Topic: Reflections on Estate Sales, Life and Death and Good Deals

[MoMo]

I went to an estate sale today where the life accomplishments/contents of a 48 year old drag car/Harley builder were up for grabs.  He died from cancer after a year struggle and the family decided to sell everything he had at a no reserve auction-house, shop contents, bikes, cars, trophies, tools,  etc.  Harleys, Kawasaki, Husqvarna, choppers were up for sale.  There were two Direct Pro lifts that I was hoping to buy at a reasonable price- anyhow they sold for more than new so I watched as box lots of Harley parts, riding gear, tools sold for pennies on the dollar.  It was sad to see a person's lift accomplishments be relegated to a mere monetary pittance. Anyhow, on a brighter note I bought a pair of Husqvarna forks for one dollar(good for me but sad for the estate).  Don't know what in the heck I am going to do with them, maybe turn them into posts for a custom motorcycle mail box. Enough depressing thoughts, I am no longer Waiting For Godot ...Larry

[Duke McDukiedook]

Eh, it's just material stuff that you can't use on the other side.
Enjoy it while you can and pass it along to someone else deserving when the time comes.

[dave500]

in my job as a dumpster truck driver i see a lot of deceased estate clean outs,the family come along and throw out all the stuff not worth money,ive seen so many many suit cases/shoe boxes of old black and white photos of military parades or people say beside old cars and homes etc just turfed out,old trophies etc,its a shame but life goes on i guess?

[BLUE71TURBO]

 So when you guy's pass on...... can i have yer bikes ?   

[dave500]

yeah sure,if you go first can i have yours?you got any heart problems/blood pressure?heaven forbid anything should happen to you!

[simon#42]

Eh, it's just material stuff that you can't use on the other side.
Enjoy it while you can and pass it along to someone else deserving when the time comes.

well i dont believe there is another side but i do agree this is exactly the way to look at it .

[70CB750]

yeah sure,if you go first can i have yours?you got any heart problems/blood pressure?heaven forbid anything should happen to you!

Like you would get run over by a dumpster truck :/

[70CB750]

In the local trash-to-treasure I scored coffee cans full of sorted nuts bolts and such. Each labeled - I could almost see somebody cleaning after grandpa, made me sad.

[scrapvalue]

Just goes to show that all the material stuff we value, is just something for the garbage truck to pick up for others.

And just because you don't "believe" in something, doesn't make it go away.

[Bailgang]

Going through a loved owns possessions after they've passed can be tough on a family because much of it reminds them of their own childhood which can make the decision of what you're going to do with it a tough one.
I once had a bunch of trophies from all the sports I played as a child but they all just sat on a shelf collecting dust so one day I made up my mind and tossed all of them except for one. The one I kept was the very first trophy I ever earned which is a first place trophy from my first year of little league baseball. That one is a keeper and can collect all the dust it wants on my shelf.

[nccb]

And just because you don't "believe" in something, doesn't make it go away.

Goes the other way as well. 

Anyways, did the people buying the lifts not realize they could just go get a new one for cheaper?  I feel that defeats the entire purpose of going to an auction.

[Bailgang]

Anyways, did the people buying the lifts not realize they could just go get a new one for cheaper?  I feel that defeats the entire purpose of going to an auction.

I go to auctions all the time and that happens a lot. All it takes is 2 people to want something bad enough and that's when bids climb up and up and most people don't do the research on an item beforehand and don't realize they didn't get the deal they were expecting until after the sale. For some it's an ego thing and they don't want to be outbid. I myself if I spot something I want I then decide what my max bid would be and stick to it, if the bids go over that then that's when I walk away.

[Stev-o]

So when you guy's pass on...... can i have yer bikes ?   

That's an idea, maybe we should make a deal Blue.  Any interest in a Z1 if I bail?  I want your turbo bike!

[754]

Maybe it was a known builder and they wanted a part of his estate, to remember him by....
 I would pay more than new to have Brittens  or McQueens personal lift.. With the auction receipt.. Never going to depreciate in my opinion..  Your used one will.

[72 yellow]

Going through a loved owns possessions after they've passed can be tough on a family because much of it reminds them of their own childhood which can make the decision of what you're going to do with it a tough one.
I once had a bunch of trophies from all the sports I played as a child but they all just sat on a shelf collecting dust so one day I made up my mind and tossed all of them except for one. The one I kept was the very first trophy I ever earned which is a first place trophy from my first year of little league baseball. That one is a keeper and can collect all the dust it wants on my shelf.

