Topic: 1978 750K Found...

[Pinhead]

What do you do when you see a bike that's been setting in the same parking spot for a year, chain broke off and points cover removed? I put a note on it about 5 months ago and it doesn't seem to have been touched. It's a '78 CB750K. The obvious flaws is the points/points cover is missing, chain is off, and the engine has oil all over the front of it. The tank and seat are immaculate. The "dummy lights" cover is missing. It's got good tires.

It's been setting in a parking lot of an apartment complex for as long as my sister has lived there, a little over a year now. Nobody has replied to my note, and nobody knows anything about it. It literally hasn't moved an inch since the first time I saw it. The kickstand is in the exact same spot. I've got the license plate number and frame number. How would I go about finding the owner of this bike?

[angeldeville]

If it is a 78K I think the owner is just embarrassed and doesn't want to admit it.












before anyone starts admonishing me for bagging on the 78K's....  remember I own 2 F's

but seriously, start knocking on doors, you can get to know your neighbors while hunting down the owner.

[scott_cb650]

Do you know any law officers that can run the plates for you?

If you're in TX send me a PM.

[JP]

Okay, it seems like it may be abandoned-right?  You will need to coordinate with the local DMV or maybe a tag office, if the person you are talking with doesn't have a clue, find someone else- the steps are laid out for you.  It should go something like-
1. give them the info you have so that they can check to see the last time it was registered
2. Run an add in the local newspaper or trader mag for 1 month describing the abandoned vehicle.  3. If no one claims it, it will go to a public auction and you will need to bid on it like everyone else, dispite any finder privelages that you deserve.

I tried this a while back and got stopped at step 1.  Don't know if I could have went through all the other steps anyways.  Each state could be different as well as each county.  I was in Wichita Falls, TX
JP

[hevykevy420]

If it is a 78K I think the owner is just embarrassed and doesn't want to admit it.

before anyone starts admonishing me for bagging on the 78K's....  remember I own 2 F's

but seriously, start knocking on doors, you can get to know your neighbors while hunting down the owner.

F's are even "F"uglier...

[eldar]

I would do whatever it took to get it, regardless of how certain people think they are ugly. The 77/78 were the stepping stones to honda coming into the 80s. We all know some of their coolest bikes came in the 80s. To me the old early 70s styles look about as bad as varicose veins. the "f" is ok but just lacks too much with only 1 muffler!  In many cases, an abandoned bike is up for grabs after a certain period of time. The PO probably blew out the gasket and had no clue how to fix anything. Get it if you can, stores are starting to realize the 78 is here and there are more of us on this forum now.

[Pinhead]

It's in Kansas but it's got Missouri tags. I've got police friends but they all work in Kansas.

After sitting abandoned for a certain amount of time, doesn't it become public property? Would the apartment complex have any say in it? They do own the property...

The note that I taped to it stayed there for at least 3 months. My guess is the bike broke down (obviously since the chain has been sitting underneath the back tire the whole time) and the owner didn't want to fix it, just moved out and left the thing there. However, after sitting for a year I don't think anyone is going to do anything about it any time soon. The city surely isn't going to come pick it up unless someone asks them to. It's been sitting for long enough that I'm getting worried that someone else may pick it up before I do.

[GoatBaSS]

Talk To the Apt mgrs. They know more than we ever give them credit for and may have some info on the side. Take brownies and flowers.

[Short Round]

I would ask around with the law inforcement.  It very well may ahve been stolen, most likely not but there is a chance.  If not the tax records are public and you can do a search on your local tax office for the year it was last registered and find the owner there.  I would go down to the tax office personally with the vin and tag # so they can search for you, otherwise you will spend hours going through lists  of peoples names looking for someone whith a 750.  This is my best guess and to be honest this is how I found the owner of the 74 CB550 K0 that I now own and got for a steal.  I love cases like this because if you can track down the owner you can make it seem that the bike is not really in good condition, that you just had seen it in the parking lot while visiting your sister and would be willing to throw them a couple hundred bucks for a parts bike.  This is as long as they have the title or you can get one.  Im pretty sure if there is not title you can get one by saying it was a bonified gift and the title was missing, I think it may cost you the normal $15 to 420 title transfer, but I think the mileage will be exempt.  Good luck and as IU ahve said before I have done tis and it works like a charm.  People that leave bikes lying around like that either wanted to fix them and couldn't or they just don't want to be botheres with it any longer and see you as a god sent.
                                                      Later
                                                      Chris

[Pinhead]

I walked through the entire complex today and asked everyone that I saw. I knocked on every door, asked people walking by, even talked to someone driving their Hardley out of the lot. Nobody knows anything about it or about who owns it. The Hardley rider said he was looking to buy the thing, too... I'm going to have to talk to one of my police friends this weekend to see if they can run the tags and get me at least a name, if not a phone number.

[Pinhead]

I talked to an officer and he said he couldn't run the tags unless a crime has been comitted since the tags are current and it's not on city property...

