James Dean's motorcycle
Glenn Biddle
The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
Elvis Presley'.
Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
G.B.
Andrew Cunningham
Glenn Biddle wrote:
> The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
> Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
> If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
> G.B.
Yeh I heard this from my girlfriend's father who isn't inclined to make
thing like that up and the story was exactly the same.
I think he saw it on TV...? I'll investigate further
Lucky bas.... heh
--
Andrew Cunningham
a.cunn...@fcollins.com.au
Andrew Cunningham
Kevin Gleeson
In article <32088C...@deakin.edu.au>, Glenn Biddle <gjbi...@deakin.edu.au> wrote:
>The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
>column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
>serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
>offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
>of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
>why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
>the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
>bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
>which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
>Elvis Presley'.
>If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
> G.B.
I heard it about a week ago and the storyteller swore that it took place
in the Huon Valley south of Hobart.
I thought it sounded like an urban myth, but you're right - it's a great
yarn anyway.
Cheers
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kevin Gleeson
Imagine It
3D animation and graphics
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
http://www.tasmall.com.au/imagine_it/
The Librarian Rules! - OOOK!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dave Fitch
Glenn Biddle <gjbi...@deakin.edu.au> writes:
>The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
>column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
>do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
>serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
>offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
>of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
>why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
>the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
>bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
>which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
>Elvis Presley'.
>Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
>If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
> G.B.
The variation I heard was from our local (free) rag which said it
was a local resident (Sydney's north shore) and the shop he rang
was Northshore Motorcycles at Artarmon. I later read (might have
been the SMH's Saturday motoring section) that it's an "urban myth".
Besides I wouldn't believe anything in the "column 8" (is there any
other capital city newspaper with a combination society/gossip
column on the front page??)
Dave.
--
_______________________________________________________________________
| . |
| Rev. David Fitch _--_|\ "I am minuspeptic, frasmotic, even |
| dar...@matra.com.au / \ compunctuous to have caused you |
| Ph : +61 2 9901 1413 \_.--._/ such perricabobulations." |
| Fax : +61 2 9901 1616 v E. Blackadder to Dr Samuel Johnson |
|_____________________________________________________________________|
Benn Salier
Glenn Biddle wrote:
>
> The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
> column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
> do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
> serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
> offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
> of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
> why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
> the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
> bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
> which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
> Elvis Presley'.
> Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
> If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
> G.B.
Yep, it's true, but it seems the details are not quite right.
It happened to a friend of a friend of a (you know how it is...) down
here in a place called Huonville, just south of Hobart. The guy had
been looking for a harley for quite some time when one came up for sale
at $4,500, but needed a part which the owner could not afford. They
bought the bike, and on the monday rang Harley Melbourne - gave the
bike's chassis number, and was offered $10,000 on the spot. When asked
why, the harley Melbourne guy replied that the particular harley was a
bit of a collectors item. The new owner refused, said that he'd been
looking for a harley for quite some time. He rang Harley sydney for the
part, gave the chassis number, and got offered $30,000 on the spot, and
the same story "a bit of a collectors item, a rare type of harley..."
Again he refused to sell it, but quite curious as to what was the story
behind the bike, he rang Harley Davidson America, told them what
Melbourne and Sydney had said - and gave them the chassis number -
America offered him two million ($2,000,000 - just to make sure the
figure's right ;-) - Again the guy asked what was the story with the
bike - and was told to put the phone down, go out to the back of the
bike, undo a flap which underneath revealed a plaque which said "To J.D.
from Elvis".
The story behind why on earth it turned up in Huonville is that it was
stolen in America from a motorbike show and they lost track of it for
quite a few years. They guy is being flown from Hobart to America with
the bike, and there is to be some ceremony - I wonder if they'll give
him another harley...
Benn
--
___________________________________________________________________
Benn Salier, Department of Computer Science, University of Tasmania
e-mail: b_sa...@cs.utas.edu.au
Cool Talk: be...@bsalier.cs.utas.edu.au
WWW: http://www.cs.utas.edu.au/cgi/hons/b_salier/index.html
Voice: +61 (002) 20 2957 Fax: +61 (002) 20 2913
___________________________________________________________________
Agent Mulder:- "I believe there are OS/2 applications out there."
