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Offline DME

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What are the odds?
« on: July 20, 2006, 12:21:07 PM »
Went to a small old car and bike meet in a park nearby this evening.
Guess it was perhaps 30 cars and 5 bikes there, and perhaps 150 people.
Parked the 750 with the other bikes when all of a sudden a man in his fifties steps forward and says:

"Nice bike, I bought a new one in 1975."

He then walked around the bike and saw the licenceplate. Then his jaw dropped and he said:

"This is THE bike I bought!!!"  :o

Turns out he rode it for five years before selling it.

Talked a bit more about it and it turns out he kept the original Owners handbook and some other 750 stuff.
He then offered me all the stuff for free!! :D

He also had a lot of photos that he took when the bike was new and delivered to him.
Offered me to loan and scan them... 8)

Well, what are the odds of this happening considering I´m the sixteenth owner of the vehicle?

Cheers
Daniel



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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2006, 12:37:52 PM »
i don't understand how that is possible?

do you mean that the liscence plate number has not changed in all that time???


modified to add: maybe this is possible in Scandinavian countries - a vehicle keeps the same plate number throughout its lifetime?

yes...and what a great story.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2006, 12:43:43 PM by cbjunkie »
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sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
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Offline StevieMac

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2006, 12:40:34 PM »
Quote from: cbjunkie on July 20, 2006, 12:37:52 PM
i don't understand how that is possible?

do you mean that the liscence plate number has not changed in all that time???


Exactley what I was thinking.   Cool story though.  Oh, free stuff is cool too!
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2006, 12:46:53 PM »
Quote from: cbjunkie on July 20, 2006, 12:37:52 PM
i don't understand how that is possible?

do you mean that the liscence plate number has not changed in all that time???


Well, it all depends on what country you´re in.

In Sweden a vehicle always keeps its licence plate number throughout its life.

Good system, makes it easy to keep track of stuff.

How does it work in the States? Why do you guys change numbers?

Cheers
Daniel
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Offline StevieMac

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2006, 12:50:31 PM »
Interesting.

I can't speak for the US but here in British Columbia, Canada when you cancel your insurance for any reason icluding selling the vehicle you turn in the plate or you could transfer it to a different bike but the plate certainly does not stay with the bike.   
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2006, 12:59:02 PM »
Quote
How does it work in the States? Why do you guys change numbers?

my theory? the all-American belief in infinite expansion...why conserve anything? we have plenty of room...
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

Offline StevieMac

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2006, 01:01:15 PM »
As to why change...... well because there is a FEE involved of course!
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Offline Bob Wessner

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2006, 01:12:12 PM »
Years ago, here in Michigan, the physical plate changed every year. I have a couple my cycle plates from earlier years hanging in the garage, early seventies. Then they figured out how much it cost manufacture and distribute new metal plates each year and went to a sticker arrangement, and yes, there's a fee every year, but your $$ only gets you a square inch of adhesive now.
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2006, 01:17:32 PM »
Ok, so your plate is "connected" to your insurance and you get a new one everytime the insurance is renewed....
Must be a hell of a lot of licence plates made over there then  :D

Here we use a small sticker on the plate to show that the roadtax is payed and the vehicle is insured.  
Whenever a insurace is canceled the surface of the sticker is scraped off to reveal a hidden four-digit-code.
The code is the used together with a code that comes with your registration to make all "transactions"....

No sending stuff back and forth, all is done by phone or Internet except selling. When selling you have to send a copy of the registration filled in wth the new owners details.

Cheers
Daniel

Here´s a pic of my plate. The licence plate number is on the sticker and "12" is for the month (december) when the roadtax is due.
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2006, 01:18:43 PM »
you guys have healthcare, too, huh...?
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2006, 01:26:05 PM »
Quote from: cbjunkie on July 20, 2006, 01:18:43 PM
you guys have healthcare, too, huh...?

Yup.
Maximum fee per appointment: equivalent of 20 US dollars, no matter if it´s a cut finger or brainsurgery...
If you end up paying more than 120 dollars in one year, you get everything after that for free...

