One 23 yr olds quest for a Speed Triple

[scottzilla]

So I sold the Speed Triple to a 23 yr old kid from Wilkes-Barre, PA and he ended up with quite a story to tell. I broke a few of my own rules along the way.
The kid contacts me 15 minutes after placing my ad on craigslist...he has to have this bike.  Been looking for months and can't seem to find one.  By Friday morning he has Toby Hanna Credit Union calling to convince me the check he will present to me is real (RULE VIOLATION #1  : NEVER TAKE ANYTING BUT U.S. CASH.)
He has check in hand and will pick up the bike Saturday around lunch time.
Seems like a nice kid, I call the bank and they confirm it is really a check.  I call a friend in the NYPD who promises to call the FBI if I get scammed.  OK, let's do this.
I prepare bike by instaling battery and starting it up.  I gaze at it's beauty and procede to make felonius love to the misses.
Saturday rolls around and I get teh first text at 9AM on the dot  "We're on the way".  OK, cool.  They are calling for some serious weather; high winds with a coastal flood watch, rolling in from the west (Right acroos PA).  Hope this kid hurries.
About 1:30 I get a call that he's in the middle of NJ.  OK, maybe he drives a bit slow.
At exactly 2:26PM he is at the Holland Tunnel.  Those with local knowledge just spit their coffee out, the rest of you should grab a map and take a look.  His GPS is sending him across lower Manhatten, and not even the nice part (Mind you: Not the worst, but not exactly nice).  So he crawls along SoHo, through Chinatown and on to the Bowery where the glorious Williamsburg Bridge awaits.  I try to help him figure out the BQE but he says he will handle.

(Curser bouncing around, starting another post to finish up.)

[scottzilla]

At 3:26PM he texts me he's in Ridgewood, Queens.  His GPS is sending him on a straight line to Eastern LI while not accounting for any highways that may actually be faster.
Keep in mind, he's been on the road since 9am.
I get him to the Van Wyck and get him to the LIE at 3:56pm, 7 hours after trip began.  
I tell him to turn off gps and I give him directions to my house.
At 5PM he rolls in to my driveway and 3 PA trail riders hop out of a GMC SUV.

"Let me grab my helmet" he says as a light rain starts falling.  (RULE VIOLATION #2: NEVER LET THEM RIDE THE BIKE).  Off he goes... returning safely a few minutes later.
OK, Done deal.  The certified check is made out to him and I, he signs, I sign.  Title is transferred, we're good to go.
Now it really starts raining.  He puts on so many layers of clothing...i've never seen anything like this.

I don't want to post a pic of his face but you get the idea.  Love the Walmart rainsuit.  His two buds grab a bag of chips for dinner and off they go.  So long Speed Triple.
[img][/img]  


Part 3 coming up.

[Rincewind]

   

I hope he didn't bin it.  

[919]

Part 3 coming up.

Suspense.....    

[scottzilla]

15 minutes later, I get a call that the right rear wheel of their truck is siezed up.  "Can we come back?  We can't fix this in a gas station parking lot".
RULE VIOLATION #3... Well, I don't have a hard and fast rule for dealing with total strangers that seem to have bad judgement.
So they roll back in to the driveway now in a pouring rain.  They do not have any tools, no jack, etc. so I take one of them to the local parts store and leave the other two in my garage.  AH, THIS IS RULE #3!  NEVER LEAVE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW ALONE AT YOUR HOUSE WITH YOUR WIFE AND TWO KIDS).  It's ok though; my wife was born in the Bronx and before I even left she was on teh phone with her sister, shotgun in lap, knives place in stragetic locations, etc.  At least one of those fuclers were losing their nuts should they choose to make a bad decision.
The kid buys a new Jack, rotor, caliper, brake fluid, etc and we head home.  The auto parts moran gave him the wrong pads so he pulled the old pads out (These had split in to 3 pcs) and reinstalled the wheel with no brakes.  "That will be fine until we get home".
Finally, at around 9PM the guys roll out of my driveway again in a driving rain.  I give the kid my best pep talk and even offered to let them store teh bike in my garage and head out in the morning.  Nope, the kid is riding home.

That night it sounded like my house was being ripped apart; the wind and rain were biblical.


next part coming soon.      

[radlefty]

dang, this is quickly becoming "one of the greatest stories ever told". Don't leave us hanging too long.

[2wTraveler]

Tell me he didn't wreck it.  

[scottzilla]

I text the kid at 9am Sunday and mention it's sunny.  No reply.
I text him again at 10:30am.  No reply.
I'm a bit worried for him, thinking he's in a Bronx hospital and the bike fell off the GWB or something.
Fortunately, at 2pm he texts me and says he got home at 3AM.  He got stuck on the GWB for 2 hours.  TWO HOURS to cross a damn bridge.  I blame NJ.
"I owe you one, would have never made it home had you not helped us out".  Yes, I rock.
He had never been outside of Wilkes-Barre.

