay to have it towed and assessed/repaired there I guess I'd be OK with that. I got on the Max BMW site & priced a few parts and got up to over $1K before the ignition switch/lock. I have a slight concern with 123K miles it may end up being totaled out if the damage is more severe. It rolled OK onto my trailer.

 

Also, I realize it's not the bike- I really like the RT! It just strikes me odd I've ridden UJMs for years in far more populated places and the worst thing that ever happened was hitting a patch of oil on a ramp and low siding with minor damage to my then new GS1000G, then all of this happens in my podunk part of Florida.

[Skywagon]

The BMW dealer, if a good one, will find things you won't...for example if the sub frame is tweaked, a welding crack, an out of alignment shaft, etc.  It's worth the trip.

[2015 Blue RT]

6 hours ago, Skywagon said:

The BMW dealer, if a good one, will find things you won't...for example if the sub frame is tweaked, a welding crack, an out of alignment shaft, etc.  It's worth the trip.

That sounds good. I'm hopeful the insurance will cover getting it there. I think I forgot to mention it took a direct hit on the front wheel from the car- the Silverado never hit it. Kind of funny, I debated about rolling it further back into the space, but since there is a tree next to it, I was concerned someone would not see it, try & pull in there, and knock it over.

[9Mary7]

Her insurance will cover everything, towing, repairs etc..... she is the sole cause of the whole incident as she was the only driver involved.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

3 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

Kind of funny, I debated about rolling it further back into the space, but since there is a tree next to it, I was concerned someone would not see it, try & pull in there, and knock it over.

 

FWIW, whenever I park in a parking lot space like that, I always park close to the open end of the space for exactly the reason you stated: I don't want someone thinking they see an empty space and pulling in before they make eye contact with my bike.  

 

Also, I concur with others here.  Let the Mustang owner's insurance cover the cost of getting it to/from the dealer for a formal inspection, and let the dealer check it out from top to bottom so they can give you a detailed list of parts and labor required to restore it.  For a 9YO bike with 123K miles on it, there's a very good chance it'll be totaled, and then you can just take the check and go buy a similar replacement.

[strataj]

13 minutes ago, 9Mary7 said:

Her insurance will cover everything, towing, repairs etc..... she is the sole cause of the whole incident as she was the only driver involved.

With all that damage I hope she carries high enough coverage. 

[9Mary7]

1 minute ago, strataj said:

With all that damage I hope she carries high enough coverage. 

I think Mustang owners are required to carry increased liability

 

I mean, have you seen YouTube???

[2015 Blue RT]

Update-

I watched the crash on our security cam this morning. It turns out my bike was hit twice- once by the car, and then at the same time by the pickup she hit first. I was wondering how the plastic trim on the left side got damaged (the cracked valve cover was on the right side where it fell over), and the co-worker with the first pickup said she had damage away from the bumper due to it hitting my bike.

 

I first called the dealer in Jacksonville & learned the service department is only open like 4 days a week, with today being one of them. I called after 9 AM & left a detailed voice message. Have not heard back as yet.

 

I spoke to the insurance company today. Since I'm in Florida & no insurance is required for bikes, I'm actually better off than the rest. One of my co-workers said they were told there may not be enough $ to go around for rental vehicles (I'm not asking for one, maybe I should) and damage, and the insurance lady said about as much. She then told me since I'm uninsured they will cover me first- they'll work with the other carriers on the other 3 vehicles. I'm thinking if the at-fault driver had uninsured motorist coverage maybe $ could come from there? Not well versed on how this works.

 

She said Progressive uses an adjuster to look at bikes. I told her the nearest dealer was 130 miles away & that was the proper way to have it assessed. I have to wait & see what their adjuster says first. They should be here sometime this week. 

