Son backed into my FJR

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

oldryder

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
356
Reaction score
4
Location
Central MN
Just thought I'd share this experience since some of you also have teenage sons ....

Morning. Son leaving for college, car loaded to the max. he backs into my pristine FJR.

damages lower fairing where he hits it and trashes the saddlebag and lower fairing on the other side. fairing has a shot thats going to need a little "bondo" repair work

local body shop that specializes in bikes quotes me $350 plus paint (about $100 from the colorrite website) to paint both lower fairing pieces and both saddlebag covers if I bring the parts in.

I thought this was pretty reasonable.

 
I am glad to hear you don’t refer to him as your former son ;)

The price sounds good. Is this price based on you bringing in the body parts for them to paint? If parts have to be removed for repair or paint how much do you trust an automotive shop to work on a motorcycle they have never seen before? Can they actually do a good job repairing the paint and body without removing parts?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
That sounds like a pretty decent price for your son to pay. :rolleyes:
Re read. Son packed up going off to college and you think the kid is going to pay? The FJR would get fixed in about say 2013? Maybe.
Looks like it will be coming out of his food money. Remind him to buy lots of Ramen Noodles.... I lived off that **** in college so I could use the rest of my food money for beer!

 
Take a look at the list of discount parts suppliers on this site and you may find that you can get the fairing piece for a reasonable price. Bondo repairs are OK, but a new part, already color matched, is better.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Grandson ran into my right side bag with his scooter................................................It's hard to stay mad at a 6 year old.

 
Sorry, but you have to say, we might have to add that to the priceless list......

Will that be a memory or what.....I am glad that you did not have anything neg. to say.

I am sure he is feeling bad about it.....But you will have something to laugh about during the holiday break....

 
My solution: I keep a mental running tab of the damage my two boys inflict, and let them know I will be deducting from their inheritance.

This started a few years ago when my oldest was two years old, I was in my den one early morning waiting for my carpool mate. My eyes looked out the window, and then slowly passed to one of my speakers. I am one of those nutty audiophiles with a vacuum tube based system that would pay for two nicely farkled FJR's.

Something didn't look right, and it took a moment to realize that the tweeter and woofer had dozens of small finger sized indentations. It took another moment to comprehend that my 2 year old had carefully and methodically poked every available surface of these expensive speaker cones.

As I tried to stifle my rising anger, I glanced at the other speaker. Same thing.

But by this time, I had a huge smile. I mean, can you imagine the joy in a two year old's mind as he realized after having so much fun the first time that he could do it again?

$1000 and a few weeks later, the speakers were repaired and a lock was installed on the door.

His tally today at 6 years old is about $3000...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Everyone is blaming the son. Maybe he's blaming himself for parking the FJR within range of a fully packed college bound automobile? :unsure:

Just sayin...

 
My kid did that and I killed him! Yup, just planted him in the back yard. :rip_1: NAWW, no kids here, that should learn ya not to have kids.

 
not the worst thing he's ever done. 2 years ago he was backing out his car and hit my suburban and my wife's lincoln at the same time. takes talent to get 2 at once. Lincoln just had a scuffed bumber and broken taillight, suburban had a caved in door.

worse was years ago I was walking by the sandbox and spotted something metal. turned out it was my engraved glass bottomed pewter beer mug I got when I left the Navy. It had been used as a hammer. he was 5, what could you do but laugh.

 
silver lining to this dark cloud is I see it as the perfect opportunity to get the bike painted a custom color to your liking. nothing like having a one off bike that nobody else has.

 
Oldryder, you might tell him that there is such a thing as retroactive abortion :rolleyes: . Just kidding. That sounds like a very decent price for repairs. If that is the biggest thing a teenage son causes in life, you be very blessed.

doctorj

 
Top