Let the Makeover Begin

[smitherscustoms]

STEVE , I AM PRETTY SURE YOU COULD GET IT BACK IN SHAPE AND BETTER THAN EVER !

No doubt about it,Hopefully Ken works it out w/ the INS. CO. & he fixes the bike.I know he has some $$ in it & is attached to this bike. By the way,Your bike is coming along nicely

 

[NINJA KILLER]

I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT , CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO WITH THIS ONE !

 

[NINJA KILLER]

STEVE , IF I HAVEN'T SAID IT BEFORE THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK KEEPING ALL OF THE MIDWEST BOYS UP AND RUNNING , I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND THE CARE YOU PUT INTO THESE BUSA'S

 

[Big Red]

The bike really got shagged; mabye you can buy a used one cheaper and keep yours for parts. I am not impressed with the new bikes in the looks department.

 

[GoldenChild]

Okay, just a quick update.  Got a call from Patty at Smithers' Customs today about the inspection they did to the bike.  List of things needing repair:

Front Fender
Upper Cowling
Right Lower Fairing
Left Lower Fairing
Fuel Tank
Tail Section
Inner Panels
Mirrors
Fairing Stay
Swingarm
Front Wheel
Rear Wheel
Right Exhaust Can
Frame Sliders
Clutch Slave Cylinder
Front Brake Lever
Bar Ends

and some miscellaneous other parts.

They are still working up the price quote, but it's pretty obvious it will be expensive.  Here's the question, do I let them total her out and buy her back (she's not paid for until next summer)?  If I do that, do I make her over or part her out?  Or do I take the payoff and get in line for an '08/'09?

I really don't want her to be totalled because of all that has been done to her.  She's a great bike and I had plans to do some new mods to her this winter.  

I turn to you, my Busamates, to help me decide.

BS depending on what you do i have just about every part you need in stock if your going custom paint,lmk down the road and we will see what i can do to help...

 

[kawiboy11]

love my busa, like the new, but its not that much better than the old.

 

[johnstein]

go with the 08 you wont be sorry ! and a salvage title will hurt the value of the bike . some states wont accept salvage titles , and others wont accept other states salvage titles , you probably couldnt get a loan on a salvage title bike ? unles it was a personal loan, after you put 1 mile on the 08 youll know you made the right choice ! pm cap !

 

[BigBSBusa]

hey i might be a little nosey and dont have much time to read all through the posts but what exactly happened to the bike to get a $10 est on it? WHAT THE HELL???   I have rebuilt many bikes from full race to show choppers. I see no way. For $10k it would have to be drivin through a wall at a good rate of speed.

If you want to fix it send me some pix. maybe i can save your bike for you. to me it dont look that bad just some minor cosmetics. Im guessing around $1000 to fix it up right and custom painted if its not all broke up but even them $10k come on now, but thats just me.

you can send them via email dolilind@hotmail.com

You're right about not having time, so I don't have the time to explain what happened. This was not a thread to try and jack anything, but let the family members here know what was going on with the bike.

 

[BigBSBusa]

Okay, just a quick update.  Got a call from Patty at Smithers' Customs today about the inspection they did to the bike.  List of things needing repair:

Front Fender
Upper Cowling
Right Lower Fairing
Left Lower Fairing
Fuel Tank
Tail Section
Inner Panels
Mirrors
Fairing Stay
Swingarm
Front Wheel
Rear Wheel
Right Exhaust Can
Frame Sliders
Clutch Slave Cylinder
Front Brake Lever
Bar Ends

and some miscellaneous other parts.

They are still working up the price quote, but it's pretty obvious it will be expensive.  Here's the question, do I let them total her out and buy her back (she's not paid for until next summer)?  If I do that, do I make her over or part her out?  Or do I take the payoff and get in line for an '08/'09?

I really don't want her to be totalled because of all that has been done to her.  She's a great bike and I had plans to do some new mods to her this winter.  

I turn to you, my Busamates, to help me decide.

BS depending on what you do i have just about every part you need in stock if your going custom paint,lmk down the road and we will see what i can do to help...

Thanks, Dan. I'm going to figure it out shortly.

 

[BigBSBusa]

love my busa, like the new, but its not that much better than the old.  

I hear 'ya, Cody.

 

[BigBSBusa]

go with the 08 you wont be sorry !  and a salvage title will hurt the value of the bike . some states wont accept salvage titles , and others wont accept other states salvage titles , you probably couldnt get a loan on a salvage title bike ? unles it was a personal loan, after you put 1 mile on the 08 youll know you made the right choice ! pm cap !

It's going to be a tough decision, John, no doubt.

 

[NINJA KILLER]

KEN , I WAS AT SMITHERS TODAY TALKING TO STEVE AND I THINK STEVE COULD DO A H*** OF A JOB CUSTOMIZING BABY J TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL THAT WOULD DEFINATELY IMPRESS THE HECK OUT OF EVERYBODY INCLUDING YOURSELF, HE SAID HE COULD PAINT TO YOUR SPECS, AND GET ALL OF THE DAMAGED PARTS FIXED WITH NEW AND CHROME TO MATCH WHAT WAS DAMAGED, AND STILL SAVE YOU MONEY.

 

[NINJA KILLER]

STEVE TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN!!!

 

[BigBSBusa]

Well, here's today's update. Talked with the insurance company and they have declared her a total loss and will give me ~ $8400. I've got 2 options:

-- take the money, payoff the loan balance, and walk away with ~ $6800.

-- take the money, payoff the loan balance, pay the buy-back cost ($1975) and walk away with a salvage title and ~ $4800. Insurance drops to liability until all the repairs are completed and I can see about getting a a new title (haven't read up on this yet).

The interesting thing is when I called the voice recording gave me choices related to whether or not I had settled on a dollar figure with them or not. When I was talking to them there was no negotiation - just take it or leave it.

Anyway, guess I now have to decide something.

 

[BigBSBusa]

KEN , I WAS AT SMITHERS TODAY TALKING TO STEVE AND I THINK STEVE COULD DO A H*** OF A JOB CUSTOMIZING BABY J TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL THAT WOULD DEFINATELY IMPRESS THE HECK OUT OF EVERYBODY INCLUDING YOURSELF, HE SAID HE COULD PAINT TO YOUR SPECS, AND GET ALL OF THE DAMAGED PARTS FIXED WITH NEW AND CHROME TO MATCH WHAT WAS DAMAGED, AND STILL SAVE YOU MONEY.

Steve and I have already talked a little about it. I know he would do a bang up job, so I have absolutely no hesitation with that if I choose that route. Just undecided right now, even as much as I love this bike.

 

[BigBSBusa]

Think I have made up my mind, so the story continues . . .

 

[NINJA KILLER]

THE SUSPENSE IS KILL'N ME , TELL US KEN , NEW OR THE '03 ?

 

[Shibumi]

Ken, don't know if you remember but when I joined here I realized that we had the exact same bike, and that I wanted mine to look as good as yours when I got through playing with it! That being said, the 08 has happened since then and I have seen, sat on, and fondled one.

If I had $6800 in hand I would buy one so fast it would make ZX-14 dizzy. That tail shovel UNBOLTS for goshsakes, no screws on the fairings, SO many improvements based on direct feedback from freaks like all of us- it would be an awesome platform to concentrate on appearance mods like you want, because power, braking, and chassis mods are built-in already.

Baby J II, "Rise of the Machine".

 

[Mr Bogus]

Sounds like you could do the buyback thing, part out whats left and come out ahead on that side.. 2G for a good frame and motor sounds like a steal

 

[Revolution]

amazing how difficult these decisions are when it comes to our rides aint it