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Phil
Very Active Member
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Posted: Sun Oct 5th, 2008 05:21 pm | 1st Post |
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Hi folks as the title says I am in the need of some help from someone in the USA. I recently purchased a BMW R1200 GSA from a dealer in the UK - cut a long story short the bike orgininated from Visalia CA. I have the owners name and address and the bike registration mark - what I really need to do is find the phone number of the previous owner. His name is not that common (at least over here it isnt LOL) and I suspect it is not that common over there. I have a feeling this bike has had a major front end smash and has been rebuilt - only discovered this after buying the bike. I have some serious reservations with this bike and am desperate to find out what its previous history.
If anyone can help out I would be grateful - I have tried the online whitepages but to no avail.
Cheers
Phil
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Yellow GL1800 2003
Yellow Ducati 750SS 2001
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AZgl1500
Moderator
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Posted: Sun Oct 5th, 2008 05:28 pm | 2nd Post |
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I might be able to help. Have a couple of friends in the 911 department at work.
I don't know if they have the power to research California or not, but it is worth a try.
Give me a PM with the info you have...
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John
 
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MDKramer
Moderator
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Posted: Sun Oct 5th, 2008 08:27 pm | 3rd Post |
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Phil, if you've got a name and area, you could always try http://www.anywho.com
Mike
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Mike Kramer
Proudly supporting Viet Nam Vets and Legacy Vets M/C
Red is for the blood shed Black is for the mourning
Been riding that 1980 beauty to the left since 1989
Helpful Hint: Traffic lights timed for 35mph are also timed for 70, 105, and 140!
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AZgl1500
Moderator
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Posted: Mon Oct 6th, 2008 07:42 am | 4th Post |
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MDKramer wrote: Phil, if you've got a name and area, you could always try http://www.anywho.com
Mike
they don't have him. Phil sent me the info by PM, and I just tried that link. no go. I am going to try and see if my 911 contacts can get the info. dunno if we can access California or not, but will try.
There are 42 C. Baumann's in the state of CA though and most of them have a phone number that is public. Hmmmm, guess I just have to dial 'em up 
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John
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pwhoever
Active Member
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Posted: Mon Oct 6th, 2008 02:07 pm | 5th Post |
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One source I have had great sucess with is http://www.zabasearch.com/
I have an unblisted phone number and even mine shows up here. It uses public records instead of phone directories to get the info. It is free and usually very helpful. Sometimes you may not be able to get the phone number but you may get an address.
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wexy
Admin 2
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Posted: Mon Oct 6th, 2008 09:52 pm | 6th Post |
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If you have the vin number of the bike ,then get someone in the states to do a vehicle check on it ,It only takes a few minutes and it will give you all the history ,if there were any insurance claims etc .it is the same as the HPI check in the UK .CIaran
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Looks like Miss Tanygaer has taken over possession of my Tango 1800 ,so I have to be nice if I want to borrow it 
http://www.goreybikes.com
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AZgl1500
Moderator
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 04:08 am | 7th Post |
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I have exhausted my potential leads to find anything.
I did a search with the VIN on http://www.carfax.com and it came back and reported a hit.
What you don't know, without paying the fee, is what did it hit? At the very least, it will report back to you the same information that you have on the title in your hands.
The person you are looking for is not listed in any public documents at the moment. Zabasearch pretty well ruled that out. But, there is a chance that he is one of the hundred or so C. Baumanns that are listed.
It would take an awful lot of phone calls to query each of them personally. I don't have the time to do that.
Sorry,
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John
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MDKramer
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 04:12 am | 8th Post |
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Hey John, I don't know how your laws are constructed in AZ, but I know that in Iowa I used to be able to go into the DOT testing station, give them my driver's license and $5, and be taken to a computer where I could sit down, log in, and look up any records in their database I wanted to find.
Might be something worth asking about if you have the VIN?
Mike
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Mike Kramer
Proudly supporting Viet Nam Vets and Legacy Vets M/C
Red is for the blood shed Black is for the mourning
Been riding that 1980 beauty to the left since 1989
Helpful Hint: Traffic lights timed for 35mph are also timed for 70, 105, and 140!
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rider 76
Very Active Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 04:42 am | 9th Post |
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AZgl1500 wrote: I have exhausted my potential leads to find anything.
I did a search with the VIN on http://www.carfax.com and it came back and reported a hit.
What you don't know, without paying the fee, is what did it hit? At the very least, it will report back to you the same information that you have on the title in your hands.
The person you are looking for is not listed in any public documents at the moment. Zabasearch pretty well ruled that out. But, there is a chance that he is one of the hundred or so C. Baumanns that are listed.
It would take an awful lot of phone calls to query each of them personally. I don't have the time to do that.
Sorry,
AW-OHH! Sounds like a job for the C.I.A.
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Did you know!?
A KIKI bird is a little foul that runs around Canada in the winter screaming KIKIKIrist it's cold!!! But those little *!!#*! don't scare me from riding!!!
