Arizona bikes burn

[RED ALERT]

http://jalopnik.com/arizona-fire-destroys-9-000-motorcycles-in-one-night-633898744

 This sounded like a real tragedy, then I read the comments about the owner.   

[albrid-3]

Gee, That is a Shame.

[cappra]

Can you say Karma? The owner of that junkyard is the biggest a-hole in the state of Arizona. The comments below the article are all true.

[Slakewell]

OMG the works bikes. 





Really he had some tasty stuff maybe he should have sold some of it. Wonder if he had insurance.
Sounds like this guy knew him well.
The owner isn't actually running a business - he's a disturbed individual with a hoarding disorder and possibly OCD. He seems unstable, so I wouldn't recommend visiting as a "tourist" either. He wont hesitate to put his hands on you if you touch anything in his yard, wont sell 99% of what you see (including -anything- you show interest in), and the rare item he says he -will- sell is going to be quoted at a ridiculous and non-negotiable price (500$ and up for parts worth vastly less). I get the feeling that he only sells a few parts every month to the truly desperate or stupid, and lives off the proceeds while continuing to grow his pile toward the sky. Of course, this is also one of the most amazing treasure piles you'll ever see rusting away into dirt - ever seen a Messerschmitt 3 wheeler outside of a museum? He's got 3 of them, rotting in the sun, NOT FOR SALE of course. Words can't describe the breadth and insanity of this "collection" of bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, etc etc etc. There are some of the rarest pieces of 2-wheeled history just sitting there stacked in a pile and forgotten. If it ever rode on 2-3 wheels, he's got it, and he's going to keep it until the sun and rain finally drive it back into the earth from whence it came

[Rookie#1]

At least no more lives were lost in attempts to extinguish the blaze, sounds like the guy was barely worth saving too. I often think about this scenario when I see or hear of large "collections" of bikes belonging to those who only keep them for conversation or ego's sake, some folks refuse to allow anyone else the privilege of becoming the custodian of a lovely machine yet something like this happens and all is lost for enterity!! Maybe we should lobby for a law to be implemented  make it illegal to own any more than 10 motorcycles over 20 years old if you don't have adequate, under cover storage for them!! Sorry....that's my pipe calling....time to go in for another dream 

[TM BILL]

Seems a tragedy and luckily no loss of life , as for his hoarding  I imagine he bought and paid for the bikes HIMSELF, probably many of them when nobody else wanted them . at this stage in his life he's probably that eccentric bloke ( or more likely the lunatic or idiot down the road who waste all his money on that old shit ) .

Time passes and things cycle (no pun intended ) and this thing called VMX is created and takes off. Suddenly he becomes that miserable prick down the road who's got all those cool old bikes that he paid nothing for ( the fact that he bought them with HIS money and has stored then on HIS property for 20 yrs and put up with the snides of the clever bastards who said he was a Lunatic) is lost on them .

He wont sell anything , WTF should he its his to do with as he chooses ( see above ) the reality is probably that the clever bastards who were laughing for 20 yrs wanted to get bikes from him but wanted to pay what he paid for them not current market value .

It irrelevant now as there all gone  but I have seen this scenario a few times both here and in the UK ( fortunately not the firey end ) but the bullshit small minded attitude of those who feel entitled     

[firko]

Although the loss of life is always the biggest tragedy in bush fires, there's always collateral damage like those bikes in Arizona. In the Victorian bushfires a few years ago a genuine factory lightweight E type Jag and a rare Cooper F2 were lost in one shed and another bloke lost the 40 Ford coupe hot rod he'd owned for 30 years which was nearing the end of a 5 year rebuild. Who knows what other gems have been lost in bushfires....sad but those 19 fire fighters is the real tragedy in Arizona.
 

[Slakewell]

One should be able to do what they like with their stuff
It is extremely frustrating thou when people like Mike here are clearly suffering from mental illness and they do themselves little favour by flaunting their stuff in front of people. I have learnt over the years that you must stay away from these types as they do your head in. They don’t really want to sell anything just flaunt and they need that ego thing when they have something you desire it’s what feeds there illness.

[TM BILL]

sad but those 19 fire fighters is the real tragedy in Arizona.
 

Hear hear Mark , nobody should lose their life at work , its just wrong 

[Maicoman]

Maybe we should lobby for a law to be implemented  make it illegal to own any more than 10 motorcycles over 20 years old if you don't have adequate, under cover storage for them!! Sorry....that's my pipe calling....time to go in for another dream 

I'll have to vote against you Rookie. I'm one of those people. It's called hoarding, and I love it

[Rookie#1]

Maybe we should lobby for a law to be implemented  make it illegal to own any more than 10 motorcycles over 20 years old if you don't have adequate, under cover storage for them!! Sorry....that's my pipe calling....time to go in for another dream 

I'll have to vote against you Rookie. I'm one of those people. It's called hoarding, and I love it

Bet no more than 10 of them are out in the elements, if any!! 

[VMX247]

are out in the elements, if any!! 

One up on other countries......we all like our sheds   




from the shed pics thread 

[the stig]

That's just heart breaking, all those potential people who could of ridin for our VMX cause  :'(  :'(

     Every time i read where a VMX event that has been called off because of Lack of Entries
     I think of people like this .
     Sure they can do what they like with there Money ..
     But some people are not thinking that perhaps some one else may like to enjoy owning a
     30 + year old bike and and competing in events as well.
     Its not real good for the Future of the Sport

      The Stig


    
    

[oldfart]

 Cappra ... have you ever dealt with this person or just jumping on the band wagon  
So what he had a fire and lost a few treasures, he owned them ( not you ) and if he had the rarest of rare it's his loss..... not your loss.

[albrid-3]

That's just heart breaking, all those potential people who could of ridin for our VMX cause  :'(  :'(

     Every time i read where a VMX event that has been called off because of Lack of Entries
     I think of people like this .
     Sure they can do what they like with there Money ..
     But some people are not thinking that perhaps some one else may like to enjoy owning a
     30 + year old bike and and competing in events as well.
     Its not real good for the Future of the Sport
This morning, I had that same discussion with a friend over the same issue, and he is a horder
      The Stig