Modern Buddy

So I watch Craigslist for used and vintage scooters.
I've been watching this one for awhile now, and I've always thought is may have been stolen.

It's here: http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/580562641.html

In the current ad They say the ignition "needs to be replaced". However in previous ads(it's been listed for awhile) they said the key had "fallen out" on a long ride and that they used a screwdriver to start it.
Between that and the previous owner "losing" the title.... it raise's a red flag for me.
Scooter theft in Denver is really bad. So that adds to it. Of course if it was stolen they'd be pretty dumb to put a vintage scoot on Craigslist.

So what do you folks think?

josh

Correct me if I am wrong please, but aren't the Bajaj Chetaks 4 stroke?

The newer ones (2002 and up) are 4-strokes. The older ones are 2-strokers, just like an LML (Stella).

--Keys

That listing smells of fishyness..... Probably stolen. always have a title and check with the DMV to make sure it's a good clear title before purchase.

can't you just get a copy of the title from the dmv if you're the owner?

there are several stolen scooter registries...
http://scoot.net/stolen/ for starters... i'm sure that someone on here has some other good suggestions to snoop out the truth....

I also like: "Front brake rotor is slightly out of round. Scooter stops fine but a little annoying." Rotor? Dude, that's a drum brake.
Tool.
-K

IndieJones wrote:can't you just get a copy of the title from the dmv if you're the owner?

i believe the reference was to seeing the title before you plunk down the cash, to make sure its not stolen and doesn't have any liens against it.

Hmm... Do they have a key that works?

Try to get the VIN#. Sounds like this owner has had it for a while, though. People who steal scoots usually don't rebuild the carbs and put new exhausts on them.

It's probably not stolen, but it might be one of those things where it was in someone's garage for ten years and the owner moved six times and lost the title, then someone traded a case of beer for it. But yeah, it's a little scary because if you do a title search, the old owner will suddenly want it back or something.

I wouldn't bother, although old Chetaks are cool. Biggest glovebox ever.

It does actually look like one I know of that was stolen in Chicago, but that was ten years ago, and every 80s Chetak I've ever seen was that same color…

Bb.

If it's in Denver, chances are the folks at Sportique have worked on it. Call 'em and ask...it couldn't hurt and you just might find out it's legit.

--Keys

Yeah, it's been on craigslist here in Denver on and off for several months now. As I recall the earlier posts, the price keeps going down. It's cool, but not having sold after all this time (combined with the squirrely description), it does give one pause...

-jetboy

Could go either way.

My best guess is that it is not stolen, but probably was stolen, or someone attempted to steal it. A lot of people don't replace punched ignitions after they get their vehicles back because they usaully don't have the money to fix it, but everybody has a screw driver to start it (of course the problem is that everybody has a screw driver to start it!).

A "lost" title can be the result of a lot of things. Here are the most common issues I run into with cars with no titles at work. It could be stolen, but it could also be that the second owner did not want the title because they wanted no record of owning the bike (a lot of people with warrants or going through civil court processes do this). There could be civil issues attached to the bike (liens). It could be a case of the original owner not wanting someone to know that the bike has been sold (liens or maybe the owner's dad bought the bike for the kid, and kept the title. Then the kid needed some money and sold the bike but didn't want to tell dad so he never got the title). It could be the community bicycle and nobody in the community remembers who actually owns it but one member of the community wants to sell it. It could be a rebuilt abandoned vehicle or total insurance loss bike. The owner and seller maybe trying to scam people by selling the bike and then the owner pops up with the title and claims that the bike never should have been sold. The title could be lost.

All told I would stay away from that scoot. Too many possible headaches, and if you drive it around with a punched ignition a thief will see it and steal it because it is too easy a target.

If you do decide to take the plunge check all the vin plates to make sure they match and have not been tampered with. Copy all vins and check them with your DMV/DOL. Get the current owner to file a lost or stolen title application. Make him get it titled before you give him any money. If it is a legit sale he should be able to do this, if he can't, you won't be able to do it either. If he just won't do it then you have your answer.

Kyle

not stolen

Scootden [quote: stolen scooter? you tell me. unquote]
. . . ummm . . . stolen !

If anyone's going to know, it would be Femsatronic. I'd take his word on that one.

It's a cool liitle machine FOR $1500.00.

-jetboy