Two home invasion robbers kicked in the front door of a Bel Air Estates home, tied up a husband and threatened his wife, before making off with two rare motorcycles with a combined value of $1.5 million: a very rare 1914 Cyclone, like this one, and a vintage 1952 Honda racer.
Police said the incident occurred around 4:30 a.m on Saturday Feb. 5, 2012. Two males kicked open the victim’s front door. When the husband got up to investigate the noise, the suspects confronted him, took him into another bedroom and tied him up. His wife was ordered to stay in bed and not moved. The bikes were the only thing taken from the home, according to officials. The suspects took the two motorcycles worth more than $1.5 million and fled in a rented van.
The Cyclone engines overhead-cams were driven by a unique vertical shaft with beveled-gear ends, and the cylinder-head had a hemispherical combustion chamber. The Cyclone engine produced 45 horsepower, and was capable of a 110 mph top speed. Although the Cyclone had a short-lived history, the motorcycle did receive notoriety on the board-track and dirt-track racing circuit. In 1914, the Cyclone broke the one-mile speed record perviously held by Excelsior, coming in at just over 35 seconds. Over the next few years the Cyclone won several races, earning it the nickname of the “speed demon.”
A Cyclone is such a rare and distinctive motorcycle, how the thieves are going to unload it? Or will 2 or 3 partly original Cyclones magically be discovered in the next few years in barns around the country?
That’s crazy. Maybe there is an underground community of people who just have all the stolen artwork etc. in their homes, and only other thieves can ever see it or know about it? No one rats another one out? Crazy.
Yea its not like your gonna run out and sell them,they are the only ones in the world!!I agree with Seymour what do they do with all this stuff!!Sounds like some kind of insurance fraud or something!!I dont know the guy not dogging him out or nothing but wierd!!!
I want to see a pic of the Honda.
American pickers strike again
idjiots
insurance fraud would be kind of odd. That cyclone will pull 1 million plus at auction any time.
Think that on purpose Cyril didn’t publish the owner’s name.
Me thinks someone OWED someone some MONEY. What else they gonna do with those bikes? Strip and chop ’em? NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now appearing in a south-of-the-border drug lord’s den… 2 classic motorcycles.
These bikes were stolen from a friend of mine. These are two of the niciest people you would ever meet. They would do what ever they could to help a complete stranger The fact that someone stole two of his prize possesions is sad. to even mention insurance fraud (morris custom) your an idiot. I hope the police catch these guys better yet I hope we do
Hey, what Mr. Leno wants…
What a gorgeous machine. I am willing to bet they already had a buyer or two in line.
RE:
“…Maybe there is an underground community of people…”
Ya think…….???
There isn’t a place hot enough in Hell for shitheads that pull such stunts.
But God help whoever has em, if they’re bagged by some one other than the cops.
-nicker-
Totally F*ed UP!
To do this to such an awesome guy, who has been kind enough to share his toys and love of motorcycles with others is pathetic.
Both are amazing people and the only light in this darkest is that they are ok.
If you have a lot of valuables in your home you need to have security measures as well.
It`s just a matter of time before something like this happens, being unprepared can cost you your life.
Dogs are good to have around, and a few guns can come in handy as well.
The implications are serious; anyone savvy enough to target two ultra-rare motorcycles knows that they’re completely traceable, and doesn’t care. They know they can’t ever sell the valuable bits out in the open, so must have a buyer already, who is living ‘beyond the law’; yes perhaps south of the border, but lets not forget Russia, or Japan, both of which have extremely wealthy criminal organizations. Japan has no repatriation treaty with the US regarding property. Its the Honda which raises an eyebrow in that regard…
I once had a client whose house was cleared of their $40M art collection while they were away. Of course I was interviewed by the FBI, and learned quite a bit about the movements of stolen valuables…
My sympathies to the collector (a very kind man as noted) and his wife; what a trauma. I’m just glad they’re safe.
With any luck at all someone other than the police will find them first, return the bikes to the owners and return the thieves to their maker.
One can always rely on Vintagent to voice a well considered opinion. I suggest the ‘insurance scam’ option is highly dubious, even by Tinsle Town standards, no offence to those domiciled in L.A, I live in a city where such scams are ubiquitously prevelent.
I had to giggle at ‘American Pickers strike again’ . . . hardly a humourous topic but bloody funny nonetheless. ‘What Leno wants . . .’ wasn’t far behind.
RE:
“Ya think…….???”
Please STFU
Hmmm…I am always surprised at the depths scum will crawl at to steal and terrorize honest people (I am going on the above descriptions). Unfortunately, I fear that neither item will ever turn up again and those responsible obviously have no conscience. Perhaps Karma will get them in the end. Reminds me of the Mickey Thompson case. So sad but at least there isn’t a death. Motorcycles can be replaced but our lives cannot.
Everybody is making good points about these bikes ad the problems associated with selling them but we are assuming the thieves, if any, were intelligent and rational thinkers. The fact they went into a gated community with a large, slow truck shows more stones than brains.
A case was also made that at any time the bikes could have been auctioned. True, but 20-25% less of 1.5 million and hope you get your number in a bad economy whereas insurance pays according to the policy and tax free of any capitol gains.
Which is worse – stealing geegaws that serve no useful purpose or stealing a tired old beater that someone needs to get to work?
Look for the motorcycles to be found in a storage locker, some years from now. 99% of theives are not that intelligent and once they have valuables in hand, they stash them, waiting for the time when they figure out what to do with them. It’s when they initiate “the plan” to sell that they get caught.