Buckeye Rider Down But Not Out (Again)

[mkiii850]

First the Question, then the story.

Question Do the Pannier hard bags come as standard equipment on a
2002 Ducati ST4s or not.

I didn't buy this bike new so don't know for sure the answer. The insurance adjuster and I are having a difference of opinion and could use a deffinite answer.
Thanks
Read On.........................




The Buckeye Rider Down But Not Out
(Again)
Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday was the annual Winter Solstice Ride to Serpent Mound put together by some people from LocalRiders.com. I have wanted to go on this ride for years but always something would get in the way like work, nasty weather, or family commitments. This year with forethought and planning I was actually going to go!

Saturday was spent getting the No Name Red Ducati ready with fluid and pressure checks, light check, charging the battery and preparing my always not too fancy wardrobe of mix-matched long underwear, socks and vintage collection of long sleeved
T-shirts and sweaters. I have neither leathers nor heated vest. My vast array of winter gloves were packed into one of my panniers and a thermos and nice selection of homemade Christmas cookies were reserved for the other side.

Sunday come sunny and cold, in the mid thirties but with a promise of lots of sunshine and high forties. A great day for mid December in Cincinnat.

My plan was to use the ride from my house to the meeting place in Milford as a test run. If it was too cold or my wardrobe was too confining then I could make a go/no go call before I committed to the group ride.

Every thing was good, gassed up the No Name Ducati was in good form, my wardrobe had no malfunction, my spirits were high and lots of familiar faces were at the designated spot on time.

When riding with a group that has some unknowns mixed in I usually try to stay closer to the rear of the pack. I feel safer and more confident if I can keep and eye on things and ride my own pace without jamming other riders.

Off we go, about twelve riders. Mostly touring bikes, a few duel sports and sport bikes along with a vintage Gold-Wing. Fifteen miles later we crest a hill make a sharp left turn onto a straight and level country road, Galley Hill Rd. in Clermont Co. to be exact, when the signal from the front goes out as riders point to the left. Dog, beware of dog! This black and white small collie type could be seen by the lead group charging down the driveway towards the street. At the end of the drive the dogs breaks hard and turns right and follows parallel to the curb until I ride by and he turns and charges out………………
BAM…SLAMM (fade to black).
The BAM was the Ducatis’ front wheel and the dog making contact.
The SLAMM was me being face planted into the pavement. Hard.
The dog was thrown about ten feet and died instantly. I stopped tumbling, like and Olympic hopeful I’m told by witnesses, for about 110 feet and the No Name Ducati comes to rest forty feet passed me.

I have no recollection of the events that took place between the face plant and when the EMTs’ helped me up off the ground, approximately fifteen minutes, although my friends say I was dazed and confused but conscience. (These guys don’t know me very well do they?)

The front of my Shoie full-face helmet was severely damaged. Apparently when the EMT’s see any damage to a helmet they are taking you to the hospital whether you want to or not! I didn’t really regain full use of my limited wits until after I arrived at the ER at Bethesda North.
My Damage; very tender and sore chin, nice cut to my inside lower gum line, no stitches, sore and swollen left and right wrist and several fingers on both hands swollen with cuts and bruises, rug burns on limbs from friction of clothes, bruise on forehead and nose, very stiff neck and shoulders. I was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health after many x-rays and a cat scan. ( Yes my head is really empty)
Ducati Damage; right side of the bike destroyed, right pannier destroyed, right handle bar broken at stem, brake rotor warped from dog impact. Dog hair stuck between tire and rim, exhaust damaged. Insurance estimator is calling it totaled even before he makes the final tally.($5608.89)
Riding gear Damage; helmet destroyed from chin to forehead, riding jacket torn though at sleeves and elbows, riding pants torn at leg and cuffs, boots scuffed and torn at toes. All the gear worked perfectly and self- destructed as planned to save my life.

If you are not wearing a full- face helmet then I suggest you up your life insurance policy! If I had been wearing any other type of helmet I would be dead.