73 cb 350 '84 Venture Royal 1200
75 Norton 850 76 gl 1000 LTD
83 silverwing
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Lil Pete
Senior Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 04:53 am | 10th Post |
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Assuming the previous owner isn't dead, do you have his full name and address? Tried a letter? Or do you just have the name and not a current address?
You might also try dogpile.com
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2008 GL1800B (Airbag)
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rider 76
Very Active Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 04:56 am | 11th Post |
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Last edited on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 01:30 pm by rider 76
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Did you know!?
A KIKI bird is a little foul that runs around Canada in the winter screaming KIKIKIrist it's cold!!! But those little *!!#*! don't scare me from riding!!!
73 cb 350 '84 Venture Royal 1200
75 Norton 850 76 gl 1000 LTD
83 silverwing
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Lil Pete
Senior Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 05:12 am | 12th Post |
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rider 76 wrote: Used to work for C.B.I.A. Will see what I can do! Please PM me with the info. you have.
california building industry association ...... collier building industry association..... or Comic Book Industry Alliance ..... canadian background investigators association ... crisis briefing and information area, china battery industry association ..... canadian bar insurance association ... Canadian bureau of investigations and adjustments? 
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2008 GL1800B (Airbag)
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Phil
Very Active Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 05:30 pm | 13th Post |
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Guys
Cant thank you all enough - give you the long version now I chopped the wing and my st1300 for bMW R1200 GSA. Nice looking clean bike.
Anyway picked it and did the deal with the shop and literally picked the bike up and rode to my friends in Ireland. On the way I was clocking 80mph in a corner and the back end let rip. A nut that should have been connected to a bolt holding the paralever torsion bar above the shaft drive was never fitted. The paralever bar has hanging on by a couple of threads and me going round the corner at speed forced it to seperate. Have to say it was an interesting experience and I saw all my life and past misdemeanours flashing past me!
Anyway recover it and managed to blag a nut for the bolt from a nearby diy shop. ROde on to my frineds and we basically stripped the bike down and there was lots of nice new pieces and lots of secondhand bits as well. The bar that connects both handle bars is under cover and having looked at it its bent! Whatever it hit it was substanhcle. Did a bit more digging around and things just did not add up - lights that should have been there were missing and the wiring had been tucked away out of sight. the list goes on but it was all hidden stuff.
Anyway I rode the bike back to the UK and called Trading Standards in and they want to pursue a charge of crimminal negligence agaisnt the company. Just got off the phone to the garage and they are shitting themselves. am now awaiting a call from the owner. It transpires and thanks to AZ1500 and rider76 (a hugh thankyou from me gents you guys never cease to amaze on here) that my suspicions were right the bike has been in an accident. I will allow the bike company to supply me with the full details LOL let them pay for the information they imported the bike from the USA and sold it as a low mileage bike. I guess the adage if it looks to good to be true sort of fits this one.
Can I just say a big thank you to both the gentlemen mentioned above you really did provide the last link and I am more than thankful. So now its a battle between me the bike company (and as luck would have it i have a small amount of finance on the bike and under the sales of goods act here they are responsible as well). All in all the bike will be going back and I am hoping that things will be resolved in my favour if not then I see a civil court action coming off :-)
Thank you all again your help has been invaulable
Phil
ps looks like the deal is off dealer wants the bike back!
Last edited on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 05:46 pm by Phil
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Yellow GL1800 2003
Yellow Ducati 750SS 2001
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tanygaer
Senior Moderator
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 05:43 pm | 14th Post |
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| Phil, are you going to go back to a wing, settlement might run to a nice new 2009 version, uk spec...
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David
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wannabe
Forum Greeter
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Posted: Tue Oct 7th, 2008 08:27 pm | 15th Post |
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hope you get this sorted Phil - whatever you do, do not let the dealer have the bike till Trading Standards have been over it - otherwise there may not be a bike to look at 
K xx
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Karen
passenger on: '98 Honda GL1500C Valkyrie Standard
Give & Get help traveling: http://glhelpers.com/members
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Phil
Very Active Member
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Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 09:27 pm | 16th Post |
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Well the bike has gone and I have brought a new BMW still got problems in getting the bikes released from the garage concerned. With a bit of luck I will ge the new bike by Saturday.
Once everything has been resolved will post the full story.
Regards
Phil
ps I thank you all once again without your input I would be seriously out of pocket with an insurance write off - have to say the dealers attitude has been an eye opener - the garage which has supplier the new bike has been brill and i have nothing but praise for them.
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Yellow GL1800 2003
Yellow Ducati 750SS 2001
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AZgl1500
Moderator
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Posted: Thu Oct 9th, 2008 09:51 pm | 17th Post |
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Phil,
I'm glad it is starting to work out for you.
Ride safe: Oh, do a "Pilot's critique" of your bikes before you ride them for the first time, eh?
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John
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