please keep an eye out. Rare classic motorcycles, worth around $45,000, have been stolen in what police believe was a targeted raid on the home of an elderly Hamilton man.
The motorcycles include a 1928 500cc BSA, registration number 302XX, a 1951 500cc Norton and a 1926 350cc Harley Davidson "Harley Pup" - the smallest Harley ever made - that was being restored.
Also stolen were two display engines from a 1933 Aerial 350cc and a Triumph Tiger 70 250cc.
The 77-year-old owner was understandably distraught over the theft of his beloved collection from his home, said Constable Wayne Shanks.
"Collectively the collection is estimated to be worth $45,000.
"The items hold a lot of sentimental value to the owner, one of which he had owned for 60 years."
Const Shanks said he hoped people with similar interests in historic machinery would be alert to anyone trying to sell the machines or obtain spare parts for them.
"In such situations items like this are often specifically targeted and people will go to great lengths to hide that they have them, we're hoping that mechanics, spare parts dealers, other collectors or even scrap merchants all keep an eye - or an ear - out."
bigjerry,
Jan 19, 3:49am
Yes I saw this elsewhere. I will spread it around.
Well "pardner", I'll see ya 165cc and raise ya to 125cc!
The small two-stroke motorcycles that Harley-Davidson manufactured in Milwaukee between 1948 and 1966 are often collectively (though inaccurately) referred to as Harley "Hummers." There was actually only one "Hummer" model -- a 125 cc bike made from 1955 to 1959. Other models included the Scat, Pacer, Ranger, Super 10, 125 and 165. The 125, with a 125 cc, three-horsepower engine, was introduced in 1948, and through the next two decades, improvements such as hydraulic front suspension and sprung rear suspension, along with a larger 165 cc engine, were added to the line.
Its good that you two have worked out who has the smallest dick, but have you seen any of the stolen bikes!
i-n-horz,
Jan 19, 4:59am
Lol.*BOOM* right there.
richard198,
Jan 19, 5:08am
Nah, the small Harleys are much more interesting!
In case you'd forgotten, this is a thread for classic bike enthusiasts and anything about classic bikes (not just some stolen ones).
jmma,
Jan 19, 5:18am
I think the OP was just meaning the stolen ones.
richard198,
Jan 19, 5:21am
Oh right! Sorry! Got carried away.
next-to-normal,
Jan 19, 6:32am
how come no one steals scum
sifty,
Jan 19, 12:59pm
Think they would be fairly hard to shift, most people in the 'loop' of old bikes knows who has what, I would suspect they will be shifted offshore somehow.
Hope they find the scrotes and hand them over to the crowd at a bike rally. Those folk really love bike thieves.
gusthe1,
Jan 19, 1:10pm
Got to feel for the 75 year old. At his age those bikes prob menat more to him than they would to a 'younger' collector. Bikes are only stolen if there is a market for their parts. Unfortunately that market can only be so called "bike enthusiasts". Some of those folks at the bike rally may well be tempted by a cheap hard to get piece.
budgel,
Jan 19, 3:17pm
He has my sympathy too, but if they meant so much to him why wasnt security better!
bigjerry,
Jan 19, 3:22pm
He is probably used to an era where good people outweigh the scumbags.sadly a bygone era.
budgel,
Jan 19, 3:26pm
Too true unfortunately.
richard198,
Jan 19, 3:51pm
Does anyone know if he was insured for all his bikes!
greenwing,
Jan 21, 3:00pm
Wow, I really feel for the owner, but so easily avoided by a decent security system. I'm paranoid about my bike being stolen, so have put in a good alarm system. The thief can't disable it, if he cuts the mains power the alarm system has an internal battery backup, In case he cuts the wires to the outside siren box, I've put a 2nd external siren box in the ceiling cavity and there's also the internal pizzo siren which is ear pierching and will still work. There's 2 sensors in the garage to cover all angles. The only way to disable my alarm system to to get into the inside control box which contains the electronics and battery backup, but there's a sensor covering that area so the alarm is going crazy by the time the thief has a chance to start unscrewing the control box cover.
sifty,
Jan 22, 3:51pm
and will a siren stop some scrote chucking your things on a trailer and pissing off.!
sr2,
Jan 22, 3:57pm
You haven??
richard198,
Jan 22, 4:38pm
GPS on a bike would be good.
eureka17,
Jan 23, 7:49pm
At a age of 78 this year and had one of these bikes since dad was 17 of course his shed was like fort knox.securely locked! unfortunately not alarmed though, these guys were professionals as they unscrewed and cut wires to security lights and found a way in. My memories of motorbike rallys on one of these bikes has gone probably never to be seen again and that makes me sad to think there is scum out there checky enough to not only take one vintage bike but three, along with restored motorbike display engines.
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