 

The next dilemma I see happening after looking at used 2014-18 prices on Cycle Trader is what I may get vs what a replacement will cost. Most of the bikes there were well under 50K miles, and few were under $10K. I went to NADA and KBB to get an idea of my values. KBB won't display due to my Adguard ad blocker. NADA goes to JD Power and doesn't allow for mileage. When I add in options it says around $8,550 low retail and $11,200 average retail. Cycle Trader has a site to look up a value, and without miles or options I got: 

Sell Through Cycle Trader $8,360

Sell To A Dealer $5,025 - $5,902.50

 

On CT, the closest blue one is in Jacksonville and the asking price is $9,500. It is a 2016 with 16K miles. 

Pretty! 

 

Scenarios:

1. Best- Progressive writes me a check for enough to cover a similar replacement bike, in this case $9,500 plus taxes etc. I sign away mine & it goes to a salvage auction. Kind of sad about that prospect for it (see #3 below).

2. Worst- Progressive low balls me and offers me like $2K. I've sued people in county court in the past and in one case got an out of state garnishment on wages. That was for far less though. Don't really want to get a lawyer involved since that's just more $ out the door even if I can possibly recover it at some point.

3. Other- I take some $ and fix it myself so it is operational. Really don't like this option, but as I've said herein I really like this bike. It's been a great & dependable companion on my daily commute. I was looking forward to hitting at least 200K miles on it (bought it with 88K towards the end of 2021 as I recall).

4. Hybrid- I get it to the dealer & get the actual/proper repair cost. I demand this from Progressive & then file suit if they fail to pay. This would likely involve a lawyer as well.

 

I'll update after the adjuster visits.

 

[Hosstage]

Uninsured/underinsured is insurance that you carry to cover your losses in case the person who hits you doesn't have enough coverage. Usually involves personal injury, rather than property damage. Property damage ends up in court.

This is why it is always good to have insurance. Collision/replacement insurance is usually not too expensive to carry on top of liability. If you do not have liability insurance on your bike, you are responsible for any property damage or personal injury caused by you.

If you lost control, slid into 4 Harleys parked at the bar, it can get pretty pricey to get them repaired. (Had it happen to my bike, kid offered to pay cash rather than go thru his insurance. Until he got the cost. Ended up putting in a claim because it quickly hit much more than he was willing to pay.)

If you accidentally hit a kid who ran into a pedestrian crossing, that's all on you. That could cost you everything if you had no insurance. (Again, happened to a friend of mine, he clipped a little kid who ran right out in front of him. Insurance paid all medical. Luckily kid was ok, scared more than anything, but emergency room services are not cheap.)

[Hosstage]

First thing to do is get the damage assessed, go thru her insurance, sue her for any losses not covered by the insurance co. Might end up in small claims court to make up the difference, which is relatively easy, a lawyer likely not needed.

If you did have collision insurance, your company would pay for your bike, and go after her insurance co, or her personally, to recover their losses.

[Dave_in_TX]

57 minutes ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

The next dilemma I see happening after looking at used 2014-18 prices on Cycle Trader is what I may get vs what a replacement will cost. Most of the bikes there were well under 50K miles, and few were under $10K. I went to NADA and KBB to get an idea of my values. KBB won't display due to my Adguard ad blocker. NADA goes to JD Power and doesn't allow for mileage. When I add in options it says around $8,550 low retail and $11,200 average retail. Cycle Trader has a site to look up a value, and without miles or options I got: 

Sell Through Cycle Trader $8,360

Sell To A Dealer $5,025 - $5,902.50

 

Maybe it's different in Florida but in Texas, Progressive doesn't consider mileage when pricing bikes. Maybe that's because most bikes don't see high mileage. I've had Progressive as my insurer for years and have had three no fault claims since 2016. Two of those were deer collisions and the other claim was against my underinsured/uninsured coverage when I was rear ended and the at fault driver's insurance wasn't sufficient to cover the cost of damage to my bike and the SUV it slid into. They did not consider bike mileage in any of those circumstances.

[Dave_in_TX]

33 minutes ago, Hosstage said:

If you did have collision insurance, your company would pay for your bike, and go after her insurance co, or her personally, to recover their losses.

Same situation if you have uninsured/underinsured coverage.

[Stiggy]

She has a handicap plate on the Mustang. Could a disability have been  factor to cause that much damage?