Monday arrives and off I go to the ATM to deposit the check.
10AM arrives and I get the call from the teller, "Scott-we can't deposit your check".  That's awesome, put the manager on the phone. (REMEMBER RULE #1)

"Sorry but the other guy has to sign the check in our presence".
Not possible.
"Well, there's nothing we can do"
Yes, there is.  The other guy will not be signing the check again.  He will not be coming back to LI ever again.  There has to be another option.  Can I get him to fax a copy of his license??
"NO, the other party has to be present"
Well, that's not happening.
"Sir-are you going to continue talking  over me?"










Boom.









OK, so they agree after my outburst to accept a copy of his drivers license.
I text him again and he says the local bank has his license on file, they will fax to my bank.  He even texts me a photo of his license and thanks me again.
20 minutes later the bank calls to tell me they will deposit the check in my account.
I told him to send me the incorrect brake pads, i'll return and send him a check.

So what did Scott learn?
Test rides still scare me.
It feels good to sell a bike to a kid that really wants it.
DON'T TAKE A CHECK!

Thinking back on all of my years riding, I think an overnight ride in the pouring rain with a 2 hour traffic stop on the GWB is about as bad as it can get.  So if you see a punk riding a white Speed Triple with PA plates cut him some slack-he's the real deal.

Best part for me is the text I received from my wife when she found out the situation had been taken care of:
"Glad it's done. let's make sure it clears and buy yourself a new bike".
 


 

[Cablebandit]

Best part for me is the text I received from my wife when she found out the situation had been taken care of:
"Glad it's done. let's make sure it clears and buy yourself a new bike".
 


 

Everyone loves a happy ending.  

[JSharp]

Great story and the wife is definitely a keeper.  

You paid forward some on that transaction.

[MadOzodi]

Awesome story...I hope I never go through anything like that myself, LOL!

[st2sam]

WHOA!
Thanks for sharing a great story adventure, you almost didn't even have to leave your driveway for.
I'm starting to think your not such a bad guy after all.  

[919]

   well done sir.

[jfurf]

He had never been outside of Wilkes-Barre.

Did you sell your bike to Charlie?  

[mugwump58]

With any luck 30 years from now there will be a new post  under manufactures, Triumph about, " I remember the time when....".

[three west]

heh, sold a truck recently and had the same deal with the check, luckily it was the bank that I have gone to every day for the last 10 years, so they know I'm legit and cashed it anyways

[Mastros2]

Wow!  Crazy kid!!! Doesn't he know UHaul rents trailers?!?!?  

Glad everything worked out well.  Scott, you are a damn good storyteller!  Haha!

[Orson]

Now it really starts raining.  He puts on so many layers of clothing...i've never seen anything like this.

reminds me of my bike lust as a kid  

my parents never let me have a bike so, by the time I turned 18, I had about 6 years of pent up bike lust inside of me  

As the years go by, the lust has perhaps diminished a bit but this thread helped fan the embers  

[SVTNate]

Hopefully the last part of the story won't be when the check is returned due to being fraudulent.  I worked at a major bank for years, and now I'm a criminal defense attorney.  My work experience would preclude me from ever taking a check unless it's from a bank where I can go and cash the check prior to signing over title.  Dang... that's some real trust in a stranger right there.

Why did you sell the Speedie?

[Redbandit14]

Great Story  

[scottzilla]

Wow!  Crazy kid!!! Doesn't he know UHaul rents trailers?!?!?  

Glad everything worked out well.  Scott, you are a damn good storyteller!  Haha!

The trailer option did come up .  Unfortunately it came up too late and the kid wanted.to ride the bike home!

[scottzilla]

reminds me of my bike lust as a kid  

my parents never let me have a bike so, by the time I turned 18, I had about 6 years of pent up bike lust inside of me  

As the years go by, the lust has perhaps diminished a bit but this thread helped fan the embers  

That's what inspired me to hold the bike for his kid and work with him.  He had a bad case of bike lust and I know how that fe :)els.

[scottzilla]

Hopefully the last part of the story won't be when the check is returned due to being fraudulent.  I worked at a major bank for years, and now I'm a criminal defense attorney.  My work experience would preclude me from ever taking a check unless it's from a bank where I can go and cash the check prior to signing over title.  Dang... that's some real trust in a stranger right there.

Why did you sell the Speedie?

I know, I hope the check is ok.  I called the credit union to confirm the check is real.  Basically I did what I could to put the kid in a bad position if the check does not clear.  I even have a photo of his license.  I am serious that a friend assured me he would get the FBI involved if needed.

