Don, this situation happens quite frequently in the classic car world. Someone owns a car (bike?) and it's sitting there deteriorating. Usually it's worse for cars because they are often sitting outside and rusting. The owner has owned it for years and thinks "someday" they will restore it. But it never happens. They keep it for sentimental value, or they think it will rise much higher in value, or sometimes I think they just like the attention.
There's little you can do to change these peoples' minds. Just check back with them once or twice a year if you really want the item they have. Maybe they will eventually sell or their heirs will. If they don't, just enjoy what you already have and what you have already saved from the ravages of time.
Mark Winkelman
Dallas, Texas USA
> Harvey Sachs's 1970 coffee-colored Raleigh International reminded me
> of something.
>
> I know a guy with a 1970 Raleigh International, a sized 24.5" bike.
> It's sitting outside in his shed, and its already rusted and covered
> with dust, and it must have been sitting there for almost 10 years
> already. Its even a little big for him, but he remembers riding it in
> college in santa cruz (he's now in his mid 50's.)
>
> I have offered to help him restore it, or to buy it from him, or we
> could just unlock it and clean it up to look at it. but he just turns
> me down, every time, for every offer.
>
> What do you say to a guy like this ??
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA
>
> P.S. I definitely don't need another bike, but when I think about
> this, i reminded of a spider patiently and intentionally poisoning its
> prey, and it sickens me greatly ...
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