[wbw6cos]

Accelerator pedal -vs- brake pedal?

[2015 Blue RT]

2 hours ago, Hosstage said:

Uninsured/underinsured is insurance that you carry to cover your losses in case the person who hits you doesn't have enough coverage. Usually involves personal injury, rather than property damage. Property damage ends up in court.

This is why it is always good to have insurance. Collision/replacement insurance is usually not too expensive to carry on top of liability. If you do not have liability insurance on your bike, you are responsible for any property damage or personal injury caused by you.

If you lost control, slid into 4 Harleys parked at the bar, it can get pretty pricey to get them repaired. (Had it happen to my bike, kid offered to pay cash rather than go thru his insurance. Until he got the cost. Ended up putting in a claim because it quickly hit much more than he was willing to pay.)

If you accidentally hit a kid who ran into a pedestrian crossing, that's all on you. That could cost you everything if you had no insurance. (Again, happened to a friend of mine, he clipped a little kid who ran right out in front of him. Insurance paid all medical. Luckily kid was ok, scared more than anything, but emergency room services are not cheap.)

Thanks for the definition. Now that I've read about some of Progressive's bike policies, I may look into that when I get whatever I end up with. When I looked at GEICO a couple of years ago, I don't think they offered any type of comp/collision.

 

The kid running into the street is a YMMV by state. Here in FL, it's illegal for a pedestrian (regardless of age) to run out from a place of safety when it is impossible for the motor vehicle to yield/stop. One instance where the law of man follows the law of physics.

[2015 Blue RT]

1 hour ago, Stiggy said:

She has a handicap plate on the Mustang. Could a disability have been  factor to cause that much damage?

I found out there is a backstory here. My boss had talked to her & asked her to move to a different location in the parking lot. She apparently got mad & floored it (the Mustang looked to be a V6). She didn't have much room to build up speed from where she turned before she hit the truck, so she had to have floored the gas. With that in mind, I don't think it was a wrong pedal type of situation.

[2015 Blue RT]

1 hour ago, Dave_in_TX said:

Maybe it's different in Florida but in Texas, Progressive doesn't consider mileage when pricing bikes. Maybe that's because most bikes don't see high mileage. I've had Progressive as my insurer for years and have had three no fault claims since 2016. Two of those were deer collisions and the other claim was against my underinsured/uninsured coverage when I was rear ended and the at fault driver's insurance wasn't sufficient to cover the cost of damage to my bike and the SUV it slid into. They did not consider bike mileage in any of those circumstances.

That's good to hear. Hopefully the same here.

[2015 Blue RT]

I looked at the ignition switch part and can see where something broke off there- possibly a pin? I can kill 2 birds with one stone here if I can use a keyed setup to fix this. Only $800 on eBay LOL. I added up what I know is broken as well as lost oil & gas plus shipping & tax and I'm right at $1,600 (this includes $800+tax for the ignition parts). I did look over the front end in detail and I don't see where anything appears to be tweaked. I also checked the side panel where the truck hit it and nothing discernible there other than a scuff on the plastic trim.

[Skywagon]

2015 Blue… don’t assume the worst. If she had insurance, her insurance will pay. It’s normal for an appraiser to come out. They will put together an estimated cost to repair. They will likely ask you to sign the estimate and will issue you a check in 24-48 hours. 
 

DONT SIGN ANYTHING OR TAKE MONEY, until you compare the insurance estimate with BMW estimate; then make sure it says not including hidden damage. 
 

What you want to avoid is having the insurance pay you for what they truly believe is a fair settlement, then BMW finds hidden damage and you are stuck. 
 

IMHO, if it were me, I would get it to the BMW dealer and have the insurance company work directly with BMW. That will insulate you from honest mistakes of the adjuster. 
 

Should they total it, insist on the estimate anyway. Compare that to what BMW says and to market value. If you do end up with total being the only option, ask what they would sell the salvage to you for, compare with BMW, estimate,  and make your decision to settle or pay the difference in market and repair. 
 

Go slow.. no instant decisions required. Think things through. 
 