 
« Last Edit: July 20, 2006, 01:30:17 PM by DME »
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2006, 01:28:14 PM »
i was in Helsinki, Finland for 4 months - even I as an American citizen was covered the one time i had to go and be treated for a hurt ankle/knee...

cool system...
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2006, 01:36:06 PM »
Well, nothing is really for free, you see....
We pay between 30 and 40 percent income tax, and our VAT is 25 percent :(

And I know this will shock you:

One (1) liter of gasoline is 1,50 US dollars (6 dollars a gallon in your terms..... :'()

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supersport_CB400F

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2006, 01:40:58 PM »
UK vehicles also keep the same plate, old ones are worth big £'s  because you can sell it and then get an aged related plate but you can't sell that one, you get one chance only.  

http://search.ebay.co.uk/registration-number_W0QQbsZSearchQQcatrefZC6QQfhlcZ1QQfposZL120NTQQfromZR10QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQga10244Z10425QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsalicZ3QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ3QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2006, 01:47:50 PM »
Quote from: _biffta_ on July 20, 2006, 01:40:58 PM
UK vehicles also keep the same plate, old ones are worth big £'s  because you can sell it and then get an aged related plate but you can't sell that one, you get one chance only.  


Jeeeeeesus Christ!!
This is insane!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/7-MJH-Personal-Registration-Number_W0QQitemZ170006942054QQihZ007QQcategoryZ421QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

£30.000 :o

Who in their right mind....!?!?
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supersport_CB400F

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #15 on: July 20, 2006, 01:53:04 PM »
Quote from: _biffta_ on July 20, 2006, 01:40:58 PM
UK vehicles also keep the same plate, old ones are worth big £'s  because you can sell it and then get an aged related plate but you can't sell that one, you get one chance only.  

http://search.ebay.co.uk/registration-number_W0QQbsZSearchQQcatrefZC6QQfhlcZ1QQfposZL120NTQQfromZR10QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQga10244Z10425QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsalicZ3QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ3QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown

30K is nothing some sell for 100’s of K’s if it has the correct letters and numbers a million is the price if it’s rare  :o I wish I had one of those  ;)
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #16 on: July 20, 2006, 02:01:06 PM »
Quote

30K is nothing some sell for 100’s of K’s if it has the correct letters and numbers a million is the price if it’s rare  :o I wish I had one of those  ;)
Quote

I honestly don´t get it.

Over here you can buy a "personal" licence plate with any letters or numbers you want (max 7 letters/numbers) for a fee of 600 dollars a year. I could have CB750 or A**HOLE if I wanted to.
Fortunatly, I don´t.

The vehicle still keeps its original licence plate number and when you stop paying the fee you return to your "old" plate.

« Last Edit: July 20, 2006, 02:05:43 PM by DME »
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Offline BobbyR

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #17 on: July 20, 2006, 02:10:53 PM »
In New York I can put a 1978 Plate on my 78 CB750. It has to have that 1978 registration sticker on also. I still pay the yearly fee, and of course I need a current Safety Inspection Sticker. We will be paying $6.00 a Gallon with no healthcare. If you add up all the taxes I pay about 50% of my income to the Gov't.
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #18 on: July 20, 2006, 02:16:23 PM »
Quote from: BobbyR on July 20, 2006, 02:10:53 PM
In New York I can put a 1978 Plate on my 78 CB750. It has to have that 1978 registration sticker on also. I still pay the yearly fee, and of course I need a current Safety Inspection Sticker. We will be paying $6.00 a Gallon with no healthcare. If you add up all the taxes I pay about 50% of my income to the Gov't.

Figured petrol was cheap over there, guess I was wrong ;)
Will probably stay in Sweden, then...

Cheers
Daniel
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #19 on: July 20, 2006, 02:18:16 PM »
that's a decent year's salary...
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

supersport_CB400F

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2006, 02:19:39 PM »
Quote from: DME on July 20, 2006, 02:01:06 PM
Quote

30K is nothing some sell for 100’s of K’s if it has the correct letters and numbers a million is the price if it’s rare  :o I wish I had one of those  ;)
Quote

I honestly don´t get it.

Over here you can buy a "personal" licence plate with any letters or numbers you want (max 7 letters/numbers) for a fee of 600 dollars a year. I could have CB750 or A**HOLE if I wanted to.
Fortunatly, I don´t.

The vehicle still keeps its original licence plate number and when you stop paying the fee you return to your "old" plate.



UK system is strange, the plate that you get with any vehicle stay’s on the vehicle. Unless you buy one from the DVLA or another source, then that becomes the number,  all plates have a year built into the number so you cant put an 06 plate on a 05 vehicle but you can buy and put any plate that’s older than the first year of registration plate so for example if a person who has a name say.. JON and he rode a 750F and that plate is still on a rigisterd vehicle JON 750F  you could buy it for X £’s and put it on the bike for a fee.
It’s big business over here. 70'S plates are worth 250-X £'s    
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2006, 02:23:05 PM »
Learned many things this evening 8)

Go to hit the sack, off to work in five hours....

I´ll make sure to post the pics from when the bike was new when I get them!


Cheers and goodnight from Sweden
Daniel
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #22 on: July 31, 2006, 02:11:04 PM »
Well, I met up with the first owner who presented me with some photos and some other stuff...