Matthew Weinert
In article <4ubcfe$1...@news.mel.aone.net.au>, ima...@h130.aone.net.au says...
Everyone should check the daily news column of motorcycle Online from the
1/8/96. The story even made it to America where the H-D Historian basically
said it is a lod of bullshit, an urban myth. The story ends with a quote "This
bike is not in any way, shape or manner in existence" Maybe it is just another
ploy by people associated with H-D to keep the mraket for H-Ds bouyant.
Matt
Thomas Cohen
Andrew Cunningham (a.cunn...@fcollins.com.au) wrote:
: Glenn Biddle wrote:
: > The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
: > Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
: > If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
: > G.B.
: Yeh I heard this from my girlfriend's father who isn't inclined to make
: thing like that up and the story was exactly the same.
: I think he saw it on TV...? I'll investigate further
: Lucky bas.... heh
According to the motoring column on Friday, they've heard the story
at H-D in Milwaukee about 30 or 40 times. Sometimes it's just a
guitar and the name Elvis, sometimes the gift to Dean.
However, I do know of a true story - this bloke I worked with once
had a grandfather who was an ex-engineer. Had all these cars and
bikes lying around (1924 Rolls, etc). He died, and the grandmother
(who couldn't stand him by this time) actually gave a 1926 Harley
to someone who'd heard about it and fronted up asking to buy it.
He had no reason to embellish the tale, so I believe it.
yow,
--
Tom Cohen | "You need a brain the size of a melon to take
th...@ot.com.au | it all in, and one the size of a walnut to
Open Technology Pty Ltd | actually race it"
ph: +61 2 9964 9633 | - Peter Salmon, talking about the Isle of Man
John Lamp
Glenn Biddle <gjbi...@deakin.edu.au> writes:
> The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
> column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
> do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
> serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
> offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
> of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
> why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
> the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
> bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
> which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
> Elvis Presley'.
> Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
eah, I heard it happened in Tassy
> If it's not true column 8 published a bloody good rumour.
What else is new?
Have a look at rec.motorcycles.harley the urban legend of the JD/Elvis bike
turns up regularly.
Cheers
John
_--_|\ John Lamp, originating in Hobart, Tasmania
/ \ email: jw_...@calvados.apana.org.au
\_.--._/ APANA? email in...@apana.org.au
v <----<< calvados? email in...@calvados.apana.org.au
Ulysses #10185 DoD #1906
John Lamp
th...@ot.com.au (Thomas Cohen) writes:
> However, I do know of a true story - this bloke I worked with once
> had a grandfather who was an ex-engineer. Had all these cars and
> bikes lying around (1924 Rolls, etc). He died, and the grandmother
> (who couldn't stand him by this time) actually gave a 1926 Harley
> to someone who'd heard about it and fronted up asking to buy it.
Maybe she didn't like the guy - why else would she give him a Harley?
Ian Drysdale
Yer , I've heard the same story but like all good urban myths - it happened to
someone not known personally by the ( several ) people that told me - but to a
friend of a friend / cousin / brother in law etc etc. However all the versions I
heard were based around the Sale area in Gippsland ( Victoria ).
However - a TRUE story : a friend of mine ( I can name him ) was offered a
little racing car by the widow of its owner . It was underneath the house in an old
suburb in Melbourne and a quick look revealed a pretty rough old go cart sort of
arrangement covered in crap. He said he would come back later but wasn't keen on his
parents reaction to another piece of junk in the garage - anyway he bit the bullet
and pulled it out - as suspected it was a piece of junk except for the Vincent Black
Shadow motor in it ! On pulling it out he tripped over a pile of junk in the half
dark - you guessed it - a spare motor in pieces ( & badly corroded ). Last I heard
he was putting in a Norton frame - A popular conversion but one that Phil Irving
said ruined 2 motorcycles in one operation.
Don't know what Phil would say - but the last Boxhill Townhall Vintage bike
show featured not one but two lovely Vincent / Ducati conversions. Very tasty too.
IAN
Richard Cant
Think about it guys... James Dean was dead well berfore Elvis Presley
had first swung his pelvis in anger.
I like the Vincent story, though...
