Historic Bike Classification

Does anyone here know if there's such a thing as a historic bike
designation here in Texas? and if so, how old does a vehicle need to be to
be considered historic (i.e. antique)?

My T-Boned bike was 22 years old, and I got the news a few hours ago that
it's most likely going to cost at least 2.5x blue book retail for the
repairs... Maybe I should just point her insurance company to the ebay
listings for the bikes I'm looking at for possible replacements... and tell
them that I want one of them, plus my medical expenses & a flight to the
bikes & gas to drive back... Seems fair to me. ha!

Rex S.

 

Antique or Classic license plate qualification in Texas calls for "the
frame, body and motor are 25 or more years old". The differentiation
between Antique and Classic is that Classic may be driven normally for
regular transportation and must pass current inspection as applicable to
the year of manufacture, whereas Antique is "a collecotr's item and will
be used solely for exhibition, club activites, parades and other
functions of public interest. The vehicle will in no case be used for
regular transportation and will not carry an any adverisiting." Antique
vehicles are exempt from state inspection requirements.

The lines in " " are directly from the application for antique plates
sitting beside me. the Texas Department of Transportation" web site has
all the info and forms in pdf for d'load and printing. Google texas
antique license application" and you will go straight there.

welcome to insurance-land. good luck and stand your ground, they're
gonna argue total and cheap. you were keeping it for its imminent
increase in value in a few more years as a classic/antique, right?
<g> that bike needs a full restoration now!

 

Thanks for the info. Yes - It'll be ONE of my points, in addition to
several others. To their credit, the claim investigator has been cordial
to me, and indicated that he realizes the damages exceed the blue-book
retail value of the bike, and stated that he'll work with me on the
matter... It's just up to me now to make sure that I am justly compensated
for what she so quickly took from me. The bike was a mere 2.5 years from
the "classic" designation.

(note: it went beyond the simple adjuster phase, simply because State Farm
doesn't write bikes, and the lady failed to respond to their phone calls
for over 2 weeks after the wreck)

Rex S.

 

Not even close.

What the insurance company will do is show you ad listings for junk
bikes that are in the age range as yours. Then they'll tell you how
yours has high mileage and is a "beater". They'll tell you all about
how at that age of motorcycle, you'll be doing good for getting what
they offer. They'll quote some silly laws that don't exist and by the
time it's over, they'll have you feeling as if they're doing you a
favor by their policy holder slamming into you and getting you off
that piece of junk.

"Why, if it wasn't for her hitting you, that beat up 22 year old bike
would've left you stranded at the next corner"