A fall often leaves less visible damage than a dent on a car and still costs many times as much. The decisive question after an impact is whether the frame and the forks have taken something, and nobody can tell that standing next to a scuffed fairing. We appraise motorcycles, scooters, light motorcycles and two-wheelers of every displacement class, and hand you a signed appraisal report that quantifies not only the machine but also your protective clothing and the accessories fitted to it.
✓Your right to choose your own expert – guaranteed by law
✓A personal contact, no waiting on hold
✓On site across Europe
✓Report usually within 24 hours of the inspection
What the appraisal report covers
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Frame and steering head: measurement of the frame at its reference points, inspection of the steering head, main frame, subframe and engine mounts. On most machines a distorted frame cannot be straightened economically and, as a rule, means a constructive total loss. That is why this measurement comes at the beginning of the appraisal and not at the end.
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Forks and chassis: stanchions and fork legs checked for distortion, triple clamps, steering head bearings, swingarm, shock absorber and wheel bearings. Bent stanchions do not announce themselves with a dent but with binding under compression, uneven stanchion protrusion, and handlebars that no longer sit centered.
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Typical impact points: fairing and fairing brackets, bar ends, brake and clutch levers, footrest assembly, gear and brake linkages, mirrors, tank and exhaust system. Much of this looks like a scratch and is safety-relevant: a cracked lever breaks at the next hard pull, and a crushed header tears further along the seam.
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The rider's protective clothing: helmet, jacket, trousers, gloves, boots and armor are recorded and assessed individually. A helmet that has taken an impact is unusable even if the shell shows nothing, and both leather and textile lose their protective function at the abraded area. This item is regularly forgotten in the settlement if it is not in the appraisal report.
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Accessories and add-on parts: exhaust system, luggage and top case systems, crash bars and frame sliders, navigation mount, screen, seat, suspension components and steering damper. On a two-wheeler, accessories quickly account for a considerable share of the vehicle's value and are passed over in the settlement without individual proof.
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Season and downtime: repair duration with an eye on parts availability, plus classification into the loss-of-use compensation groups for motorcycles. If the machine runs on seasonal registration, damage in April weighs differently from damage in November, because the time lost falls in the middle of the period of use. We therefore give separate reasons for the downtime.
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Values and diminished value: replacement value, salvage value and market-based diminished value. The used two-wheeler market reacts sensitively to a documented history of falls; well-kept machines without impact marks fetch noticeably higher prices than repaired ones.
How it works
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Appointment: you report the damage and we come to wherever the machine ended up after the fall, whether that is a repair shop, a garage or a parking area. We record two-wheelers that are not driveable on site. Please have the protective clothing you were wearing ready.
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Inspection: photo documentation, frame and fork measurement, inspection of the steering head bearings, levers, footrests and exhaust system, recording of accessories and protective clothing, and reading out the fault memory on machines with ABS and traction control.
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Calculation: the repair route in line with the manufacturer's specification, supplemented by protective clothing, accessories, diminished value and downtime. Where frame or fork distortion is suspected, we set repair and replacement side by side.
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Delivery: you receive the appraisal report digitally, as a rule on the same business day once it is complete. On request, a copy goes directly to the insurer, your attorney and the repair shop.
On the cost:
After a not-at-fault accident, the cost of the appraisal report is
generally borne by the liability insurer of the other party. On request
we bill that insurer directly, so that you do not have to pay up front.
Frequently asked questions
The frame looks undamaged. Does it still have to be measured?
Yes. Distortion at the steering head is often a matter of millimeters and cannot be seen with the naked eye, but it changes the handling and the load on the forks. Only the measurement separates repairable impact damage from a constructive total loss.
Will my protective clothing be reimbursed even though nothing shows on it?
A helmet that has struck something has absorbed that energy and will not protect a second time, even without a visible mark. We record helmet, suit, gloves and boots individually with their age and current value, so that the item remains verifiable in the settlement.
My machine runs on seasonal registration. Does that affect the downtime?
Yes, and in both directions. If the repair falls in the middle of the registered season, the downtime is felt in full. If it falls outside, it has to be assessed differently. We record the registration period and the actual time off the road in the appraisal report.
Do retrofitted accessories count?
Only if they are documented. An exhaust system, luggage system, crash bars or suspension noticeably raise the replacement value. We record them with the manufacturer, the condition and, where required, the entry in the vehicle documents. Receipts or invoices at the appointment help.
More on this in our guide:
The checklist for the accident scene
