Acquiring an abandoned motorcycle?

**mark247** · 11th March 2015, 16:56

Hi all. There is an abandoned motorcycle near my house which I'd love to get my hands on and restore. Neighbours tell me its been sitting there for years. Its not reported stolen and doesn't seem to have been touched in a long time. Its just rusting away. Does anyone here have any suggestions around the best way to get my hands on it legally? I'm tempted to just wheel it away and change the ownership but know this isn't really kosher.

For interest its a Honda GB400.

Cheers in advance.

**rustyrobot** · 11th March 2015, 17:16

Hmmm - deja vu

This guy had a GB400 too... is this some sort of revenge 'finding'

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...m+christchurch

Fair bit of relevant discussion and opinion in that thread (which oddly didn't show up when I did a search for 'abandoned')

Also GB400 - that's a hipster goldmine

**mark247** · 11th March 2015, 17:36

Interesting stuff. This bike had its rego lapse over 12 months ago. I guess I will contact the council and the police tomorrow and have a yarn to them.

**Akzle** · 11th March 2015, 18:17

take it you pussy.

**mossy1200** · 11th March 2015, 18:19

When its all restored someone will claim it back from you.

**sidecar bob** · 11th March 2015, 18:40

Originally Posted by mossy1200

When its all restored someone will claim it back from you.

Citing the treaty of waitangi.

**mossy1200** · 11th March 2015, 18:52

Originally Posted by sidecar bob

Citing the treaty of waitangi.

Plus you get a bill for rent?

**Luckylegs** · 11th March 2015, 19:02

I once handed $100 bucks into the cop shop (cos i was brought up proper like). They called me after a month and gave it to me as it hadnt been claimed.....

Just saying

YMMV

**vifferman** · 11th March 2015, 19:03

I had an easy acquisition for my third bike - my brother-in-law picked up a hitch-hiker, who'd dumped his bike beside the road because he'd "Had enough of it. You can have it if you want it." So, he came back with a trailer, checked with the cops that it wasn't stolen, and took it away. My bro-in-law wasn't a rider, so he offered it to me in exchange for me helping him with painting his roof and replacing his guttering - a few hours work one Sunday. The bike was rough - a CB250RS with an XR500 engine shoe-horned into it. A change of ownership, a clean, cheap repaint, new tyres, re-jet, and a free valve grind (courtesy of my uncle who was an engineering tutor at the local polytech - good lesson for the students), and it was back on the road. HEAPS of fun.

Only cost a few hundred, and IIRC, I traded it in a while later for about $600 on a VF500FF.

**Mattr** · 11th March 2015, 19:06

Yip, friend did the same. Go to the cops, put it in your garage for a few months then it yours.

**Bikemad** · 11th March 2015, 19:32

Originally Posted by vifferman

a CB250RS with an XR500 engine shoe-horned into it. A change of ownership, a clean, cheap repaint, new tyres, re-jet, and a free valve grind (courtesy of my uncle who was an engineering tutor at the local polytech - good lesson for the students), and it was back on the road. HEAPS of fun.

Only cost a few hundred, and IIRC, I traded it in a while later for about $600 on a VF500FF.

oi.......thats my old bike.........you owe me $600

**ducatilover** · 11th March 2015, 19:46

Go to the post office with the rego number, pay to get the owner's details.
Contact owner.
Buy bike with statutory agreement signed by a J.P (safest way)
Find it has a fucked cam chain.
Install a hot XR650R motor.
Wheelies.
Bitches.
Cocaine.

**Akzle** · 11th March 2015, 19:54

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Go to the post office with the rego number, pay to get the owner's details.
Contact owner.
Buy bike with statutory agreement signed by a J.P (safest way)
Find it has a fucked cam chain.
Install a hot XR650R motor.
Wheelies.
Bitches.
Cocaine.

you sonofabitch.

rbjiafp.