Just thought I would share my very sentimental home coming story.
A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a guy who contact all the bike dealers around here about he had some kind of Harley dirt bike for sale, of course everyone who is into bikes in my area and really across the states and even abroad know that I collect and have been messing with the little Italian made '61-'78 50cc-350cc Harley-Davidson lightweight motorcycles just about my whole life, so all of the ones he called gave him my phone number and he called me and asked me if I was interested in buying it, I asked him a few questions about it like if he knew the year or model it was but all he really knew was it was a Harley dirt bike and was a small scale bike with no lights and plastic fenders, I told him well someone put on the plastic fenders as all except two models they made had plastic fenders and those was the '75 MX250 and '78 MX250, But the way he kept describing it I knew it was neither of them, he said he bought it a few years ago as it was found in a barn about 100 miles from here as he was a picker of sorts, he said it had a lot of rust, engine locked up and pretty rough but all there from what he could tell, I asked for the VIN and told him where it was located but he could not find one on it!, he stated he gave $300 for it and just pretty well to get his money back OBO, I told him I needed another bike like I needed a hole in the head but at least would look at it and tell him exactly what it was just to help him out at least to know what he had if I didn't buy it, so I said I would call him in a few days to arrange to meet him to look at bike, so I called him a few days later and asked if he was available and he replied come on out and told me where he lived which was about 20 miles from me and so I headed out!
As soon as I pulled up I could see the back of the bike from my truck about 20 feet away, I got out of my truck and stopped in my tracks at that point in a frozen state, So about a late 60 year old guy came out of his home and asked if I was Mike, I said yes, and he asked if anything was wrong or if I was ok as I guess he seen something in my face, Still not moving from my location of about 20 feet behind bike as he walked up to me I told him the bike was a 1974 Z90 HD, and I said before he replied...let me tell you some other stuff about that bike from here, so I told him about 10 different things like modifications (to convert to a pure dirt bike as it came stock as a complete street legal bike with full lighting package, steel low front fender and steel rear etc..!) and all repairs that were done from crashing it and including the last 3 digits of the VIN, He replied wow you are good and must have seen or worked on this bike before!....my reply was NO, That bike used to be mine and was stolen from me in front of my parents house in 1976, I stated I still had the title, paper work etc on it where I bought it brand new throwing a paper route in mid '75 as it was a new '74 carry over and cheaper than the '75 model, but of course the title was in my late Dad's name as I was to young to have it in mine at that time, and still had the police report from it, He didn't know what to say!, So I walked up to the bike and pointed out everything I stated about it which was all there as I described....except the VIN on frame which had been ground off!
After we talked for several hours about the bike and how I cried (not ashamed to say it!) when it got stolen and I told him no telling how many people this bike went through since it got stolen, but the one thing I noticed and told him was you could tell the bike set for most of those years as it still had the original tires on it although dry rotted but still had a lot of tread still on them, and we talked about his bikes he use to have being a old bike rider himself, he asked if I had a pickup or trailer (as I was in my Suburban)?, I replied yes I have a bike trailer but really I'm not interested in buying the bike as its pretty rough and nothing like the condition it left in when it was stolen...and again pointed out I really didn't need another bike as have way to many including 4 others just like it now including the one my Dad bought me about a month later after it was stolen which was also new and same year and model!, He replied NO I'm giving you the bike as its your bike and I want to see it go back to you where it belongs, I stated without the VIN on it I really have no way to prove its mine, plus its all in the past now and you have money invested in it, He replied sometimes money don't mean anything to me on doing something that's the right and honest thing to do..and this is the right thing to do and you told me enough about that bike that I know its yours and again its my gift to you, So go get your trailer and come and get your bike, I kept telling him that I didn't feel right about him losing money and in reality now its really his bike, He replied again go get your trailer and come and get it or I will find out where you live and bring it to you and put it in your yard!
So I went and got my trailer and loaded the bike up....again with a few tears in my eyes! I even tried to offer him some money just because but he refused to take it, And after several more hours of talking he said I want to give you something else to commemorate this event for you to remember me by, I stated that's not needed as we have became friends and what you did I wont forget you or what you have done, ..But he went back in his house and came out with this real cool looking home made walking cane... which he said was his hobby of making them to give to friends, so I accepted his kind gift, friendship and thank him very much for what he had done and being such a honest person!
So now almost 40 years later.....The bike came home!, I wish my Dad was still alive to see it...but I'm sure he did from up there, And my Mom just could not believe it as on my way home with it I had to stop by her house to show her!......But I kept waiting to wake up and find this all a dream.....but the next day it was still sitting in my shop still on the trailer and all a reality! Now if I can find a place to put it as I am just about of room! LOL!
Now if only the other 6 bikes that got stolen out of my shop which got broken into in the late '80's would come home!
Pic attached as it still sits on my trailer while I figure a place to put it!
A Homecoming!
Great story,Mike.
My stepson had a 1983 Husqvarna stolen shortly after he bought it new. 10 or so years later,he was driving by a garage and saw this kid cleaning a Husky that looked very familiar. Turns out it had traded hands several times,but ended back with my stepson after he was still able to produce the original receipt.
My stepson had a 1983 Husqvarna stolen shortly after he bought it new. 10 or so years later,he was driving by a garage and saw this kid cleaning a Husky that looked very familiar. Turns out it had traded hands several times,but ended back with my stepson after he was still able to produce the original receipt.
QUOTE (bigfoot17 @ Jul 7 2015, 07:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Great story,Mike.
My stepson had a 1983 Husqvarna stolen shortly after he bought it new. 10 or so years later,he was driving by a garage and saw this kid cleaning a Husky that looked very familiar. Turns out it had traded hands several times,but ended back with my stepson after he was still able to produce the original receipt.
My stepson had a 1983 Husqvarna stolen shortly after he bought it new. 10 or so years later,he was driving by a garage and saw this kid cleaning a Husky that looked very familiar. Turns out it had traded hands several times,but ended back with my stepson after he was still able to produce the original receipt.
That's also very cool Mr.Foot, Sometimes things do find there way back home, and even after 10 or almost 40 years (like in my case!) its truly amazing....as I am still blown away over it!
