Stolen!... Recovered!

[eyez00]

TRXers

Came home for Lunch 10 days ago and she was where I always park her, outside the block of flats next to the the Ducati, the 'Prilla and the Triumph, 3 bikes you'd steal in preference to a 20 yo Yamaha Parts-Bin Special.

Ate, waited for the rain to clear and when I went back outside, say 2 hours later, there was a dry blank space next to the Ducati and an empty motorcycle cover lying on the ground.

I did the usual headless chicken routine, running around aimlessly, looking under bushes and behind cars "just in case" until I got it under control and foned the plod. They came, asked the neighbours if they'd seen anything (No), heard anything (No and she's fitted with c/f Termigonis, so they know what she sounds like), asked if there was any CCTV (No) and managed my expectations by telling me to expect some speeding tickets and bus-lane violations in the post in the coming weeks.

Chances of recovery? Lucky to get the number plates back was the police opinion.

But WHY steal a bike worth soo little as spares on eBay I moaned? I'd only insured it as worth £1k and only that cos I knew you people here on the Forum would pay that to get the 'zorts! Why the risk for soo little reward?

Told Big 'Ead she'd gone, but told them I probably wouldn't claim as the hit to my No Claims wouldn't be worth it (£400 excess = max payout £600).

Spent a week "grieving". It was like being dumped by a girlfriend for your younger, richer, better looking brother - only worse.

Finally at the weekend, I told myself to "move on", think about another machine (always fancied an early Fire Blade, a FireStorm advertised locally, that SORN'd 125 trailee in the next block's garden).

Well, Wednesday it was raining again and I was (foolishly) wandering the Shopping Centre in just the jeans & T shirt, so instead of walking home, I thought I'd treat myself and go down the hill & get the bus.

Usually I walk on the right hand side of the street towards the bus stop, but that day I walked on the left. As I walked, still thinking about my lovely TRX and how much I loved & missed her, I saw a motorcycle parked up in a multi-occupancy dwelling car parking space.

"oh yeah, another 'N' reg'd m/c" I mused, but kept looking and as I got closer released the Reg. No. was the same.

OMG!! It's MY bike!!!

Casually walked past, trying hard to look disinterested, uncertain whether the Tea Leaf wasn't sat in his window, watching me checking out the "hot" machine. It looked fine, so I crossed the road, caught the bus home and as I ran back towards my Love, with a lid and the keys, phoned the law and asked them if it was kosher to "steal" it back!

"Go for it!" they advised.

She wasn't rideable, the b@st@rds had drilled the ignition and cut the wiring loom to disable the cheap alarm I'd fitted. They'd scarred the front forks getting the (absent)chain & lock off, but I found Neutral and pushed her away, some woman in the top floor of the dwelling shouting out to me that "You can't park that motorcycle here!". "Thanks for telling the Police it had been dumped here Lady!!"

Valuable lessons learnt?

1. DON'T fall in love with your motorcycle, even one as good as the TRX.
2. Don't give them Female Names and speak to them with endearments.
3. Value it like you mean it with the Insurance.
4. It doesn't matter that it's not worth much £, if it's easy to steal then it'll go before the more expensive but heavily protected other bikes.
5. Keep the lock and chain(s) current.
6. Get some CCTV.

Keep it safe - keep it upright out there!

eyez & Trixxie

[Snod Blatter]

Congrats on finding it again! You also avoided the £150 recovery fee that the police would have charged you if they had found it.

How come the alarm didn't go off? Did they know exactly how to disarm it?

[Rubes]

That was lucky.