CAT B Write Off - Back on road?

PJT95

Hi All,

I recently got knocked off my bike which sustained damage to the front forks and plastics. As far as I'm aware, there was no damage to the frame. Insurance have stated that it will be a CAT B write off though.

My question is other than getting a new frame and V5, is there any other way I can get this bike on the road again by having it inspected etc? or would you just break it for parts?

Thanks,

NINJA

@PJT95 Once it's been tagged as a CAT B, it will always remain that way. There's nothing you can do to remove it as far as I am aware. The only way to get a clean bike is as you have stated with a new frame and V5, then just transfer the parts over. If you do not plan on ever selling the bike, then you can repair it and put it back on the road and enjoy riding it again. Or you could repair it and even sell it on one day, but buyers are wary of anything which has been written off and thus she will not fetch a decent price at market. It all depends on what your financial situation is and which route is the most cost effective for you. Breaking it will give you some cash towards another bike and parts are well sought after, so it's your call really???

Calum

Yeah, CAT B on a DTR that has most of its parts discontinued...probably doesn't mean very much. My bike would have been written off if I went through the insurance, and it's absolutely mint now.

So it's all rubbish. But I presume the insurance company have paid out to you, if the bikes cheap enough and you can buy it back and fix it up and still be better off, then sounds like a good plan. Sure it won't be worth much when the time comes to sell, but it ain't always about that.

PJT95

The CAT B tag don't worry me, it getting it back on the road that does. From what I've been reading, the frame has to be crushed because its marked as CAT B? is this not true?

Calum

@PJT95 Don't think it is. But the vehicle will probably need to be inspected before going back on the road.

Think Cat C is just cosmetic and can go back on no problems,.

NINJA

@PJT95 CAT A & B CANNOT BE REPAIRED;

Google's ya buddy;

https://www.gov.uk/scrapped-and-written-off-vehicles/insurance-writeoffs

https://www.gov.uk/scrapped-and-written-off-vehicles

Calum

Well that's it then, fucked. Another DT gone to the scrap heap.

NINJA

@Calum Yep sadly, well at least there's something to salvage. As my friend said, if the insurance company has paid out then it's either start over or buy-back the bike and sell the parts. Either way your bike is a gonna for the road!!!

PJT95

What an absolute piss take. Guess I'll be breaking her down then.

NINJA

@PJT95 Have the insurers allowed you to keep the bike, or have they paid you out with an option to buy her back???

PJT95

They're paying me out giving her back. They wanted £100 to dispose of the bike. Told them to get it in the van and back home.

NINJA

@PJT95 Sounds like you got a good deal then? Check this thread out and scroll down to see the facebook groups, join them as they have frames for sale on that quite regular;

https://dt125r.co.uk/topic/562/parts-suppliers-database

stinkwheeler

So you still have the frame my old dt was stolen whats the chances of me buying your frame ... changing the vin to my old vin number and say its stolen recovered and putting the frame back on the road i can change vins verry well to save a written off frame to save another dt ?

Calum

@stinkwheeler Pretty sure that is mentally illegal. But criminal to scrap a perfectly usable frame because the government wants rid of smokers and/or the insurance companies are bastards!

Obviously it'll mean two frames with the same VIN.

NINJA

@stinkwheeler I'm sure that the DVLA must have some procedures and security measures in place to counteract this type of cloning behaviour. Or else the dodgy Arthur Daly's of this world would have been doing just that and getting away with it for years!!!

declan

@Calum don’t hate the player hate the game as far as I’m concerned it’s not illegal if you have no malicious intent. You can’t have two vins in use though I’m sure they’d realise something’s a miss

stinkwheeler

I understand that but the other frame was stolen i have the logbook for it ... i also have the original engine for the bike and i couldn't make a claim against the insurance as they offered me 300 quid ...... i understand its illegal in some sence but so is putting alloys on your car and not telling your insurance .. its naughty but no harm done lol

Calum

@declan Lol, it's not a case of whether you think it's illegal or not. It is against the law. What you choose to do with that is up to you.

I know what I would do in your case.

NINJA

@stinkwheeler What does the HPI report say about either reg/VIN numbers???

stinkwheeler

@NINJA mine comes up as stolen on hpi but surely i could put the bike together and say it was found