Early in the fall of 2010 I spun the rear wheel of my Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 on a paint strip while turning left. I picked the bike up, rode it home and called the necessary individuals to make reports and gain assessment of damage.
The damage was mostly cosmetic, with some some simple mechanical and electronic damage. A turn signal, the handlebars, the left clutch, the rear fender, the gas tank and several other parts were replaced. Around 85% of the bike’s bluebook (pristine) value was paid to Extreme Kawasaki of Baxley, GA (here forward known as the “repairer”) for these parts. After having to pay (upfront 80%) for the repairs before they began, the entire balance was paid and the motorcycle was back under my control.
I noticed a distinct lack of my radiator fan rattling at intersections afterwords as well as a very hot gas tank. The repair shop advised me I needed a new radiator (900 dollars). As it seemed working fine before hand, I dismissed this suggestion. I put 3,000 miles on the motorcycle over the winter (mild in South Georgia).
I left the key in the ignition for over a day, turned on. The battery was fully drained. The battery would not charge fully but I was able to turn over the engine once before I had to recharge. I removed the battery and charged it. As I was taking the battery out, I noticed something I had never noticed before.
Note - I have not even washed the bike since the repairs. The paint is still brand new under it’s layer of good clean dirt. This was the first time I took off the rider’s seat.
What i noticed was several wires that did not look right. They are the radiator’s wires. I checked the wiring diagram and there was only one unclosed circuit shown for the motorcycle. Apparently there are 7 unconnected wires, bundled in plastic bits and oddities which do not seem to connect to anything nor do they loop back upon themselves. The wiring is covered not in factory protectors, but in electrical tape.
I then found all the hoses from the pump lead only to the gas tank, the hose from which lead nowhere and was hanging loose without indention that would show it had been connected. The hoses from the radiator were connected to nothing.
I just need some simple advice which is not so simple. What should I do? ***
It’s already costing me 150 dollars to have the bike towed to the only repair shop within 60 miles.*
Should I take the bike back to them, even that? If they want more money, do I call my claims adjuster and then file suit in small claims?
What do I do about the now sluggish engine? Are they at fault for:
a) disconnecting the radiator
b) not noticing the faulty wiring
c) not telling me about the disconnections
d) not telling me they disconnected the items
Help.
*(I am not rich, as I make very little money finding ways to make things that already exist do so in such that anyone can understand and use my modification (which no one has thought of yet) or truly original thoughts which I seem to pluck out of the ether and literally take decades to expand to more than ten pages of theory - although I have decided making money would be nice for a change.)
**(an occurrence of observation in the meta-cognitive quantum thought process concerning the Complacency of Consumers in a State of Greed comparative to the progress of the human race as a whole and those immediately within knowledgeable distance in rural South-East USA with recognition to the state of being in both Republics and Democracies (ancient) as well as the mindset of individuals anachronistically placed in the time of observation)
***(While I love my bike and if i spent the time to fix it, I could do so, I have literally thousands of ideas per day which I cannot even keep up with. I barely have enough time to design inventions and write what I can before my mind decides to whisk me off on another fantastic voyage through dimensional metaphysics or suggests that I can improve any device I see. )