Help me find my Dad's old 'bird! - NU05 BYK

[paddyshepherd]

Hi everyone.

I'm hoping someone on here can help but I know it's a total long shot. The bike in the photo is my dad's old bird. He bought it new in 2005 with the registration NU05 BYK. I'll have been about 10 at the time and a few years later we went round Scotland together on it. My dad went all over Europe with his mates on this bike and loved it. It was fitted with Blue flame exhausts and a double bubble screen, and I believe heated grips. A few years later he replaced it with a ZZR1400 thinking it was a good move and has regretted it ever since. Whenever he sees a photo of the blackbird he always says how he should never have sold it. To him it's the bike that got away.



I want to try and track down the owner of this bike with the intention of trying to buy it back for my dad, if they're willing to sell. As of yesterday evening it's still insured, taxed and tested on UK roads so it's still out there somewhere. If anyone has any info, please let me know.

It initially was sold to a guy in Scotland, I believe possibly the Dumfries area - looking at the annual mileage on the MOT history it's possible that it may still be owned by the same person.

I appreciate it's finding a needle in a haystack but I really want to try and get it back for my old man.

I've also posted on the B.I.R.D. forum & the biggest Blackbird facebook group I could find.

Thanks in advance.

[Mister Majestik]

Well its taxed until sept 2018, mot'd until march 2019, mileage was 41,456 in march 2018

so was still on the road this year

[paddyshepherd]

Well its taxed until sept 2018, mot'd until march 2019, mileage was 41,456 in march 2018

so was still on the road this year

Yep, still on the roads - I just need to try and find it!

[Mister Majestik]

You need to speak to a friendly Rozza,

if there is such a thing

on the DVLA site the MOT Station location is not available at the mo, or that would have been a good starting point,

[Sircular]

That'll be some fathers day gift, if you can track it down !! Also, (don't want to spoil the fun), but couldn't you just get another Bird ?

[paddyshepherd]

That'll be some fathers day gift, if you can track it down !! Also, (don't want to spoil the fun), but couldn't you just get another Bird ?

Certainly could, but it'd be nice to get his exact one. He has a lot of stories to go with that bike!

You need to speak to a friendly Rozza, if there is such a thing

on the DVLA site the MOT Station location is not available at the mo, or that would have been a good starting point,

Yeah, unfortunately I'd already looked for the MOT thing and asked a mate who is an MOT tester. Unfortunately that info is never likely to become available again, apparently.

I do have a mate who is a copper, but I don't know whether he'll be able to get access to that kind of info.

[paddyshepherd]

Happy to announce that a friend of the owner's has now been found and he is passing my phone number on.
Now just the convincing him to sell part...

[Mister Majestik]

Nice one mate

bet that T Murphy has in his collection, hes got everything cos hes so rich

[Barrie]

Pleased for you if you get it back. I was going to say, no point asking on the BIRD site. They don't talk bikes any longer and even the moderator slags the 'BIRD off and tells everyone cars are better than bikes. Your dad's old bike was an FI model, wouldn't you be better finding him a proper one with carbs?

[paddyshepherd]

Bike is now fully located and arrangements have been made. I'm collecting it on Saturday providing it's as described.
The lad didn't intend to sell but after realising he'd only done 734 miles in a year he said it was time to let it go.

Barrie, as much as I would prefer carbs myself, I know my dad wouldn't actually buy himself another. The only way he'll stop going on about the bike that got away is to get it back for him .

My dad is on holiday and returns on the 28th. My mum is involved to make sure I'm home from work before they get back so he can't see it before I'm there. He's not going to know anything until he finds it in the garage.

I've no idea if he'll actually want to keep it as of yet so it's a risky deal, but at least I can now give him the option. If he decides he doesn't want to, worst that'll happen is I'll just sell it on and try to make my money back. Either way I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realises it's his exact bike.

[Fatbert]

....... I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realises it's his exact bike.

Now this does need videoing!!!

Nice move buddy - great idea - prepare for tears!

[bluegas]

Paddyshepperd, what a top son you are. Whatever the outcome, all credit to you for doing this, I'm sure your dad will be delighted and you deserve everything good that life can give you.

Please keep us updated.........

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

....... I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realises it's his exact bike.

Now this does need videoing!!!

Nice move buddy - great idea - prepare for tears!

yes, get the video of him shedding tears as he thinks "why the fook didn't Paddy get me a Carb'd Bird?"



Nice one Paddy

[paddyshepherd]

Well, the bike was collected Saturday lunchtime and I rode it straight home. It was in nowhere near the condition I expected and has a gearbox fault which needs investigating, everything is fine other than it drops out of 5th as soon as you ask for power, so I believe something with the selector forks potentially.
I spent 4 hours cleaning it and polishing scratches out yesterday. It's now roughly at the mark I expected it to be when I picked it up. The bloke openly admitted he hadn't washed it, and I was naive to think that meant since he last rode it. After using a full can of degreaser on the back wheel I now realise he meant in the last 5 years.

I took £800 off my offer price and rode it home. By god those things are quick.

It even still has his GrossGlockner sticker on the windscreen and a Honda wing dustcap on the rear tyre that I *ahem* sourced when I was a schoolkid.

As a bonus to the story, unbeknown to me a mate of mine also happened to collect a blackbird on Saturday, and posted up on Facebook. So I tagged the old man in it to test the water and sure enough he took the bait, saying how his biggest regret was swapping it for the ZZR. All the while that his very bike is sat in his very garage.

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

Absolutely excellent Paddy. Could not have been better scripted on these "surprise" TV programmes.

[Mister Majestik]

Well done paddy cilla shepherd

[Barrie]

Well? What was your dad's reaction?

[XXtremist]

Just come in late on this one. What a crackin' story.

I too am waiting for the tearful Act III....

bet that T Murphy has in his collection, hes got everything cos hes so rich

Well done Majestic, that did make I larf.

regards,

Chris

[paddyshepherd]

Here's some pics! He's absolutely over the moon, he doesn't like the video I took because it's more shock than joy, so he reckons he doesn't seem as grateful as he actually is.
Unfortunately I can't seem to upload that here anyway as I can't get it onto my Flickr account.



Now these 2 pics are about 12 years apart, go figure!



The strip down has begun and we'll soon have it up to pristine condition again!

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

Cracking!

[Mister Majestik]

Thought it was a Right Said Fred photoshoot