After my dad passed away suddenly, I just kept all his tools and his motorcycle.  To me it is like a part of him is still here as we both enjoyed riding.

[MoMo]

Anyways, did the people buying the lifts not realize they could just go get a new one for cheaper?  I feel that defeats the entire purpose of going to an auction.

I go to auctions all the time and that happens a lot. All it takes is 2 people to want something bad enough and that's when bids climb up and up and most people don't do the research on an item beforehand and don't realize they didn't get the deal they were expecting until after the sale. For some it's an ego thing and they don't want to be outbid. I myself if I spot something I want I then decide what my max bid would be and stick to it, if the bids go over that then that's when I walk away.

Yep,  there were two guys going at it tooth and nail, so agressive that I did not even bother to bid.  BTW,  no one bid against me for the dollar set of Husky forks...Larry

[MoMo]

Maybe it was a known builder and they wanted a part of his estate, to remember him by....
 I would pay more than new to have Brittens  or McQueens personal lift.. With the auction receipt.. Never going to depreciate in my opinion..  Your used one will.

He was locally known 754 but the two bidders in my eye had no clue (one can kind of tell my their countenance)...Larry

[754]

The lifts made up for the 1.00 forx..did they come with trees?   Pic please

[Xnavylfr]

Just remember this!!!   You'll NEVER see a Hearse pulling a trailer full of somebodies belongings!!!



Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[MoMo]

Here you go Frank,  no triples but the 45mm tubes are in excellent condition.  Not sure what year  or model, but there was a Husky 250 bike sans motor at the auction.









Beautiful machine work.   

[Raul CB750K1]

Shrouds has no pockets. I also threw away some childhood trophies a while ago. And I know a guy who was a rider at the time  (fifties) show me his trophies that were stored in a closet. Many of the were dented; when I asked why he told me "i used to let my grandsons play with them"....

When you think about it, if people would keep everything from their loved ones, we would have run out of space long ago! After I got the stent implanted last year i also decided to downsize in things I store; if something happens to me I don't want my family guessing what the heck is or is not valuable....

[MoMo]

Shrouds has no pockets. I also threw away some childhood trophies a while ago. And I know a guy who was a rider at the time  (fifties) show me his trophies that were stored in a closet. Many of the were dented; when I asked why he told me "i used to let my grandsons play with them"....

When you think about it, if people would keep everything from their loved ones, we would have run out of space long ago! After I got the stent implanted last year i also decided to downsize in things I store; if something happens to me I don't want my family guessing what the heck is or is not valuable....

I started downsizing too(who knows at 66 anything can happen, but really at any age your time on earth can be gone).  I have so much stuff left from my wife(who left the earth 6 years ago) that I could go fulltime for a year or so Ebaying what is here.  Some memories I'll keep as long as I'm alive buy  most stuff means nothing at this stage of life.


Funny you mentioned trophies because there was a table full of them at the auction. thanks for the input...larry

[MoMo]

Just remember this!!!   You'll NEVER see a Hearse pulling a trailer full of somebodies belongings!!!



Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

One of the frames at the auction was real similar to the one in your avatar.  All the parts were there to complete the bike but everything was scattered in different boxes and being sold for pennies on the dollar.  Haven't seen many hearses in the past several years...Larry

[Dimitri13]

As someone who cleans up after "ripe" deceased or those who lived alone, you wouldn't believe the kind of stuff left behind by the family.

Either they didn't know the value, or they just didn't care. I've scored several toolboxes, old cameras and media equipment (the kind hipsters love), bikes (pedal), ipods, etc. Hell, even jewelry. They were all destined for the trash anyway. The family is told to take what they want and the rest will be hauled off.

I hate doing it, but I can't count how many photo albums and shoeboxes full of photos and sentimental items I've had to throw away.

[MoMo]

As someone who cleans up after "ripe" deceased or those who lived alone, you wouldn't believe the kind of stuff left behind by the family.

Either they didn't know the value, or they just didn't care. I've scored several toolboxes, old cameras and media equipment (the kind hipsters love), bikes (pedal), ipods, etc. Hell, even jewelry. They were all destined for the trash anyway. The family is told to take what they want and the rest will be hauled off.

I hate doing it, but I can't count how many photo albums and shoeboxes full of photos and sentimental items I've had to throw away.

The photo albums are the hardest for me to understand, it is as though the family never existed .  I have bought several photo albums of old black and white family trips-I enjoy vintage black and white photography, Larry