Abandoned Trike (aka bros Before Ho's)

[Frankencelery]

Ok guys, here's a gnarly sordid one for ya...I thought I had told this story once, but I couldn't find the thread, so maybe I imagined it...

My best riding buddy lives a state away and keeps his 200x at my house. I'm happy to keep it for him. It gives him another excuse to come down and hang out, and I have the privelege of riding it whenever I want. The only stipulation is "I break it, I fix it", which is fair.

In 2007, he promised to come down for Christmas, but didn't show. These things happen. Then he promised to come down for New years, but didn't show. then he stopped taking or returning my calls. This isn't entirely new for this guy. He tends to avoid people for long periods of time if he feels he's offended them in some way. Conflict avoidance, I think they call it. Anyway, I had thought he'd grown out of it, but apparently not.

Finally after about 6 months of not hearing from him, I finally get an email reponse where he confesses he's been dating an old girlfriend of mine, and he knew that when I found out I would hate him. Now, I admit to having carried a torch for this woman for a long time, but it's been 20 years for crying out loud, and I'm happily married now! Sounds like a BS excuse to me! So I told him as much, and told him it was cool and I was happy for him. I also wasn't able to resist reminding him that I had taught her everything she knew, so he had me to thank afer all. "Forget about it...when are we going riding?" I asked. A bunch of lame excuses followed, and ultimately I gave up trying.

Every time I had to move machines around I had to move his 200x, and it really bugged me. So much that I finally sent him an email around December 2008 saying "What do you want done with your trike?" I didn't feel like it was mine to do whatever I wanted with it, but after a year and a half? He replied back with a terse "Whatever you want", which didn't really answer my question. I told him he had to come and get it or I was gonna sell it, but that was basically the only reply I ever got.

So...if you've read this far, you're probably thinking Jerry Springer. (is that still on?) What the hell is this topic doing in 3WW, you ask? one simple question: what to do with his trike? It's February 2009, which makes it almost a year and a half since he's seen his trike. I'm not inclined to drive it 300 miles to his place and leave it on his front lawn (he probably doesn't have a garage to keep it in), and he's obviously not coming to get it. So is it mine? Do I just keep it and ride it? Sell it and send him the cash? Sell it and keep half the cash? It's a POS anyway, needing a major engine overhaul, so it's not worth much.

Thoughts?

[Nick_R_23]

Give it to me. :lol:

Since he hasnt come to get it in almost 2 years, and he said 'do whatever you want', I would take it that he just gave it to you and you can now fix it, ride it, sell it, whatever you want now. Sounds like he has things going on now and doesnt want to bother with it.

-Nick :TrikesOwn

[Cottonwood]

I'd keep it and ride it. Maybe call the DMV and ask how long until it is considered abandoned and try to get a title for it, then you can do whatever you want and not have to worry about it. He didn't seem to care about it when you emailed him, so he must not care to keep it. I'd say its yours, get a title and then sell it if you want it gone.

[ThinktwiceZ71]

frig that , i would say ride it like it's yours but don't sell it. I would honestly send him an email asking him if you can now call it yours and tell him if not to come get it . Tell him he has 30 days to get it , or it's considered abandoned and your claiming it as yours ! seeing as it's been in your ownership that long

[Brad200X]

I don't know what the laws are in IA, but in Illinois after 90 days its yours. He said "do whatever you want," and you can't get a hold of the guy. Its yours, and if he comes asking about it, which he won't, tell him you left it in a ditch or something.

[ThinktwiceZ71]

/\.....good idea

[thefox]

Is it or has it been registered?

[Frankencelery]

It's never been registered to my knowledge. If it were some stranger that dumped his trike in my front yard, it wouldn't even be a question. It's the loss of a friend over something stupid that makes it hard. Do I even want the damn thing? Looking at it reminds me of all the riding I'm doing by myself these days. However, maybe if I did the AutoX conversion, it would make it mine, sort of like "laundering" it. Then maybe looking at it and riding it wouldn't piss me off.

[daniel_250r]

just keep the damn thing he isnt worth your time find a new friend

[firehart]

Offer to buy it from him and see what he says.

[Tecate 50]

Ride it like your ex-girl is riding him.....lol. Just kidding....offer him a fair amount for it and do all you can to make contact with him. Thats the right thing to do. If he doesn't want anything to do with it....possession is nine tenths of the law! JUST KEEP IT.....

[diesel]

Make sure you save the email that says "do whatever you want" This way if you ever appear on Judge Judy you are covered.