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_--_|\ Richard Cant |RD250LC - Sounded fast |
/ \ ca...@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au |RGV250 - Went fast | @__>_
\_.--._/ ca...@yallara.cs.rmit.edu.au |Duke 851SP (888) - An animal | ,-_^/_/(_)
v RMIT Computer Science |"Power Wheelies? NO PROBLEM!" | (_)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Cohen
Richard Cant (ca...@yallara.cs.rmit.edu.au) wrote:
: Think about it guys... James Dean was dead well berfore Elvis Presley
You real sure about those dates? I though Dean copped it in about '58.
Elvis had been famous for a bit then.
Richard Cant
Thomas Cohen (th...@ot.com.au) wrote:
:
: You real sure about those dates? I though Dean copped it in about '58.
: Elvis had been famous for a bit then.
James Dean died in Sept 1955, Heartbreak Hotel wasn't released until 1956.
sandyhor...@gmail.com
> The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
> column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
> do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
> serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
> offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
> of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
> why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
> the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
> bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
> which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
> Elvis Presley'.
> Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's legitamicy.
I knew a certain friend of ours who worked with the man who had this motor bike in the 50s the story above testify this is true
Diogenes
wrote:
> On Wednesday, 7 August 1996 08:00:00 UTC+1, Glenn Biddle wrote:
> > The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in
> > the SMH column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000
> > with the intention to do it up. He rang a local parts place
> > and the dealer ask him for the serial number of the bike,
> > which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer offered him
> > $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
> > of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the
> > Harley club why somenone would offer him so much money. After
> > giving them also the serial number of the bike, they then
> > offered him $1,000,000 for the bike. He was informed by them
> > to look under the seat of the bike, which he did. Under the
> > seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from Elvis Presley'.
> > Has anyone else heard this, and can anyone testify to it's
> > good rumour.
> I knew a certain friend of ours who worked with the man who had
And I know a bloke who has one of them newfangled contrapshuns
called a pooter and he rode that thing all the way to The
Interweb where he found a bar called Snopes. And while he was
there, enjoying a beer, the barman told him that there's a lot
of shit being told, by obvious wankers, about a Harley that Elvis
supposedly gave to James Dean.
http://www.snopes.com/autos/dream/elvis.asp
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
Diogenes
bottomless repository for utter bullshit? Makes me hesitant
to be seen in the company of other bikers... ;-)
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
Fred Kroft
> http://www.snopes.com/autos/dream/elvis.asp
What if it's a cover up ? O_o
--
Adelaide, South Australia
Diogenes
> On Mon, 18 Jan 2016 09:08:32 +1100, Diogenes wrote:
>
> > http://www.snopes.com/autos/dream/elvis.asp
>
> What if it's a cover up ? O_o
to prove it or bugger off.
Further on the subject of conspiracies: There _are_ LOTS
of real conspiracies, but there are many more conspiracies
imagined by paranoid lunatics. The challenge for the sane
is to accurately discern which are real and which are
imagined. I tell ya, it's enough to drive ya nuts !!! ;)
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
nicola...@gmail.com
> The other day I was told a story which supposedly appeared in the SMH
> column 8 in Sydney. A guy bought a Harley for $5000 with the intention to
> do it up. He rang a local parts place and the dealer ask him for the
> serial number of the bike, which he gave him. Shortly after the dealer
> offered him $70,000 for the Harley. The guy declined the offer, but out
> of curiousity he rang the states and ask someone at the Harley club
> why somenone would offer him so much money. After giving them also
> the serial number of the bike, they then offered him $1,000,000 for the
> bike. He was informed by them to look under the seat of the bike,
> which he did. Under the seat a plaque read 'To James Dean from
> Elvis Presley'.
Doug Cox
G got it with snopes.
Toosmoky
Diogenes
wrote:
> Harley-Davidson didn't even use serials on frames until 1969. Engine numbers only.
>
> G got it with snopes.
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
traffor...@gmail.com
traffor...@gmail.com
traffor...@gmail.com
traffor...@gmail.com
Diogenes
wrote:
> True
You're starting to sound like The Donald.
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
Jeßus
wouldn't stop playing the electric guitar at top volume.
Bill_h
that have turned up as barn finds. I think the count is up to 37.
