Topic: Moral Dilemma?

[Terry in Australia]

Ok guys, my little mate Leo,who ran the local motorcycle wrecking yard in the small town that supports the defence base that I workon here in Oz was killed in a motorcycle accident a couple of months ago.

I drove past his shop about a month after his death, and his wife Narelle was selling all the bikes and parts, but they weren't selling all that well because most of Leo's stuff was for older bikes (like ours) so the other wrecking yards in the states capital weren't interested, so on the day, there were a few kids kicking tyres, but not much money was flowing into the cash register, and this wasn't helped by Narelle's pretty rude disposition. (she was never that nice, even when he was alive) Anyway, I bought a NOS Dunstall 3/4 race fairing for 15 bucks and was pretty happy with myself.

I'd heard that there was another "sale" about a week ago which wasn't a big deal either, so wasn't all that surprised today to see 6 "skip bins" full of parts sitting in the weather, waiting collection by a scrap metal recycler. Narelle was there, so I asked her if I could have a look thru the bins, (they were behind locked gates) but she replied "No, I'm going home". Fair enough..........

I had her mobile (cell) number, so later this afternoon I sent her a text message offering to buy the contents of the skips, but she sent me one back saying "It's not for sale". Hmmnnnn, the skip bins belong to a recycler and they were obviously awaiting collection, so I sent her one saying "OK, I'll make the recycler an offer" and she sent one back saying "Go Ahead". Well obviously she doesn't care what happens to all this stuff, so pfffft! to her.     

Now from the other side of the wire fence it's a bit hard to see, but it looks like one skip is full of gas tanks and sidecovers, another is full of complete (and incomplete) engines, there are seats, forks, wheels, discs and all sorts of stuff that would suit restorers of older bikes, and of course, none of that stuff is being made anymore.

So............. should I contact the recycler and make him an offer (scrap value) and then resell it on Ebay, or shove it all around behind my garage (there's probably 15-20 cubic yards of stuff here) and just horde it like Scrooge McDuck, or alternatively, should I just butt out, and let it go to be melted down and never be available to guys like us to provide that "one part" that we might need to finish a restoration, or just to get a bike back on the road? What do you guys think? Cheers, Terry. 

[Uncle Ernie]

So where's the moral dilemma?  Sounds like it's more a matter of practicality and space; if you actually go through it and sell it- go for it. If it would sit in you r yard and rot anyway- forget it/nice fantasy.
I'd sure be tempted to break a chain if I might get away with it.  I went through a dumpster once and got all kinds of great stuff, came back and found out I wasn't supposed to do that because it was going to the dump! Are you kidding me?!

[mick750F]

   It would be a shame for all of those parts to be melted down. Get your hands on them however you have to and then do what you want with them. Keeping them alive is what really matters. For this bit of sagely advice you can feel free send me anything you might find in those bins that might improve my ride.

Mike

[Objectionableone]

Do what you have to do to get the parts.  On it's current course the story doesn't have a happy ending.  If you intervene, you're happy and future customers will be happy to get that part they really need but could not find elsewhere.(let me know if there is any RZ350 stuff in there  

I'm willing to bet the former shop owner would want it that way.

[Bob Wessner]

I'm willing to bet the former shop owner would want it that way.

I agree, let what you think "he" would prefer guide your decision, not as "she" is behaving, though could grieving account for her actions?? Let us know how it turns out.

[Raul CB750K1]

The recycler is going to ask you  a million bucks for it. They don't give a damn; if somebody is interested, they will ask a lot of money, and some of them enjoy to crush old cars and bikes to the grief of people who made a fair offer. That's at least my experience. If I were you, I would jump the fence and have a look to see what's inside. Contact the scrap man and ask for just a gastank. When you are dealing, test what's his mood when asking about buying three or four, or maybe the whole set.


Raul

[dusterdude]

buy it all

[78 k550]

I would try and find out how much the recycler is giving her and bump it up abit so she cant refuse your offer.

