STOLEN BIKE ALERT: Chicago area

[James980]

Someone stole my buddy Mike's 1998 YZ400 last Thursday night, as well as his kid's 2000 PW50. The thieves broke into his garage, apparently through the side door, cut the chain securing both bikes, cut the lock securing the garage door and took them out the back. (It's a typical Chicago brick bungalow with the garage door opening into the alley behind the house.) This happened in the area around Archer and Harlem.

Here's the worst news: The bikes were not insured and the guy Mike bought the YZ400 from never bothered to pay off the note he had on the thing with the cash Mike gave him. This means the title is MIA. Also, even though the guy who originally owned the bike still owed money on it, he didn't have it insured, as financing companies generally require. As for the cops, they didn't respond to Mike's calls into their automated system for reporting burglaries. He's currently attempting other avenues for getting a response.

In other words, if Mike ever gets his bikes back, it will be due to luck and the kindness of strangers.

Distinguishing factors of the YZ400:
* Crack in the right side case around the kickstarter has been welded. A sidecover bolt in this area also is missing because Mike didn't re-tap its threads after the weld job.
* The right sidecover is new.
* The kickstarter recently split at the base -- as most know a common problem on this bike. (He's getting the word out to local dealers about this today in case someone comes in to buy one.)
* Has stock blue plastic. Graphics are gone off the shrouds.
* Silver pro-tapers with aftermarket top triple clamp.
* Broker front brake lever.

As for the PW, it is pretty non-descript except for a small oil leak on the right side. Mike was never able to locate the source and therefore never fixed it.

While a part of me believes this was the work of dirt bike angels rescuing these poorly maintained steeds from the clutches of an owner of notorious maintenance, Mike and his kid are devastated over this loss and any help anyone could provide in finding these bikes would be very, very appreciated.

Mike can be reached at mkeefe@midwestmotocross.com or e-mail me at james@midwestmotocross.com and I can forward a contact telephone number.

James

 

[IrishEKU]

Find out the name of the financing company, unfortunatly this will alert them to your friends under the table trans action, but you will be able to get the VIN for it. Or you could try going to the dealership, they keep copies, and are out of the loop once the paperwork is signed.

Good Luck,
Phillip

 

[BunduBasher]

Oh man this sucks, I am still looking for the punks who stole my DRZ last year.

James, sounds like your friend is in a losing position, even if they recover the bikes, the finance company still 'owns' them. It is probably best to deal with the finance company directly, let them know upfront what is going on, better they know all the angles, they may have some insurance protection. Still, all they will do is insist that this guy pay up or forfeit the bikes. As he no longer has the bikes, and they were not insured, he will have to pay the finance company in full. Your friend then can only hope that the police or dirt biking community find the bikes.

 

[James980]

Originally posted by BunduBasher
sounds like your friend is in a losing position, even if they recover the bikes, the finance company still 'owns' them.

Thanks for the support. Here's the kicker: The guy who didn't pay off the loan -- don't know how much balance could be left on a four-year old dirt bike loan, but that's another story -- nor had the bikes insured as he should have is a cop.

This idea about working with the finance company, or at least letting them know the bike was stolen, is a good idea. Nothing may come out of it that will help Mike, but any hope is better than no hope, which is what he has now. And it sounds like the first step to getting the title in any case, which he will need if the cops somehow recover it...or even if he runs into it at a local track. I'll suggest to my buddy that he should try this.

James