Claiming an abandoned bike

[Joe85]

Now...

 

How the funk do you remove the dash from a Tuono...

[Joe85]

To answer my own question: by removing a lot of screws, some unnecessarily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by Joe85

[Bender]

Be easier when you claim the next bike

[Joe85]

Probably should have done this before removing the dash

 

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=324573

[Joe85]

I feel like I've had my ar*ehole resized by Aprilia. The DVSA told me i needed a dating letter confirming the date of manufacture from Aprilia. Great. No problem... spoke to Aprilia who charged me £50 quid for the privilege.

 

Well, the "letter" turned up today. It's a blank bit of paper with 2 lines on it - "bike was manufactured in 2016."

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Joe85

[geofferz]

Wait till you get a letter from your lawyer! Way more expensive per word

[Yorky]

8 hours ago, geofferz said:

Wait till you get a letter from your lawyer! Way more expensive per word

Wait 'till you get one from your wifes lawyer.

Even more so

[Nick the wanderer]

 

Hi,

well to be fair to them they have done exactly what you asked for. Somebody would have had to look through the database and write that up and post it. Could have been worse.

Good luck with it all by the way, interesting read. 

[Joe85]

3 hours ago, Nick the wanderer said:

 

Hi,

well to be fair to them they have done exactly what you asked for. Somebody would have had to look through the database and write that up and post it. Could have been worse.

Good luck with it all by the way, interesting read. 

Indeed, although i thought for £50 they could have at least included a month or day or something.

[Capt Sisko]

16 hours ago, Joe85 said:

 "bike was manufactured in 2016."

 

Stupid question but, have you tried one of those VIN decoder websites? I just stuck the details of my BMW into one and it told me everything from the date it was assembled to the accessories added when ordered.

https://en.vindecoder.pl/   and many others.

 

Worth a shot.

[Joe85]

Anyhoo... dropped the instrument cluster and ignition with 'Immotech' in Peckham. I opted to drive there and hand it to him personally, with an agreement for payment on collection rather than him posting it for a few reasons:

 

The horror story from the link above has me a bit worried. I can handle being £300 out of pocket on a gamble, but i'd be significantly more devastated to not receive the dash/ignition back too, as it'd cost me well over a grand to replace, and i'd be no further forward.

Secondly, i wanted to see if he'd object to me handing it over in person, and thirdly i wanted to see his workshop to make sure it wasn't just some forwarding address or something. Turns out it's a proper workshop. So either he's legit or he's a master thief.

 

Scheduled to collect on Monday - still 50/50 at this point whether I'll see the bits again. Im hoping, worst case, that i have, at a minimum, a key to get the rear seat off by Monday which will give me access to the battery.

 

.

Edited October 13, 2023 by Joe85

[Joe85]

5 minutes ago, Capt Sisko said:

Stupid question but, have you tried one of those VIN decoder websites? I just stuck the details of my BMW into one and it told me everything from the date it was assembled to the accessories added when ordered.

https://en.vindecoder.pl/   and many others.

 

Worth a shot.

Thanks mate, yes i did. Weirdly the DVSA told me not to resend that document.

[Capt Sisko]

5 minutes ago, Joe85 said:

Thanks mate, yes i did. Weirdly the DVSA told me not to resend that document.

Cut & Paste it onto the letter from Piaggio. Photoshop's a wonder thing!

[Joe85]

6 minutes ago, Capt Sisko said:

Cut & Paste it onto the letter from Piaggio. Photoshop's a wonder thing!

The thing is, they were weirdly specific "It has to be the original letter". I thought for the money I'd be getting some sort of cert with a watermark or something, but it's literally straight off of the HP InkJet under someone's desk.

[Capt Sisko]

Common as muck!

https://www.rideapart.com/news/690637/barn-find-aprilia-rsv-mille/

[bonio]

19 hours ago, Joe85 said:

Anyhoo... dropped the instrument cluster and ignition with 'Immotech' in Peckham. Either he's legit or he's a master thief.

Workshop in Peckham? Under the arches perhaps? Clearly a master thief.

But while a casual lad takes little pride in his work, a professional takes pleasure in doing a proper job. You'll get it back, for sure. 

Edited October 14, 2023 by bonio

[geofferz]

On 13/10/2023 at 08:49, Yorky said:

Wait 'till you get one from your wifes lawyer.

Even more so

Been there

[Bender]

2 hours ago, geofferz said:

Been there

It's cheaper to pay of the solicitors than the ex

[geofferz]

21 hours ago, Bender said:

It's cheaper to pay of the solicitors than the ex

Unfortunately it's a 2 for 1 package - you get both! 

[Bender]

1 hour ago, geofferz said:

Unfortunately it's a 2 for 1 package - you get both! 

I found the solicitors eminently cheaper than the ex

[Joe85]

Well - that was an eventful day!

 

Immotech messaged me at 11 am saying collection from 3 pm onwards would be fine. Then, around midday, he messaged again saying he was having some issues with the dash - uh oh. He wanted pictures of the ECU and said he would need more time to fix it. Cue major disappointment. Then again at around 1 pm he messaged that he needed to open up the dash unit and that it may leave some marks on the plastic. I told him to crack on. Finally, at 2:30 pm,m he messaged to say it was ready for collection. Wooo!

 

The collection was straightforward - he handed me the dash (with some minor pry marks) the ignition and two cut keys, and gratefully paid him then and there via PayPal.

 

 

After racing back at home - first test was the rear seat lock:

 

 

Finally! with the rear seat off i was able to access and remove the battery for charging/conditioning on the Optimate 4:

 

 

Once it's fully charged, i'll whack it back in and try and start her up. 50% there, fingers crossed.

 

 

All in all, im one step further forward. Remains to be seen if he really has recoded the immobiliser.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Joe85

[Old-codger]

I can imagine the grin on your face when that key worked, I would of been running around the garage on a celebration lap or two. 

Well done keep it up.

[Bender]

I don't see why he would make up being able to code them

 

Good luck

 

Awaiting next installment

[Ian Frog]

I love this thread it just keeps giving with highs and lows so your perseverance is to be applauded.

Keep it up and when you get it finally sorted get out and about next year and take lots of pics.

Alternatively track day it and thrash the doodads out of it.

Cheers

Ian

[Joe85]

Looks like the battery is recoverable - It's currently charging away nicely. Bit bored of waiting, though, so started buttoning it up. I consider myself an expert on Tuono front-end disassembly/reassembly, although some cheeky bugger appears to have put two extra screws in my bowl.

 

Went back together surprisingly easily (not including the two rogue screws that are part of a set of 8 that hold the dash cowling together that i cannot find a hole for - it'll be fine...).