[CR] Being played by Craigslist "seller" of Masi

(Example: Production Builders:LeJeune)

From: "Bob Hovey" <bobhoveyga@aol.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <MONKEYFOOD7H7kbb46T00002eb6@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
Subject: [CR] Being played by Craigslist "seller" of Masi
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 06:18:41 -0400


>>> Lou wrote:

<< in effect it was a demonstration of just why the list rule of having a s et price is so important. In this case, it wasn't the owner who violated a rule, so you can't chastise him. But, in the end, it was the list members who got to watch the "troll" as the bait continued to be tossed at us, disc ussed on and off list, then to watch the owner quietly reel in his lure, ref the motor, and? speed away. >>
>EXACTLY!
>One can't helped but feel a bit used & abused after all that is over....
>Dale Brown
>Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>http://www.classicrendezvous.com

Well, I just got around to reading the mail that had stacked up after severa l too-busy days at work. Didn't realize this bike had caused such a stir.

I am completely convinced that the owner had no ulterior motives in listing the bike... he really did want to sell it. And one day he still might. For the present however, he is going to keep it... for reasons I am equally con vinced have little to do with its monetary value.

We exchanged quite a few emails about the bike, a beautiful old 1970 Masi Gr an Crit with first generation decals and red and white "Faema" paint. He is the original owner, paid $425 for the bike back when he was making $90 a we ek, raced it for a while and kept it all these years. He put it up for sale not because he needed the money but because "it seems a waste to just hang it in my garage till I'm dead." It soon became obvious that he really does care about the bike and wanted to see it cared for and used.

It is true that in spite of those sentiments, I advised him to keep it. In all the emails we exchanged, one sentence stood out from the rest: "It's the only material thing I own that actually means something to me." Hearing th is, I decided to take a stab at getting him back on the bike again, pointing out that if that did not work out, he could either hang the bike in his den or office as other ex-racers have been known to do, or dust off the origina l plan and sell the bike.

I realize that some folks who contacted him about the bike might feel disapp ointed and perhaps suspect, as Lou mentioned, that the offer might have been a troll. In this case, it is not. Blame me if you like, it seemed worthwh ile to make an effort to renew his interest in the bike and perhaps get him riding again, and perhaps recruiting another listmember.

Bob Hovey Columbus, GA http://bhovey.com/masi

PS: For those who asked, here are the photos of the bike:

http://bhovey.com/Masi/Jim/