Unfortunately the inevitable has finally arrived and for the first time in almost 6 years of riding I had my first motorcycle accident today. It wasn't very big at all, I so nearly saved it too but it wasn't to be. Quick run down, riding along some NSL back lanes, it was a fairly tight section. Went to take a right hander, so started to move to the left of the road. All of a sudden, a large car comes belting around the corner and goes wide into my path making me have to swerve and stand the bike up mid corner. From this part, I don't remember a lot other than thinking crap crap crap. I started to brake, ended up on some utter shite gravel/ road debris, lost the front momentarily but let go of brakes and kept bike up somehow but didn't have time to brake hard enough again and ended up hitting a stone wall bridge at a 45 degree angle. I damn near ripped my knee out keeping the bike upright, then got it trapped between the bike and the wall. As painful as it was, it has saved 90% of my bike.
The front fairing is obliterated, really gutted about that. The headlight was also pretty damaged. I somehow lost the screen, literally vanished possibly into the river. Luckily I didn't come off the bike or drop it at all so it is literally just the impact damage that has messed stuff up. I could't turn the bars at first, they were stuck left as the fairing brackets were bent in the way so I bent them back so I could at least go straight and parked in a farmers driveway. I then took stock of the state of the bike and how the damage was. In fairness, it is literally all fine expect the front fairing / headlight and somehow the gear lever was bent. Everything else is completely fine thank God, forks are fine, radiator and engine fine, fuel tank fine no damage at all. I luckily had the tools to repair / strip it at the side of the road and the farmer let me chuck away the damaged bits. I just about got the salvageable parts into a bag / my hoody pocket under my jacket then carefully rode it home. It rode completely fine on the way home, as normal.
Unfortunately I didn't get the car drivers reg number and he did not stop, however it was also partly my fault for probably going a bit too fast. I am half disappointed it has happened, but also fairly glad in a way that it could have been a lot worse and myself and the bike are relatively unscathed. My knee is very painful but apparently it is just some ligament damage that will heal over time.
This has brought me to quite a large crossroads now. I have a spare fairing, but it has a small area of damage. I would need to buy another headlight, screen and infil panels to put the bike back on the road in standard trim. The rest I have salvaged.
Or
I could turn it into a naked, something I wanted to do a long time ago but either couldn't be bothered with the hassle or didn't see the point. One big thing I noticed riding home is the fairing and screen literally direct wind into my head because it was so much nicer without it, but naked 600's can either look awesome or utterly terrible.
Or
Take step 1 and repair back to standard, take off any bells and whistles, then sell the bike and bells and whistles separately and buy a different bike. I am leaning this way quite hard to be honest, which is a shame because I really like the bike but I ride it far too fast half the time as it is so fun and easy. But that's twice this year it has stung me, the front just gives up at a certain point and I think the car distracting me didn't help but I still could have possibly made the corner if I was more confident. I think I will now have lost a lot of confidence in this bike, even once repaired, so want something different. My knee pain that I was already suffering will be a lot worse now too as that's now both knees I have ruined through sport or bike antics. What do you guys think? It is a shame and unlucky in respects, but I hope to learn from my mistake.