[OleO]

  You know...all the stuff that gets bent when you t-bone a great, big,
GMC SUV. Yep...minding my own business on a nice, Friday afternoon.
10-24-14. One of the last 70-plus degree days of the year. After a 100
mile ride with a friend. 4 lane, divided highway. Rush hour. Moderately
heavy traffic. Sunny. Dry. Good visibility. Except, apparently, for the
guy driving the big SUV. I'm southbound. He decides to go southbound
from a side street to my left. He sees a gap in the northbound traffic
that allows him (he THINKS) to jump into my lane. The gap in northbound
traffic allowed me to see him coming only at the last moment. Enough
time to get my speed down to, perhaps, 20 MPH before I hit him.

Me: fractured, left eye socket (lower orbit) Bloody nose. Right thigh
purple/black. Dime-sized scuff to the skin on right wrist and right knee.
Felt as if I tumbled down the massive, stone stairs in front of one
of the larger, Federal buildings in Washington, DC (once the endorphins
wore off). Walked away from the crash!!!! NO major injury or pain.
I guess I'm meant to be around for a while. I hope it's for a good
purpose.

Incidentals: Torn jacket. Torn bluejeans. Flattened, Halcyon goggles. You
know, the good ones made in England. Made of brass. With custom,
prescription lens inserts. The 20 MPH "face-plant" against the side
of that big SUV took a toll.

2006, Iron Barrel Military: Bent front wheel, hub, rim, fender, forks.
Dented headlight bezel. Cracked casquette. Bent bars. Bent frame.
Cracked turn signal lens. You get the idea. A LOT of things to make
right once a decent insurance settlement arrives.

I've lost a good friend. At only 21,905 miles. She'll need a LOT of TLC
to get back on the road.

[rvcycleguy]

Glad to hear your walking after that incident.  Could have been much worse.  I'd have to say the bike is totaled based on your report.  Does not take much damage for insurance to make that determination. Be prepared to let it go and replace it with something else you like. Take care and heal up for the next adventure. 

[DanKearney]

Wow.  Glad you walked away from that one.  Hopefully insurance will cover all your costs.  I'm sure as already mentioned that your insurance company will total the bike.  That seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to all bike accidents these days.


I bet you'd pay a ton to replace everything with parts from your dealer.  Your best bet would be eBay probably for reasonably priced parts.  Better start off with making sure the frame is still straight.


BTW, I'm curious to know, as you mentioned the broken eye socket.  Full face or open front helmet?


Heal-up and ride.


Cheers,

Dan K.

[Mr.Mazza]

Try to see if you can buy a whole front end assembly, I know Hitchcocks sell em so Nfield gear might.

[baird4444]

you mention bent frame, at the fork tube I'm guessing. It may never be right.....    I'd buy the salvage and another Bullet and maybe put that motor that you know so well in it. You'll also have plenty of other spares from the salvage.
     just my way of thinking- Mike

[OleO]

 Dan, it was a "soup bowl" helmet. Not a 3/4 or full coverage helmet. Bell
brand. Have worn Bell helmets for most of my 46 years in the saddle. Just
might look into a full coverage helmet in the future. My first Bell was their
first, full coverage offering. Wore it until the lining disintegrated. I went for
the soup bowl as it seemed to fit the aesthetic of the Military model. I'd
like to get a Davida helmet, but they're so costly. I picked up a surplus,
British despatch rider helmet on Ebay a few years ago. A WWII date inside
and in unissued condition. Then I discovered they came in 2 shell sizes.
Mine is the small shell and won't, unfortunately, allow me to re-size the
liner to my 7 7/8" pumpkin. I have (had?) plans to lose all the chrome
on the bike and further "militarize" it. I've picked up a few surplus,
British army items over the years and have (had?) hoped to build up
the kit of a despatch rider. There is an annual WWII show in my town,
complete with American and German tanks, half tracks, motorcycles
with sidecars, trenches, bunkers, aircraft fly-overs, numerous combatants,
encampments and explosions. The Allies need more representation in
the motorcycle department.


Mike, I agree about the bent frame. The bike will undoubtedly "crab"
down the road if the frame isn't straightened or replaced. Perhaps
an entire front end assembly is in my future. I've seen the "springer"
fork assemblies from India and don't think I'd risk my life riding on
one. If something from Redditch came along, I'd seriously consider it.
I'd trust the British metallurgy far more than the Indian. I've learned
that a friend's father is a serious British bike parts trader/seller. He
makes all of the swap meets from what I understand. Have only spoken
to him once, prior to the crash, so I believe a call is in order.

[OleO]

 Here she is in a better moment. Only a few months old with just a few
thousand miles on the odometer.

[OleO]

Here are links to 3 photos:
http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=951
http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=952
http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=953

The cannon belongs to Bob Bezin, a regular here on the forum.
We just HAD to hitch it up on my last visit to Bob's.

[DocW]

Hey, sorry to hear about your troubles.  I'm in a complimentary bind, and maybe we can work something out.  Long story short, bad mechanic improperly installed a 535 cylinder on my 2005 iron barrel, and now I've got a golfball-sized hole in my piston.  So I'll either tear the engine down myself, or I can swap it out with a salvaged engine.  If you want to discuss options, send me an email at caboverAThscDOTedu.