P.S.  get yourself insurance. My MC full coverage insurance is about $400/year with Allstate If someone ever sues you because they got hurt, you will be thankful

[2015 Blue RT]

24 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

2015 Blue… don’t assume the worst. If she had insurance, her insurance will pay. It’s normal for an appraiser to come out. They will put together an estimated cost to repair. They will likely ask you to sign the estimate and will issue you a check in 24-48 hours. 
 

DONT SIGN ANYTHING OR TAKE MONEY, until you compare the insurance estimate with BMW estimate; then make sure it says not including hidden damage. 
 

What you want to avoid is having the insurance pay you for what they truly believe is a fair settlement, then BMW finds hidden damage and you are stuck. 
 

IMHO, if it were me, I would get it to the BMW dealer and have the insurance company work directly with BMW. That will insulate you from honest mistakes of the adjuster. 
 

Should they total it, insist on the estimate anyway. Compare that to what BMW says and to market value. If you do end up with total being the only option, ask what they would sell the salvage to you for, compare with BMW, estimate,  and make your decision to settle or pay the difference in market and repair. 
 

Go slow.. no instant decisions required. Think things through. 
 

P.S.  get yourself insurance. My MC full coverage insurance is about $400/year with Allstate If someone ever sues you because they got hurt, you will be thankful

Thanks, good advice. I'll have to see how this shakes out. With the dealer being in Jacksonville, I'd likely have to get it there. I HATE driving there and that's w/o a bike trailer! It's a racetrack even during the daytime. Had a medical procedure there last year & said to myself I never want to come back here again. Money is tight so we can't afford to pay upfront for towing, so that's another factor.

 

I'll try the dealer again tomorrow but I'm not confident I'll get a return call. If that's the caliber of their service I think I'll look elsewhere... which I just did and there's one in Columbus, GA only 150 miles away- much easier to get to and less traffic. I'll call them tomorrow and explain my circumstances and see what they say.

[9Mary7]

2 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

Here in FL, it's illegal for a pedestrian (regardless of age) to run out from a place of safety when it is impossible for the motor vehicle to yield/stop. One instance where the law of man follows the law of physics.

A civil jury will side with the injured child every time.......... get liability insurance.

[Hosstage]

4 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

The kid running into the street is a YMMV by state. Here in FL, it's illegal for a pedestrian (regardless of age) to run out from a place of safety when it is impossible for the motor vehicle to yield/stop. One instance where the law of man follows the law of physics.

You'll still have to prove that in court.

[Krid]

Again I hope all works out well for you, but I have to wonder... why in HELL would you own and operate a motorcycle with no insurance? I'm sorry about what happened but if you find yourself either getting this bike fixed or getting a settlement and a new bike, be smarter and for your own sake (and the sake of other motorists!) get yourself insured! 

[2015 Blue RT]

4 hours ago, Krid said:

Again I hope all works out well for you, but I have to wonder... why in HELL would you own and operate a motorcycle with no insurance? I'm sorry about what happened but if you find yourself either getting this bike fixed or getting a settlement and a new bike, be smarter and for your own sake (and the sake of other motorists!) get yourself insured! 

You asked, so here's one reason...

https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/

 

Couple that with the bad fiscal policy from W. Bush/Obama that decimated my retirement and put me back in the workforce, and one has to make choices. While I enjoy riding, the fact is the bike gets 2x better MPG than my car. Even filling with premium it costs a lot less to operate. 95% of my riding is rural open roads- worst case involves hitting a deer. It's a calculated financial decision/risk based upon past experience. In the past 4Y everything has gone up except my salary. I calculated last year I was $3-4K underwater vs 2018 when I began this job. Boss says no money in the budget for a raise and I'm too old to get a better paying job.

[2015 Blue RT]

8 hours ago, Hosstage said:

You'll still have to prove that in court.

That's something I've done in my prior career. Two kids on one bike rode out in front of a lady in a 45 zone pre-dawn. I used time/speed/distance formulas to prove she could not have stopped in time. The lawyer made a big drama play in the deposition about "TWO DEAD KIDS LAYING IN THE STREET". I agreed with him and then explained how they got there was solely their fault. The lady prevailed.