Paul

[bill440cars]

              Terry, I'd want to get the stuff any way I could and do what you can with it. Like you, I
      HATE to see situations like that. That's why I've got most of what I have. There was an old
      man who sold his shop's inventory to another shop, where my buddy works out of. When there
      was nothing left that they wanted, they told my buddy that he could have what. I helped him
      get what he wanted and, after a while, he told me to take what I wanted (if there was
      anything I did want). That's where I got my 77' CB550K, 2 XS650s, 2 DT175s And misc wheels
      & gastanks. Sad thing is, there were 3 CB350Fs and I was working on getting them out when
      the shop who owned the stuff actually told a guy (who was looking for some used parts) to
      take what he wanted. Man, he rolled in there and cleaned house along with those 350 fours!! If
      only I had of known. But, you know what they say about hindsight and foresight. Well anyway,
      you do what you have to do. I'd also like to know what you do and what you come up with.
                                                    Later on, Bill

[martini]

I agree with everyone else, get your hands on the stuff one way or the other.

[BobbyR]

There is no moral dilemma. This woman is a whack job and a #$%*. You need to be crafty with the breaker fellow since they are crafty and will smell your interest, start by asking about the plastic bits and work you way up to the metal. Remember you are carting it away for him.l

[Tim.]

Get the stuff from the recycler, part it out on eBay (and here  ) and make a nice donation from some of the proceeds to your mate's favourite charity (or at least buy a round for you and some of his other friends).

I wouldn't sweat the moral issue - my dilemma would have come at paying $15 to the widow of a friend for a Dunstall fairing    You got through that one, I'm sure you can justify getting your paws on those bins one way or another.

[Chris Schneiter]

If you don't, someone else will.

[cbjunkie]

sorry to hear about your friend, Terry.

RIP...

[GroovieGhoulie]

Since my beliefs and morals and sense of right and wrong often times don't jive with the "law", I would have no problem mounting a Commando Raid and spiriting all the stuff away under cover of darkness.  Hey, it's just trash right?

Shouldn't take more than a day or two to plan and execute.

Do the right thing.  Make it happen.

[mcpuffett]

buy it terry you know you want to   mick.

[Vatch]

See what you can get them for.  Assuming you've got a place to store them, I'd try to estimate how many are in there, figure half of them will not sell for one reason or another. Add movement cost and you've got a bottom line.  See if there's enough $ difference so you won't lose out and it'll be worth your while.  No matter what the brand, the ones in decent shape will sell.

[brad]

get the parts. any 750F tanks you come across, send them to me.

[Uncle Ernie]

I still want a '74 RD60 tank and rear fender.

[my78k]

Maybe it's a Canadian thing but I agree with TinTin...figure out a way to make some cash and do the donation thing or if they had kids figure out a way to get a few bucks their way in a way that she will never know about (new baseball gloves etc)...not out of respect for the "whack job" but out of respect for your mate!

I would be surprised if the wrecker let's you have them for any real deal but those bins have a way of housing some real finds...lord knows the way some of the stuff has been going on Ebay lately all you need is one of the right side covers and it would more than cover your costs!

[ElCheapo]

Morals Schmorals.... Nuts to that

Do both Mate!!

Sell some of the stuff on eBay

And as always HORDE the Cherries 

And as always, Mate............. You get the parts anyway you can..

Really did you guys expect anything less from me? 

[3 sticks]

Well i'm jealous as all heck now about hearing what you got that fairing for..

I say, cut open the fence and take it all. then post it all on here. You'll be a millionaire

will

[bowhunter]

Where's the dillema? She already consigned the parts to a recycler. All that's left is to find his price to get rid of what's in the bins.
If you and the recyceler can come to an understanding on the value of the goods involved. sign whatever papers may be involved.
If not. it's time for a mid-night shopping trip! Your freind's wife already gave away her rights when she signed the agreement with the recycler. You're still free to share any of the bounty,if any, with his kids.

Bowhunter

[cbjunkie]

uh, okay ... maybe - still a little matter of private property and trespassing to be heeded...

[Terry in Australia]

OK guys, I held off from calling the recycler today until I read your opinions, (plus another mate gave me a nice registered car for a carton of beer, so I was playing with that when I should have been working) the bins (and their contents) are still there, so I'll give them a call tomorrow and see if they'll sell me some (or all) of that stuff. I've got a 5 ton truck and a couple of my staff will help me load it and unload it in a dark, dry corner of the army base where I work, so if the price is right, I'm in! Cheers, Terry.