[bomber]

Under lessons learned, you may wish to find another bank --

Good for you about all the rest, though . . . .

[scottzilla]

Under lessons learned, you may wish to find another bank --

Good for you about all the rest, though . . . .

I gave it to them, believe me.  I need to drop off some donuts on Friday as a peace offering.

[three west]

reminds me of my bike lust as a kid  

my parents never let me have a bike so, by the time I turned 18, I had about 6 years of pent up bike lust inside of me  

As the years go by, the lust has perhaps diminished a bit but this thread helped fan the embers  

amen Orson, I was 17 and just graduated from high school, rode 45 miles on the back of my buddy's Virago with cash in hand to ride home on my Maxim

[sammyseaman]

Awesome story...I hope I never go through anything like that myself, LOL!

 

[bomber]

I gave it to them, believe me.  I need to drop off some donuts on Friday as a peace offering.

LOL

[Gary B.]

Great story! Checks of any kind from strangers spook me.

[Hardware]

I sold some rims to a guy once and took a personal cheque.  In my defence, I met him at his house (the personalized cheque had his and his wife's names as well as their home address printed on it) so I knew where he lived.  When the cheque bounced I went right back to his house and we resolved it.  I got my money in cash form and he had some repairs to do around his house...let's just leave it at that...

[falconati]

^^^^^^Damn!

I would take a personal check from someone on this website, but not from a random person.

[scottzilla]

I would never take a personal check.

[phoenix]

meh, I've taken personal checks as well as given them.

Good story. Did the kid have much riding experience?

[scottzilla]

meh, I've taken personal checks as well as given them.

Good story. Did the kid have much riding experience?

Years and years in the dirt, none on the street.

[tthompsr]

Way to go Scott! looks like you earned some Karma points there.

[sammyseaman]

I sold some rims to a guy once and took a personal cheque.  In my defence, I met him at his house (the personalized cheque had his and his wife's names as well as their home address printed on it) so I knew where he lived.  When the cheque bounced I went right back to his house and we resolved it.  I got my money in cash form and he had some repairs to do around his house...let's just leave it at that...

Hehe you spell funny

[birdrunner]

Hehe you spell funny

Isn't that the way they spell it in ENGLAND?  You know, the place that invented English.  

Too many letters for them poor Yanks to learn, eh?

[vitaminC]

Good story.

With some lane splitting he could have gotten across that bridge in no time!  

[scottzilla]

Good story.

With some lane splitting he could have gotten across that bridge in no time!  

Yup.  I guess he wanted to stay with his chase vehicle.

[Croak]

Isn't that the way they spell it in ENGLAND?  You know, the place that invented English.  

Too many letters for them poor Yanks to learn, eh?

Some of us Yanques have figured out that the USA is not the centre of the universe, but still struggle with the vagaries.  Where do you taque the cheque to cash it?  To the banque?  Is somebody who can't write cheques an exchequer?  Do you parque your vehicle outside the banque, or do you prefer drive-through banquing?  Are you cautious when making a deposit in the banque after darque?  Did you know Meadowlarque Lemon was a Globetrotter, but still spelled his name wrong?

And if the plan is to hew to the Queen's English, why isn't there aluminium in Canada, or tyres?

[expatbrit]

And if the plan is to hew to the Queen's English, why isn't there aluminium in Canada, or tyres?

There is. They just spell them funny.

[zed88]

I think the story sounds a bit funny and probably how a young person would approach purchasing a vehicle. Unstoppable determination with a bit of poor foresight, but at the end very helpful and everybody got what they wanted.  Then again I just turned 26 a week ago and still remember how excited I was to pickup my first bike a few days after I turned 21, and then my second last November.  Nothing was going to stop me either. Although I brought cash for the first, and certified check for the second so no issues.  

Good on you for working it out with him.  keep that enthusiasm alive as long as possible!

[scottzilla]

I like how they spell the letter Z.  Zed.  WTF, letters make sounds and are formed in to words.  It's Z you euro-fucks.  ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

[birdrunner]

I like how they spell the letter Z.  Zed.  WTF, letters make sounds and are formed in to words.  It's Z you euro-fucks.  ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

Makes you sound like a Nazi in an old war flick.

"vie are killing ZEE girl tonite, sign zee confession "

Should just be "Z"  just like I should be "I" and S should be "ess". ....... oh never mind.

Can't expect the country that invented Imperial measurement to be consistant,  and they ride on the wrong side of the road.

[sammyseaman]

Some of us Yanques have figured out that the USA is not the centre of the universe, but still struggle with the vagaries.  Where do you taque the cheque to cash it?  To the banque?  Is somebody who can't write cheques an exchequer?  Do you parque your vehicle outside the banque, or do you prefer drive-through banquing?  Are you cautious when making a deposit in the banque after darque?  Did you know Meadowlarque Lemon was a Globetrotter, but still spelled his name wrong?