 

Smaller kids have a factor of lack of parental supervision given the scenario stated. The state could file against the parent if the kid was seriously hurt or killed, and that would dampen a civil liability claim. Not supervising your small child around moving traffic is akin to leaving them in a hot car.

[Hosstage]

Good luck with the bike, hope it all works out for you.

1 minute ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

That's something I've done in my prior career. Two kids on one bike rode out in front of a lady in a 45 zone pre-dawn. I used time/speed/distance formulas to prove she could not have stopped in time. The lawyer made a big drama play in the deposition about "TWO DEAD KIDS LAYING IN THE STREET". I agreed with him and then explained how they got there was solely their fault. The lady prevailed.

 

Smaller kids have a factor of lack of parental supervision given the scenario stated. The state could file against the parent if the kid was seriously hurt or killed, and that would dampen a civil liability claim. Not supervising your small child around moving traffic is akin to leaving them in a hot car.

I agree, but she still had to pay you to defend her. Had she injured them, rather than killed them, she would have been on the hook for medical costs if she did not have insurance, having to pay a lawyer to defend her. She may have won the case and not paid medical, but she still had to pay for a lawyer. Insurance would have mitigated that cost, or at least helped mitigate the cost.

[Hosstage]

All that aside, I wish you luck with your bike and a good resolution.

[Dave_in_TX]

4 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

While I enjoy riding, the fact is the bike gets 2x better MPG than my car. Even filling with premium it costs a lot less to operate.

Are you considering the cost of tires in operating costs? Considering cost and tire mileage differences between bike and car tires, I suspect there is little or no cost advantage to using the bike.

[Skywagon]

1 hour ago, Dave_in_TX said:

tires in operating costs

 

Just put new tires on Tahoe....45k miles....Cost $1270.  New tires on bike....about $400 installed  Mileage easily 12,000-15,000....so not that much more for me.

[Dave_in_TX]

20 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

 

Just put new tires on Tahoe....45k miles....Cost $1270.  New tires on bike....about $400 installed  Mileage easily 12,000-15,000....so not that much more for me.

I paid significantly less than $1270 for new tires on my Honda CRV. Those tires are guaranteed for 60k miles

 

Even online, decent tires for my bike run about $400 a pair.

[Skywagon]

Suspect that CRV might struggle towing this 😁. 

[wbw6cos]

[Hosstage]

It might pull it some distance, but stopping it is going to be a whole other adventure.

[Skywagon]

22 hours ago, Skywagon said:

2015 Blue

Back to the story at hand…

Any news from the adjuster?

[2015 Blue RT]

1 hour ago, Skywagon said:

Back to the story at hand…

Any news from the adjuster?

Yes. I got a call today & he was initially going to come to me to look it over. I put forth the idea of the dealer inspecting it & he said they actually like to look at vehicles at the dealer. Win/win. I am taking the day off work and trailering it to Columbus GA tomorrow morning, so the Progressive adjuster there can look at it as can the dealer. I called that dealer & they answered the phone!!! He said I can drop it off anytime they are open. They have a $300 assessment fee to be paid before it is removed. The insurance guy said they should be able to cover that depending upon the timing.

 

I pulled as many of my add-ons as I could in the event it doesn't come back- the Puig windshield (replaced with stock) and my tail trunk with brake flasher. The $9 air horn and Luxster headlight bulbs were too involved to easily remove, so if I have to get those again I can live with it. Like artillery, it's usually easier on the second round. Just put tires on it this year, so those will remain with it as well.

 

So it should be hurry up & wait after tomorrow.

 

EDIT

Looked on the map & the Progressive claims office is almost walking distance to the dealer.

[2015 Blue RT]

Here's a what-if for the brain trust (I realize there may be some bias):

If it is totaled & I get significantly less than what it costs to buy a similar RT, what would be some good lower-cost alternatives? 2010-13 1200RT? How about the K-bikes, 1200GT, 1300GT? Are one of these significantly better than the others? I know the K-bikes are 4 cyl laid flat. Looking for easy maintenance like the current one has. Added parameters: Have been spoiled by cruise control. Would like to avoid keyless ride.