I have an appointment with my lawyer in the next few days, my insurance will cover the Ducati and my riding gear and go after the dogs owner on there behalf, the attorneys will go after them on my behalf. Tomorrow I see my M.D. for follow up on a finger that is still swollen and seems to be infected.

Two of my riding buddies split off and brought the Ducati to my house in the back of their truck. It got home before I did. Isn’t the brotherhood of motorcyclist a marvel of love and caring!?!?


(fourteen months ago on the same bike I was rear-ended by a fellow rider and did $5200 damage)

Ride Safe, Ride Smart
Ride On
Dave
The Buckeye Rider
Dave Mathers
Cincinnati Oh
12/21/2011

[grimah1w]

Answer: Yes the panniers are standard with the 2002 Ducati ST4s.

Bummer about the dog induced crash...glad you are OK!!! +1 on the gear making the difference between survival and not and certainly minimizing injury. Good luck with repair or replace! keep eye on legal costs; my guess is that the legal team will make more than you in the process. Your insurance will probably do a better job of covering you unless you are seeking punitive damages...

Good luck!

[mkiii850]

Originally Posted by grimah1w

Answer: Yes the panniers are standard with the 2002 Ducati ST4s.

Good luck with repair or replace! keep eye on legal costs; my guess is that the legal team will make more than you in the process. Your insurance will probably do a better job of covering you unless you are seeking punitive damages...

Good luck!

Thanks Vinnie.
The Ins. Co. will cover the bike and the gear.
My legal team is a very well respected Co. that includes a first cousin they get 1/3 of the $$ after expenses.
The dog laws in Ohio are well written and the owner has no loop holes.

Ride On
Dave

[jet057]

Heal up good MK,glad your still w/ us thats all that matters brother.

[PACABADA]

I tangled with a deer this fall, State Farm covered my left side pannier with no questions whatsoever.

[Bill_Anderson]

Originally Posted by mkiii850

If you are not wearing a full- face helmet then I suggest you up your life insurance policy! If I had been wearing any other type of helmet I would be dead.

Welcome to the club. I joined in May 2009 on a lonely mountain road north of Weaverville, CA. Fortunately your initiation was easier than mine, as I got to spend a few days in Mercy Hospital in Redding with broken ribs and a broken clavicle.

To answer your question, the hard bags have been standard on ST models sold in North America since the MY '01 ST4 and perhaps even earlier. I had an 02-ST4s in BBG. I can e-mail you photos of mine with the standard hardbags if necessary.

[mkiii850]

Thanks Bill no photo's needed just trying to clarify a difference of opinion between myself and the adjuster. The adjuster wins this round.

Thanks to all for the info and "Get Wells"

Ride Safe, Ride On
Dave

[mkiii850]

UPDATE:

The Insurance Co. has totaled the “No Name Red Ducati” but I will retain the bike and fix it myself.
I am healing up better then can be expected for a “senior” rider with regular visits to the Chiropractor though very stiff and sore in both wrist and the neck.
I will replace the bodywork with my own design fabricated from; “BEWARE OF DOG” signs.

“NEWS FLASH"

The 'No Name Ducati', as of five minutes ago is up and running. I just completed a tour around the block and all seems to be well.
I replaced the right clip on(broken in half), front brake lever(twisted like a pretzel), and the left front brake rotor(bent from impact with dog).
The body work is at the body shop and that will take awhile.
I wore my old Nolan helmet it seems so outdated compared to my Shoei. But it was better then going without.
ALso rode 'Pa', my trusty Norton, for awhile today keeping my streak going of riding him at least once a month for the past thirteen years.

Ride On(whenever you can)
Dave

[Mad Dog]

good equipment is so important. Best to relay that to most HD riders! Glad, very glad you came out relatively unscathed.

[C-simian]

Dave - glad that soreness is your greatest problem at this time, and I hope you bounce back quickly. Never thought a dog would do that, but some are so very territorial at times. Come to think of it, my first dog died because he decided to attack a car, so there you go.

Get well soon.
Ron