The unsinkable Harley-Brown..er..Davidson

[Rocky]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/29/bc-tsunami-debris-harley.html
Like the guy in the story said, you never know what you will find washed up on a beach.

 

[hemibee]

COOL


Posting with Tapatalk for iPhone.

 

[CarlS]

That is an interesting story. It almost defies the imagination.

 

[The Seeker]

Wow...that's crazy!!

 

[Rocky]

If the owner can be traced through his licence plate, and he survived the earthquake, H-D should offer him a new one and keep the old one as an "as-is" historic bike that came from Japan to North America on its own.
I'll bet this is the first time any bike ever came across the Pacific Ocean on its own

 

[CarlS]

That would create some awesome publicity for HD.

 

[DaveM]

What an amazing story now you wonder what other items may have been in this container

 

[panina]

If the owner can be traced through his licence plate, and he survived the earthquake, H-D should offer him a new one and keep the old one as an "as-is" historic bike that came from Japan to North America on its own.
I'll bet this is the first time any bike ever came across the Pacific Ocean on its own

I like that. Would be great publicity.

 

[Gromit]

Wow! What a story.

 

[shanered6]

im amazed that i stayed in the container and didn't get thrown out and sink to the bottom, amazing surviver .

 

[Rocky]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/05/01/bc-tsunami-motorcycle-owner.html

A somewhat happy ending to this story. Unfortunately, the owner of the Harley lost three family members in the quake.
Full marks to H-D for stepping up to the plate and helping out.
But it's good publicity.

 

[DaveM]

Now this is cool seeing them find the guy but I would have thought HD would have done better to have kept the bike and just given him a new one

 

[Rocky]

Now this is cool seeing them find the guy but I would have thought HD would have done better to have kept the bike and just given him a new one

I thought that too. H-D in Japan could easily give the guy a new bike rather than to go to all the trouble of shipping and restoring the Sunami bike. Having this historical bike in the factory museum would be a great attraction.
It's a one-of-a-kind bike and this event will probably never happen again.
Oh well, the owner will certainly have a claim to fame.

 

[CarlS]

Now this is cool seeing them find the guy but I would have thought HD would have done better to have kept the bike and just given him a new one

I agree. It would be cool if they can completley restore it. But I think they should give him one and make a museum piece out of that one.

 

[DaveM]

I was amazed that it did not have more rust on it after its journey

 

[Rocky]

According to the guy who found it, the bike wasn't tied down and the door was off the container/truck body. That it even stayed in there is a bit of a miracle.
It's a heavy bike resting on the sidestand and probably in first gear. If so, that's probably what saved it.(?)

 

[CarlS]

It is truly a miracle that it survived the trip.

 

[Rocky]

It is truly a miracle that it survived the trip.

Being at sea for so long and exposed to the salt air and spray is some kind testiment to H-D for their quality. Considering the severe and long exposure, the bike is in pretty decent shape.
The container couldn't have run into any storms or I'm sure the bike would have been dumped out.
Overall, it is somewhat of a miracle that it made the 5000 km trip and still landed upright on the beach.

 

[DaveM]

This is why I would think the ad value of the condition it is in would have made them keep it and just give the guy a new bike

 

[Rocky]

This is why I would think the ad value of the condition it is in would have made them keep it and just give the guy a new bike

I agree. I think H-D missed a great advertising opportunity.
I should be, "See what our bikes can take and still look pretty good!"
A H-D factory rep was just on our news saying that the bike will be shipped back to Japan and if the owner wants to restore it, it will be done.
Oh well, what do I know about business.