The Hawk is fairly easy to wrench on. If you haven't got the service manual check this thread for an uploadable version https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ad.php?t=11365
Good Luck!

Hello, the guy said the woman who backed into his bikes insurance company is paying him. He was not buying collision. Although, as a Hawk rider and insurance professional, I agree with your opinion.

Good to hear your perspective. I am troubled by the disappearance of the home-grown shop, whether it's motorcycles, photography, sports .... seems that everything has to come from the corporate sector.

I've watched as my favorite bike shops, ones that have a unique character and sell what's good/cool as opposed to what's been contractually agreed to, transition into corporate outlets and I feel a loss. I can understand it, and I try to make buying decisions to support the local, home-grown character.

On the other hand, it burned me up years ago when I discovered that (auto) shops generated estimates by referring to a book with man hour estimates, rather than the mechanic's actual time worked. There was about 40% price diff. for clutch replacement.

My '98 was totaled last year in a low speed low side. Minor damage, just the usual stuff. Bought it back for $1100, spent less than $500 getting her back together, and walked away with a $3k check in my pocket. I don't know how title changes happen, but the title never left my possesion so it may still be clean. Even if its not, how much could I REALLY sell a high mileage old sportbike for? Less than $3k I'm sure, wrecked or not. So I've got a $1600 bike that costs nothing to sit in the garage vs trying to find another one or something similar for ~$4k and have nothing left over.

Here's an update on the situation: the insurance agreed to pay and will send me a check directly for $3,100. I'm pretty happy about that. I should be able to do quite a bit myself, although I don't know about replacing the radiator. If it's even necessary.

Thanks all for the great advice.
runrowdy: thanks for the service manual link, that will come in handy.

Even the radiator should be easy.. It'd just be a matter of draining and replacing the coolant.. Otherwise, a few bolts and hose clamps is all there is to it once the fairing is off. (and the fairing is just 4 bolts, 4 nuts and the headlight and blinker wires)

The service manual is pretty good at walking you through just about anything.

Edit: but as you said it may not be necessary.. if the fairing covers up the damage, and the damage doesn't affect function.

that would be flag rate. and is generally used by the dealership. NOT independent shops. but, let me shed some light on a scenario though on flag rates. you take your car in to the dealership and lets say the transmission is out. you need a repair. and we have two mechanics of varying skill. mech a can pull it, repair it, and reinstall it in lets say 4 hours. flag lets say is 5. dealership nets an hour but still pays him 5 he hustles.

mech b does the same work in 6 hours, he still gets paid a flag of 5.

incedently flag rate last i checked on a oil change was 15 minutes. would you like to pay more at a dealership for the slow guy? or be mad and just have a standardized rate? i do not think it is fair to charge for more then you put into it though. but by the same token a guy who works on his own.. does NOT get paid vacation, medical insurence, sick days paid. so even if the poor basterd knocks down 35 bucks and hour he still isnt making shit.

i know flag is not fair on all sides, but i promise you this.. croocked shops that are not held to some sort of standard would take 10 hours of labor with out batting an eye. and the poor honest basterd doesnt figure out the 35 bucks he has been charging nets him hardly zip after taxes, working longer then 10 hour days with no over time pay, working weekends, no vacation pay.