Mice ate my K1200LT

captnshaw · Jan 10, 2013

Came home from a month long trip and went into my garage to take the bike out for a ride and noticed that there were big holes in the seats, the radio buttons, grips were chewed up pretty good and the rear speaker surrounds looked like half eaten blocks of Swiss cheese. There were bits of plastic and wire insulation everywhere.

I turned the key and no joy at all. So I opened the seat and most every wire was bare. I had it towed to the dealer in Pensacola and he says that the wiring harness is completely destroyed everywhere even under the tank.

His rough guess is that it will cost between $2,000-$3,000 to repair the damage which seems reasonable to repair a mint low mileage LT that has been absolutely a trouble free comfortable ride. I am somewhat attached to this bike love the look, fit and feel.

Has anyone ever had this happen before? Does anyone know if might be covered under comprehensive as theft, vandalism and malicious mischief? If not I know it will be covered by rising water, fire or the stranding, sinking, burning, derailment, upset or collision of a conveyance transporting your vehicle on land or water.

I am insured with Markel but have not contacted them as yet.

Any thoughts?

timdog · Jan 10, 2013

Read your policy. Not trying to be a smarta$$. Seriously. Look at your policy very carefully. Post the relevant language and we will help you decipher the legalese.

duck · Jan 10, 2013

If you have an agent then call your agent.

ozmoses · Jan 10, 2013

What is it about mice and vehicles?

Friend of mine had his car's wiring destroyed; cost me two clutches in as many months, forever nesting in the mower or snowblower, and I finally covered the airhead snorkels w/ hardware cloth to deter nesting in my airbox!

I can understand in the winter they may seek the heat in the engine compartment, otherwise these are cold hunks of metal while there are much better alternatives nearby.

Maybe mice are motorheads at heart?

IME, not an insuance issue; YMMV,etc;

captnshaw · Jan 10, 2013

I don't want to contact them until I find out if its covered. That's why I'm asking if anyone had a similar experience?

ragtoplvr · Jan 10, 2013

You are not feeing your mice enough. This leads them to chew on the wires to get the vitamins they lack.

I recommend a nice nutritionally balanced food like D-CON or the equivalent, as it has those necessary vitimans.

You will find they no longer nest in the air box or eat wires when they have the correct diet.

Very simple.

Or you can get a good cat.

captnshaw · Jan 10, 2013

I have been feeding them all they can eat of Bromadiolone...0.005% it is a single-feeding anticoagulant rodenticide. Unsurpassed in it's yummy taste and smell. Rodent love it! Supposed to be an excellent clean-out and maintenance bait to control mice and rats, including warfarin-resistant Norway rats.

They have consumed half a five gallon bucket in the past month and will not stop. I had an exterminator out he found and fixed some possible entry points and said I'm doing everything I can do.

My 95lb shepard/chow kept all critters away but he died in November.

I just want to get the bike fixed I can put it in a cage if I have to.

Conedodger · Jan 10, 2013

captnshaw said: ↑

They have consumed half a five gallon bucket in the past month and will not stop.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a serious problem on your hands! A five gallon bucket would be a 20 year supply at my house. I go through less than a dozen blocks per year to protect my garage.

bomber60015 · Jan 10, 2013

asking questions of others isn't a particularly effective way to find out if YOU are covered . . . . insurance vaires wildly by state, town, individual . . . . there's no reason to NOT contact your agent . .. .and, remember, agents pay is tied up with your continued purchasing of their policies . . . .I've had "iron clad" decisions reversed a couple of times when I mentioned how disappointed I was, and how I knew such and such company would do better.

Call your agent.

Or read the poilcy (I'd call, because the poilicy is not in English).

duck · Jan 10, 2013

It doesn't hurt you to call your agent. It doesn't cost him/her a dime one way or the other if it's covered. It's in his/her best interests to help get it covered, make you a happy camper and keep you as a customer.

If, on the other hand, you are insured directly with the carrier then they may be prone to deny it as it does come out of their coffers - in which case you probably should review your policy prior to calling them and find some way to make the case to them that it is covered.

speedracertdi · Jan 10, 2013

I dropped my Concours 14 a few months back. It took me 3 weeks to call Progressive. I told them I was in shock and needed to mourn before I called them. They were more than accommodating, sent an appraiser out 2 days later. We met for about 30 minutes, I showed him the damage and my concerns. He wrote me a GENEROUS check on the spot. Told me If I find anything else broken or damaged to just call him back. The check covered my damages and enough for my new ceramic coated dual Muzzys exhaust, computer re-flash, and new GPS mount and wiring.

There is no reason not to call and ask. You pay for insurance to be insured. Use it. Mine as well as yours will fall under "small accident forgiveness". Your rates shouldn't go up a penny.

The Walrus · Jan 10, 2013

It's not a collision claim so there should be no impact to your rate.

And if your vehicle insurance doesn't cover it under the comprehensive, I'd call my homeowners next.

YMMV

AnnieGS · Jan 10, 2013

captnshaw said: ↑

They have consumed half a five gallon bucket in the past month and will not stop. I had an exterminator out he found and fixed some possible entry points and said I'm doing everything I can do.
Click to expand...

Is there a chance the rodents have free access to dry dog food somewhere? The Vitamin K1 in the dog food is an antidote to the poison.

captnshaw · Jan 10, 2013

I called Markel and said it should be covered but no promises until an adjuster looks at it. Retail on the bike is $8k trade is $5k now that I opened a claim I'm committed. My pest control company set up some infrared cameras to see exactly what's going on.

OldPete · Jan 10, 2013

Good, do get back on this please.
My home policy might cover an event like this but i'd have to call.

Thread that might be of interest... http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=810145&highlight=mice

captnshaw · Jan 11, 2013

This was pretty interesting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Mzsq07GAk I made one but none trapped yet.
Finally after 4 days and 12 pounds of poison the critters stopped taking the bait. I put a couple of five pound feeders filled with pro-grade rodenticide so my little friends will be well fed when I'm away.

newcastleadam · Jan 11, 2013

Sucks. BTW, did I get a Bridgestone tire from you when my Metz blew on I-10 in Oct?

captnshaw · Jan 11, 2013

No, not me. I was in St. John.

captnshaw · Jan 18, 2013

I submitted the claim on Monday to Markel. Today I received a check for the full amount to repair the bike ($6.5K+) I was pleased they did not total it. It's a clean good ride. Markel gets kudos from me.

wsmc831 · Jan 19, 2013

Wow, that was fast, nice!

Reminds me of a friends situation. Mice ate through the wiring harness on his C32 AMG Mercedes between the engine and the firewall. Required engine removal to fix. A 12k dollar bill his homeowners picked up.

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