Hi All! 

I've been street riding for about 13 years, and am new to track riding. On my second time at the track, I had an incident at the Ridge Motorsports Park, WA and would appreciate any input - particularly anyone who has dealt with another rider causing a collision, or repairing a 2024 Street Triple RS.

# What happened

I was taking instruction with TrackTime and was following my instructor. We had already completed a few good sessions together, and during this particular session I was continuing to follow his line and coaching. This happened on the first lap of the session, so the tires were still cold. It had also been drizzling, so the surface was cold and somewhat damp.

We were going through the Turn 12-Turn 13 section at Ridge. Turn 13 is a tight left-hand, V-shaped corner that drops significantly in elevation. As I initiated my left turn into Turn 13, another rider came in too hot into the corner and took me out (see attached video).

So, from my perspective, the dude was going way too fast overestimating his skills in the following conditions:

* A tight, downhill corner (its not his first time on the track)
* A cold and damp track
* This was the first lap of the session
* Cold tires
* Attempting to pass a coached rider

# What happened afterward

After the crash, the owner of TrackTime came with me to speak to the other rider. I will call the other rider “Tom” here. I approached Tom and said something along the lines of: “Hey man, I'm glad we're both okay. I’d appreciate it if you could help repair my bike.” He immediately responded: “Nope, sorry. We all signed a waiver, so nobody is liable. I also don’t have any money to give you.”

I clarified that I was not asking him to hand me cash at the track. I asked whether he would provide his insurance information so that our insurers could determine coverage and responsibility. He also said that I had suddenly turned in front of him (????), that the road was wet, and that his motorcycle had started "wiggling", and said that he's a disabled veteran (basically 0 articulation and playing the victim card). He complained that my instructor had confronted him publicly and asked why the owner and I were “cornering” him at his canopy.

I understand no one is liable at the track, but damn conversing with this person was so difficult. The owner told him that we were simply asking him to do the right thing. The conversation went nowhere, although Tom and I exchanged phone numbers. To be clear, nobody threatened him, touched him, or demanded immediate payment. We approached him to discuss an incident that had just happened. Still, I understand that emotions were elevated.

# TrackTime’s response

TrackTime has been very supportive. The folks there were patient and accommodating throughout the day and after the crash. My instructor had my back and is willing to explain what he witnessed.

I have asked TrackTime for:

* The incident report
* The applicable passing rules
* Any specific rule concerning passing between a student and instructor
* Confirmation that the event was untimed, noncompetitive instruction
* Relevant corner-worker/control-rider/staff accounts
* A copy of the waiver
* The other rider’s identifying and insurance information, to the extent they may legally provide it
* Preservation of any video or records

The visible damages include: (https://imgur.com/a/iUiflU9)

* Cracked bolt-on subframe assembly beneath the seat, on the left side
* Damaged rear/tail bodywork
* Tail-light and rear mounting damage
* Scraped or damaged right bar-end area and controls
* Scraped front axle slider
* Scraped frame slider
* Rider-footpeg and rear-brake-control damage
* Scraped/dented exhaust
* Various brackets, fasteners, trim pieces, and cosmetic components

Several mechanics at the track helped out and inspected the motorcycle. They said the main frame, swingarm, forks, and overall structural integrity "seemed" fine. That was reassuring, but I understand that a trackside visual inspection is not the same as a written teardown and alignment inspection.

# Insurance situation

Both Tom and I have motorcycle insurance through Progressive. I understand that track-day insurance is complicated.

I am considering opening a third-party property-damage claim against Tom’s Progressive policy, provide the video and witness information, and let Progressive issue an actual coverage decision. (idk how to do any of this)

# Waiver and responsibility

I understand the normal culture of track riding:

* Track riding is inherently risky.
* People crash.
* Riders generally accept that they may damage their own motorcycles.
* Waivers are part of the activity.
* In many paddocks, the practical rule is that each person pays for their own machine.

I am not trying to pretend that a track day is equivalent to being rear-ended at a traffic light. However, I am struggling with the idea that a rider can attempt an unsafe pass, hit another rider who is following an instructor (we were wearing pretty high-visible vests that says "STUDENT"/"INSTRUCTOR"), and then treat “we signed a waiver” as the end of all responsibility.

# Questions

I would appreciate answers from riders who have handled a similar incident:

1. Doesn't the overtaking rider normally bear responsibility for completing the pass safely, even if the rider ahead turns in earlier or differently than expected?
2. How should I have handled this situation? How would you handle communication with the other rider from this point onward? Is there a point in doing so? 
3. Would you file a third-party claim?
4. Has anyone had Progressive cover or deny a motorcycle incident during a clearly untimed instructional track school?
5. Has anyone successfully obtained an insurance-quality motorcycle estimate through a mobile mechanic or field appraiser?
6. Does anyone know a good mobile mechanic around the Puget Sound area? 
7. For a 2024 Street Triple RS (or any bike in general), what commonly hidden damage should be checked after this type of impact?
8. Does someone see something really off in the photos other than cosmetic damages? 
9. Has anyone pursued another participant in small claims after a track-day collision, and how did the waiver affect the case?
10. Does anyone know places or methods to get parts for cheap? 
11. How do I find out the name/part number for each part? Idk what most of the pieces are called lol - not sure if reading the manual is helpful.

Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance. I am frustrated and sad because I was having a genuinely great day and learning a lot before this happened, but I am trying to handle it methodically. I'm not even sure if I can do anything about this, just shooting my shot. 

Taken out during a coached track session - looking for advice on handling the situation