And if the plan is to hew to the Queen's English, why isn't there aluminium in Canada, or tyres?

 

[mugwump58]

Isn't that the way they spell it in ENGLAND?  You know, the place that invented English.  

Too many letters for them poor Yanks to learn, eh?

Wouldn't it be funny if it was from the French, Normans and all....

[Mastros2]

Years and years in the dirt, none on the street.

Haha!

[birdrunner]

Wouldn't it be funny if it was from the French, Normans and all....

Add Geman, Saxon, Celtic, Erse, etc.   Didn't they "Invent" it by mixing all the other languages?  And what language did we Americans invent?  (that's in general use)

[MadOzodi]

ayy, bee, see, dee, eee, eff, gee, ayytch, aye, jay, kay, elmo, pee...

[Windblown]

Nice story.  Glad to see you were willing to take a chance on someone and it all worked out.  

I still occasionally throw logic to the side and say "Damn the torpedos" when I have my sights set on a new toy... and as often as not I end up wondering what the hell I was thinking afterwards. LOL

[Tyrroneous]

I still occasionally throw logic to the side and say "Damn the torpedos" when I have my sights set on a new toy... and as often as not I end up wondering what the hell I was thinking afterwards. LOL

I'm 35 and that is me to a 'T'!...or is that 'tee'?  

When I was in my early 20's a good college buddy of mine wanted to get into riding.  He found a used bandit 600 being sold by a dealer about that was about 3 hrs away.  We drove up there one afternoon after class and arrived just before the dealer closed.  The bike had a Bandit 1200's tank and gauges, but otherwise was in okay shape, or so we thought.  I was the one responsible for riding the bike home since my friend didn't have his license yet.  Everything seemed okay at first.  But after a while I noticed that the brakes didn't seem very responsive.  And then it got dark and I found out the headlight was aimed about 2' in front of the bike--or so it seemed.  I eventually got my friend to pull over and we looked at the front end and found BOTH fork seals leaking like mad.  No wonder the brakes didn't work...they were covered in oil.  We eventually made it home after a long, dark, cold ride.  But I remember how excited he was to have his first motorcycle.  We got the front end issues fixed and the bike provided years of service.  

[Croak]

I totally understand that kid's excitement, I still fall victim to it myself.  I'm 47 and about to do a (somewhat) long and (possibly) dark ride tomorrow.

My Tuono arrived in Washington almost a week earlier than expected and is ready for me to pick up, if I want to make way down to Newcastle WA, to get it.  So I booked a one-way train ticket from Vancouver, BC to Seattle for tomorrow (Good Friday holiday up here), will cab it from the train station to Newcastle, and plan on riding it the three-four hours (with traffic) back across the border, starting my trip back mid-afternoon.  Typical PNW spring weather is iffy, no guarantee the bike will run, and I've not spent even a minute in the saddle of this particular bike yet.

The alternative is to wait until next Tuesday when they run shipments up from the distro center to Blaine, as was originally planned.  It would shorten my ride by over a hundred miles, and it's cheap and easy for me to get a ride down to the border and just walk across.  But that would require taking a vacation day, and I'd have to wait the entire long weekend.  

Excitement wins, most times, in my book.  

[falconati]

^^^^^^^I may have recently done slightly more extreme

[cb400]

I suffer from the "got to have it now" myself. The 4 weeks I'm having to wait to pick up my '03 Tuono is killing me.    
Luckily I have some distraction, like the wife having minor back surgery.  

[cbsnbiker]

You folks may enjoy the story of how I acquired my first BMW F650GS.

Part 1: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,13627.0.html

Part 2: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,15373.0.html

RIP.

[Kraz]

The check thing is SUCH a hassle now.  I had a bank check that I called and verified before the guy even got there, and they said it could be cashed at any place that was in there little credit union club.  That was not true - no one would cash it.  My bank originally said they wouldn't take it b/c both mine and the buyer's names were on the check, which makes it a "third party" check (cheque), which they don't do, even with both parties there.  Of course, I make a big deal out of it (since buyer pulled an all-nighter coming down from CT to VA, and was turning right around after business was done) and they made an exception.

Personal check is much easier - just need time for it to clear, or somewhere to go back to if it bounces.

[scottzilla]

You folks may enjoy the story of how I acquired my first BMW F650GS.

Part 1: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,13627.0.html

Part 2: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,15373.0.html

RIP.

I can relate to the bee stings.  I was picking up some brush on my property and got hit by 3 Yellow Jackets on my ankle.  I ran away, screaming like a little girl.  I wish I was kidding.
Those little bastards don't fool around; they set up an airborne, 3 level perimeter defense around the nest.