Turns out he bought the bike new in Skellefteå, 80 km from here, in the summer of '75.
He payed 13.500 sek (1500 US$) for it and rode it straight home.

He made the usual seventies mods, higher bars, 16" rear wheel (that still was on it when I bought it) and repainted it a couple of times.

It was dark brown when new (I´ve never seen that color before, anyone else?) and he first painted it a BMW-color (light red) and after that a darker red.

He owned it until '82 before selling it.

I´m beginning to think about tracking down all the previous owners (all 16 of them :P) just to see if it´s possible to find them...

Cheers
Daniel

Here´s some of the pics:


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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #23 on: July 31, 2006, 02:12:49 PM »
Painted red in the early eighties:
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #24 on: July 31, 2006, 02:31:49 PM »
most excellent  ;D

did he recognize her?
« Last Edit: July 31, 2006, 02:44:12 PM by cbjunkie »
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

Offline StevieMac

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #25 on: July 31, 2006, 02:34:08 PM »
Very cool!  That's great that he came through with the old pics. 

My '72 CB500 was originally brown but had been repainted before I got it. 
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ElCheapo

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #26 on: July 31, 2006, 04:04:18 PM »
Quote from: cbjunkie on July 20, 2006, 12:59:02 PM
Quote
How does it work in the States? Why do you guys change numbers?

my theory? the all-American belief in infinite expansion...why conserve anything? we have plenty of room...

Somewhere there is a landfill full of old license plates.  :D Waste makes = POWER - The American way  ;D
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Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #27 on: August 01, 2006, 01:43:55 AM »
Quote from: El Huero Loco on July 31, 2006, 09:14:49 PM
Quote from: DME on July 20, 2006, 12:21:07 PM
Well, what are the odds of this happening considering I´m the sixteenth owner of the vehicle?

Are you joking, or has that bike really been bought and sold all those times?

It`s no joke.
I AM the 16th owner.

First owner had it from '75 - '82.

I bought it in 1995.

In the 13 years in between it had 14 owners..... this gal has been around...... :o

She´s in a very stable relationship right now, though.... til death do us part  ;)

Wouldn´t it be cool to have a timeline with a photo from each owner showing the different states she´s been in through the years.... 8)

And who knows what stuff the other previous owners might have laying around?

The first owner had a frame with lower yoke, side- and centerstand, seatlock, tooltray, brakearm and stock horn that I could have  ;D
Going to pick it up later this week....

Cheers
Daniel
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Offline cbjunkie

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #28 on: August 01, 2006, 02:46:50 AM »
you have GOT to track these guys down!
 
assemble a timeline of photographs, you know there's nothing we like more than our portrait taken with our babies, they are sure to have at least one each...

you know the first, presumably you know number 13 as well, so only 11 to go...
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1971 750K1
1972 CB350 (deceased)

sometimes naked, sometimes mad -
now the poet, now the fool -
thus they appear on earth,
the free men.

Offline DME

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #29 on: August 01, 2006, 01:07:57 PM »
Quote from: ElCheapo on August 01, 2006, 12:59:08 PM
Quote from: cbjunkie on August 01, 2006, 02:46:50 AM
you have GOT to track these guys down!
 
assemble a timeline of photographs, you know there's nothing we like more than our portrait taken with our babies, they are sure to have at least one each...

you know the first, presumably you know number 13 as well, so only 11 to go...

Hey then you know who did what abuse to it  ;) ;D0

Yes, yes  ;)
Not that it would matter, though.... it can take it, it´s a Honda 8)

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Offline nickjtc

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #30 on: August 01, 2006, 07:10:00 PM »
There was an article in RIDE magazine (out of England) some time ago, about how they tracked down as many owners of an old Yamaha or Suzuki as they could find, and then reunited them all with the bike. It made for interesting reading.

I think it would be interesting to meet previous owners of a bike, just to see the kind of person who inflicts horrible changes in the name of style or fashion. I'm the fourth owner of my Norton. The second owner had it the longest (25 years) and in that time it was converted into a chopper, and then back to standard, presumably to make it easier to sell.

Here in BC you can 'buy' a personalised licence plate of up to 6 letters for $100 or so. As long as it is 'tasteful' and has not been snagged by anyone else, pretty much anything goes. You then pay $40 a year extra for the priviledge of keeping it. I had 'RC46' on my VFR800.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2006, 10:10:45 AM by nickjtc »
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Offline Bob Wessner

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Re: What are the odds?
« Reply #31 on: August 01, 2006, 07:50:46 PM »
Quote
I think it would be interesting to meet previous owners of a bike

I'd certianly like to meet mine!  >:(
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