[bryan]

I hope you can get the title to the bike.  We need to increase the k8 presence here!

[RyanLilly]

How soon do the tags expire? Maybe you can try again then. Question, will doing one of those "car facts" type vin checks tell you the owner, although you have to pay for those.

Missouri plates? I know a few cops here in St.Louis, PM me the plate number and I'll ask them what there policies are and if they can find you the owner.

Here in the burbs of STL any vehicle that has expires plates or that has something obviously wrong with and is visible from a public street, it is considered "Derelict" and can be ticketed, warned of towing, then impounded. A broken chain may qualify.

In any case PM me and I'll see what I can do for you.

-Ryan

[Pinhead]

PM Sent.

I tried the "car fact" thing and the bike is too old. They only accept vin's from '80-something on up.

[hevykevy420]

I hope you can get the title to the bike.  We need to increase the k8 presence here!

By all means necessary, obtain this bike.  The K8 is, in fact, the ultimate CB750 

[ElCheapo]

Spin it around in the parking spot the opposite way and put your note on it again Might get the guy wondering who moved his bike.

If not there are other services I have paid for online. Pretend to be a towing company looking to satisfy a towing bill. For about $30 you can get the info. Dont abuse the service though.

[firecracker]

For those of you who haven't been able to fully appreciate the '78 K8.

Maybe that's because you haven't seen it in it's proper form...

[my78k]

Ooooooh.......I think I just got the inspiration I needed! For those of you that may have read my earlier posts about possibly selling my K8 as I am feeling burnt out on her....now not so much! That is a NICE scoot!!!

As for locating the owner...we have an interesting system up here that when you buy any used car/bike/truck/whatever you need to buy a used vehicle info package...a huge government tax grab but a great way to hunt down who owns a bike (or car or whatever). You gotta pay like 20$ or something but it gives you the registered owners name etc.

Ofcourse there are 2 down sides to this...1 it costs you 20$ and 2 if you piss someone off bad enough (i.e. road rage) and it is worth it to them all they have to do is purchase one of those packages (all you need is a plate number!) and they have your vital stats...maybe not a phone number but a heck of a lot more than just a middle finger to remember you by...and hunt you down with (Elcheapo would love this little system!)

Dennis

[GoatBaSS]

Well Mr crackerfire if that is your real name, we must have more info! Mighty fine is the ride, but whence come the speedo and tach? Donde esta... Como se dice OIL Tank in espanol? Tell of what you did, for it is in a word, fine.

[firecracker]

Oh, if only I could take credit for it...

A buddy of mine and his co-worker convert old Honda's into cafe racers.   This is the co-workers ride.

Since I'm buying a 78 K8 (just love the sound of that - seventy-eight Kate) from them that runs great but looks pretty rough (needs paint, new seat, lots of elbow grease, etc), that picture is my motivation.

BTW - Born on the 4th of July - thus the user name.

Oh, and I don't know how to say Oil Tank in Spanish - but I can curse pretty well in it.   

I don't have a good close-up of the tach and speedo, but here's another shot for you to enjoy.  Now, the rest of you, where are the apologies about the 78?   

[upperlake04]

Nice looking bike - it is amazing what can be done to improve the looks of the K8 - change the tank for one that flows( like an F), add a tailbox to match (as does the Fs), paint that engine black(yup), and ditch that arsenal of mufflers that look like an aroused porcupine. I'd say the builders of this cafe are headed in the right direction

[firecracker]

Funny you should mention the mufflers.  They're already gone.  He just wasn't happy with the performance of the bike with them.  Here's where you can tell I'm a complete newbie - don't exactly know the terms to use...

Said they created a flat spot (or something like that).  From reading here, it seems like that could be corrected, but he ultimately decided they just weren't what he wanted on this bike.

I'll have to look at an F tank, but I gotta tell you, I kinda like this one (compared to the 69-77 tanks).

I haven't decided what to do with my engine.  As I understand it, polishing is a long never-ending process.  What are the advantages/disadvantages to painting it black?

[upperlake04]

not alot, from what I understand - except that it will look more like 77-78F    A link to a previous topic http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=10411.0    The tank and tailbox on your buddies cafe look better to my eye than the stock 77-8Fs because of their more elegant shapes that beautifully echo each other.
 Sorry, fellow 77-8Fers
 

[GoatBaSS]

Well Macaroni!
Credit is as credit does. Ideas on the oil tank and the battery?

Had a thought. K8 would be the ultimate incarnation. Higher on the evolutionary chain, like bald guys. You know, getting rid of the recessive gene.

Funny retort from a friend about his early pattern baldness; "Oh no, these are thigh marks."   

[firecracker]

Meeting those guys in 10 days (to get that K8 I mentioned).  Give me a list of questions and I'll quiz them the best I can.

BTW - Macaroni?  Reference to Yankee Doodle?  Geez, you're making me work here...  You oughta change your username to Dennis Miller if you're going to keep making references you don't explain!