[ATCeeya]

I think hes just avoiding you because he feels uncomfortable about the whole dating your ex thing, and even tho your cool with it, he probably still feels wierd about being around you, maybe a little ashamed or hes just getting all wrapped up his new lady friend and not giving up much time for his buddies. I'd just hang on to the trike, beat the piss out of it every now and then. I wouldnt nag him much or anything, if you still would like to be friends with him leave it open like "Hey man, well when your done being gay you know where Im at etc etc," people come around and not all of us deal with stuff in the best way. I wouldnt threaten to sell it, or give any ultimatiums like come get it now or else it smine or Ill sell it. Im sure in his mind hes just about written the trike off anyways. But ya never know man. Id just continue to let it ride some more and see what happens.

[luke]

Some times when you want to blow off steam you take it out on a bike, you throw it around a bit and thrash it. Well keep this bike for sutch occasions, and save your own bike's :beer

[buck]

If you decide to keep it for yourself and or sell it, do yourself a favor and save the email correspondence you have had with him. Those emails could very will come in handy at a later date. ;)

Buck

[NINJA]

Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if maybe your ex got into his head for whatever reason after you talked to him on the phone. If she's manipulative like that, he'll eventually realize he's not the one behind the wheel and ditch her and come back to his friend and hobby. There's a reason you're not married to her, am I right? Hold on to that trike and continue using it as usual. If you sell it or give it away it will appear to your friend that you totally wrote him off and confirm what he feared you'd do and possibly what your ex said you'd do. Of course this is just my .02, I could be totally off.

[cr480r]

He replied back with a terse "Whatever you want", which didn't really answer my question. I told him he had to come and get it or I was gonna sell it, but that was basically the only reply I ever got.

So you should do whatever you want... Your friends actions clearly shows that niether you or the trike is of any importance to him... Him avoiding you tells me that he feels like a snake.. And he should if you guys were close and he pulled that.. If you want the trike gone then sell or part it.. if you want to ride it then ride it.. If you wanna destroy it then back over it with a dozer... Your "auto- x laundering" idea sounds best to me... Your buddy sounds like a poosie anyways, If he comes around or makes fuss just rub his nose in the dirt.. he deserves it.

[250rfan]

Ride it like your ex-girl is riding him.....lol.




lol,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:lol:


In the UK Possesion is 9/10ths of the law.

Keep the email, turn to POS into cash and take YOUR little lady out for a nice meal.

She'll appreciate that - and probably show you how much,,,,,,,,:naughty:

[oscarmayer]

I've had friends come and go voer the years and soem in simular fashion. Here's my recomendation. keep it, restore it and ride it and enjoy it. rememebr the fun you guys used to have and stick with that. forget the hastles you had. the bad should never override the fun you guys had and spend doing stuff. if we dwell in the negative we end up negative people. rembering the fun and good times, like that one time he did this crazy jump and fliped and banged his arm, or something like that. That's fun cool times. bad stuff is remembering how he ditched you.

remember the fun times you had everytime you ride it. it's ok to do that. never sell that trike. if you do, I promise you, you will hate yourself... As one already stated, offer him fair price for it. $450-$500, and then you know you did right he won't be able to be mad at you for it then.

[AutoXer]

I need a gas tank and a intake ...... oh and what condition are the fenders in??? (keep the frame and give that to him if he ever comes back LOL

[edog]

Part it out.lol

[Frankencelery]

I sent him another email last night, offering him $400 for it, or he needs to pick it up. It needs tires and an engine rebuild, and that's what I'm willing to pay. I didn't bother with any accusations or any of that crap, I just explained that it felt unresolved and I want it resolved. As it turns out, I sent almost the same email to him back in September last year, without the specific dollar offer. He never replied to that one either. We'll see what happens. My wife agrees with me that this is the best thing to do, and she reminded me that was what she had suggested months ago....heh heh. I need to learn to listen to her!

I'll let you guys know how it comes out. I'm not expecting a response. That way if I sell it, he can be pissed at me and pretend I'm the bad guy, instead of remembering that my 7-year old cried himself to sleep when we told him his "uncle" isn't coming around anymore.

[dgpilot15]

Keep it. Restore it to at least operating condition. And when he eventually shows up, hat in hand, with a well rehearsed apology. He can deliver it to you while you lean against it in your garage.

[GetLowOrGoHome]

umm... ill store it. Only thing id charge is letting my other half ride it, shes been rode mine once now i cant keep her off it. :D