From: The Older Gentleman on
A mate has got a nice bike. Used, a few years old, invery good order.
Not saying what it is, for reasons that will become obvious. And as I
walked past it, in late evening sunshine, something about the VIN plate
riveted to the frame caught my eye.

It was just reflecting too much light from the stamped letters. Not the
plate, but the letters themselves. And I looked closer. Hm. The numbers
seemed to have been stamped in just a bit too heavily.

OK, onto the headstock. And oh deary deary dear. After the first
half-dozen generic serial numbers/letters, the numbers display a minor,
but tell-tale, variation in size and spacing.

It's a ringer. Absolutely 100% sure. It's been ringed well, and a casual
glance at the headstock wouldn't show anything amiss. It was only
because I was a tad suspicious that I got really up close and personal,
and could see it.

So what to do? He's had the bike maybe 18 months. Possibly a bit longer.
I think it was an eBay purchase.

Sell it now, fast, and move on was my (probably unethical) advice. I
doubt that 99% of purchasers would spot anything amiss and it will
continue to circulate on the roads until it gets scrapped.

But what would you do? Anyone?


--
BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER GN250 Damn, back to six bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
From: steve robinson on
The Older Gentleman wrote:

> A mate has got a nice bike. Used, a few years old, invery good
> order. Not saying what it is, for reasons that will become
> obvious. And as I walked past it, in late evening sunshine,
> something about the VIN plate riveted to the frame caught my eye.
>
> It was just reflecting too much light from the stamped letters. Not
> the plate, but the letters themselves. And I looked closer. Hm. The
> numbers seemed to have been stamped in just a bit too heavily.
>
> OK, onto the headstock. And oh deary deary dear. After the first
> half-dozen generic serial numbers/letters, the numbers display a
> minor, but tell-tale, variation in size and spacing.
>
> It's a ringer. Absolutely 100% sure. It's been ringed well, and a
> casual glance at the headstock wouldn't show anything amiss. It was
> only because I was a tad suspicious that I got really up close and
> personal, and could see it.
>
> So what to do? He's had the bike maybe 18 months. Possibly a bit
> longer. I think it was an eBay purchase.
>
> Sell it now, fast, and move on was my (probably unethical) advice. I
> doubt that 99% of purchasers would spot anything amiss and it will
> continue to circulate on the roads until it gets scrapped.
>
> But what would you do? Anyone?

My conciense would say call the police my wallet would say shift the
fucker asap
From: wessie on
totallydeadmailbox(a)yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote in
news:1jkrmoe.9ymmvze08va4N%totallydeadmailbox(a)yahoo.co.uk:

> A mate has got a nice bike. Used, a few years old, invery good order.
> Not saying what it is, for reasons that will become obvious. And as I
> walked past it, in late evening sunshine, something about the VIN plate
> riveted to the frame caught my eye.
>
> It was just reflecting too much light from the stamped letters. Not the
> plate, but the letters themselves. And I looked closer. Hm. The numbers
> seemed to have been stamped in just a bit too heavily.
>
> OK, onto the headstock. And oh deary deary dear. After the first
> half-dozen generic serial numbers/letters, the numbers display a minor,
> but tell-tale, variation in size and spacing.
>
> It's a ringer. Absolutely 100% sure. It's been ringed well, and a casual
> glance at the headstock wouldn't show anything amiss. It was only
> because I was a tad suspicious that I got really up close and personal,
> and could see it.
>
> So what to do? He's had the bike maybe 18 months. Possibly a bit longer.
> I think it was an eBay purchase.
>

Even if your memory is correct I would check to see if the seller was a
legit trader. If the seller was and is still in business then I might
contact the dealer or Trading Standards. Ultimately the seller is liable.

> Sell it now, fast, and move on was my (probably unethical) advice. I
> doubt that 99% of purchasers would spot anything amiss and it will
> continue to circulate on the roads until it gets scrapped.
>
> But what would you do? Anyone?
>
>

Is the bike over 3 years old and hence got past an MOT tester? If it has,
what's wrong with keeping it assuming it is mechanically sound?

--
wessie at tesco dot net

BMW R1150GS
From: Lozzo on
The Older Gentleman wrote:

> A mate has got a nice bike. Used, a few years old, invery good order.
> Not saying what it is, for reasons that will become obvious. And as I
> walked past it, in late evening sunshine, something about the VIN
> plate riveted to the frame caught my eye.

<snip>
> But what would you do? Anyone?

Same - get shot before it comes home to roost. Someone may at some time
lose that bike with no chance of recovering any money from it, I
wouldn't want to be that person.

--
Lozzo
Versys 650 Tourer, CBR600F-W racebike in the making, TS250C, RD400F
(somewhere)
From: The Older Gentleman on
wessie <putmynamehere(a)tesco.net> wrote:

> Even if your memory is correct I would check to see if the seller was a
> legit trader. If the seller was and is still in business then I might
> contact the dealer or Trading Standards. Ultimately the seller is liable.
>
I'm 99% sure it was a private sale.


> Is the bike over 3 years old and hence got past an MOT tester?

Yes.

>If it has,
> what's wrong with keeping it assuming it is mechanically sound?

Because one day someone with eyes as sharp as mine will notice. Or maybe
it'll get involved in an accident and Plod and/or insurance will get
involved. And they'll be even more likely to notice.


--
BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER GN250 Damn, back to six bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
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