[2015 Blue RT]

I looked elsewhere aside from Cycle Trader. I found this one not too far away from where mine came from (Pac NW) $5,000 w/ 116K

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/d/bellingham-2015-bmw-r1200rt/7776037693.html

Probably the closest I'll get to replacing what I had considering miles.

 

Here's a black 2018 w/ 121K for $6,600 at a dealer in PA:

https://motohunt.com/l/7178103/2018-BMW-R-1200-RT-Carbon-Black-Metallic-Premium

 

 

[JCtx]

3 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

I know the K-bikes are 4 cyl laid flat.

Only the old K1200RSs. I had one, and the last year was 2003, if I remember correctly (mine was 2002). Starting in 2004, they came with a transverse engine (1200cc), like basically all other 4-cyl bikes.

[Krid]

14 hours ago, Skywagon said:

 

Just put new tires on Tahoe....45k miles....Cost $1270.  New tires on bike....about $400 installed  Mileage easily 12,000-15,000....so not that much more for me.

 

[Krid]

I need to know, what kind of tires do you use that give you 12-15,000 miles on an RT?

[2015 Blue RT]

4 hours ago, Krid said:

I need to know, what kind of tires do you use that give you 12-15,000 miles on an RT?

I looked at my maintenance spreadsheet, and the Metzler Roadtec Z6 front was replaced at 19,875 and the rear Roadtec Z8 at 12,931. I have (had?) Kenda KM1s on now, roughly 10K on the front and 5K on the rear still holding up pretty good. 95% of my riding is open rural roads with few sharp curves.

[Rougarou]

Hmmmm, wonder what the insurance buy back price would be if they total it

[Cap]

9 hours ago, 2015 Blue RT said:

If it is totaled ...what would be some good lower-cost alternatives?

 

You have mentioned that you use a bike for commuting, and that you prefer lower operating costs.  You might want to consider a Suzuki DL650.  They are widely available, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and the fuel-injected V-twin engine is awesome.  You can get 70 mpg on regular gas if you are loafing along during a commute.  Also, they weigh about 150 lbs less than your RT.

 

A couple of years ago, I asked myself, "what would happen if I think my RT is too heavy for me to handle as I get older?"  And so, I bought a used 3rd generation Suzuki DL650, and I spent the winter in Colorado modifying the bike to be as close to my RT as possible with respect to ergonomics and features.  This included installing an electronic cruise control system made by a company in Australia called MCCruise.  And the result was a very competent touring/commuter bike that was comfortable, had plenty of power, and got fantastic fuel economy.  And as I said, weighs a LOT less than the RT.  I had fun with it for a year, and then decided that I wasn't ready to give up my RT yet.  But, what I learned is that when the time comes that I must choose between a riding something lighter, or giving up the sport... then I will switch to a middle-weight bike like the DL650.

 

Cap

[Stiggy]

Every time I think the RT is getting heavy, I take the K1600 to work :)

 

As to insurance and the dealer, I'm still trying to get my head around a $300 Assessment Fee (!) from the post above. 

[2015 Blue RT]

Just dropped it off. Service guy is very nice, so I'm sure it's in good hands. 

Update- I spoke to the Georgia adjuster and they can't look it over (take pictures) until next Tuesday. I told her the service dude took a bunch of pics from all angles so maybe he could email them? She said they had to see it in person. As predicted, hurry up & wait.

 

BTW, I kept my receipts for almost $100 in gas to tow it up there and my return trip. That's going onto my spreadsheet of costs I've incurred, and also the cost of a day's pay since I had to take a day off to take it up there.

[2015 Blue RT]

Thanks for the input on the Suzuki. Never considered one that small. Depending on how long this takes on the RT, I may need to get the GSX-G back on the road.

 

EDIT- I just read up on the DL650. It's chain drive, so that's a no-go for me.