What are the chances of recovering a stolen bike?!

I just found out that my friends 2007 White Honda CBR600RR was stolen last week Tuesday. I have yet to get all of the details from him since I actually just found out from another friend, I called to confirm the story though.

Obviously if anyone runs across a bike that is similar to my friends bike (picture above) please let me know. The bike was stolen in the north Chicago-land suburbs (I'll get an exact location later). The bike had the rear fender removed and a custom led taillight bar was installed along with LED blinkers. The bike still had a factory exhaust, so the heatshields are exposed. I installed blue LED's on his gauge cluster, so the majority of the gauge cluster now illuminates blue, but there is a small section that still illuminates orange. He had also installed blue LED accent lights, which only activate via remote. There was an "X" mark on the pillion seat and the bike had white tape on the wheels. Aside from that, the bike was mostly stock.

I do wonder what the chances of recovering any stolen bike is? Are all bikes stolen to tear apart and sell or if they just joy ride on them and then dump them somewhere? This really blows since my friend really loved the bike.[/img]

 

Being a guy that has had a bike stolen, the phrase "Don't hold your breath" comes to mind.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

It all depends on how "professional" the thief(s) were. If he was a kid or neighbor, you might get it back. But, in the Chicago area, there are a lot of "Pro" thieves out there. I wouldn't wait up for it to return. If you catch them, give them this:flip:and this:yousuck:from me.

 

As you have heard from the concensus that it is very unlikely that your friend will be getting his bike back. Some people load bikes in a bike of a truck by using metal poles and sticking them in the back of a truck, some people just break the handlebar look and pop the ignition.(I am trying to become a police officer...that is why I know some of this...)I dont know how thieves are in Chicago but I know in San Diego best chances are your vehicle is in Mexico.
I would highly recommend if anybody is financing a brand new bike to get gap insurance and lojack especially if you park your buggy outside alot.
Sorry to hear about your friend losing his bike I feel for him I had two cars stolen.

 

Without a LoJack or other security system, I wouldn't hold out much hope.

 

Sorry to say that the guys are right. Chances are slim to get the complete bike back. The best thing he can do is what you are doing now. Post on every motorcycle forum he can find!!! All of us hate theives, especilly bike thieves. About 12 years ago I had a suzuki stolen in broad daylight from a walmart parking lot, I was not even in the store for 10 minutes. I could not belive it People watched as 4 guys loaded my bike in a van (Alarm going off) and didnt even bother to get the licence plate of the van. Anyways the police take thier report and wait for it to turn up. I guess giving speeding tickets are more important than investigations or at least more profitable. about 2 weeks after the incident I placed 2 bogus ads in the paper, one to sell the same type of bike with a blown motor but clear title frame for cheap. and one in the wanted section to by a motor for the bike. It wasent 3 days later I got a bite for someone looking for the clean frame. I wrote down the # reverse directed it and it went to a buisness address. I gave that info to the investigator and lo and behold my bike was back to me 1 week later recovered not 3 blocks from that address. Unfortunately it was in peices and wrecked but at least I had the parts left and not someone else.

 

It really depends on who stole it and why, etc., etc. I had a previous bike stole ('06 CBR 600 RR) when I lived in Miami. I didn't have LoJack or insurance (not required in FL, but really not a smart move on my part). Anyway, the police recovered it about two and a half weeks later... the guy who stole it was riding it, and didn't even bother to change the plates. The real question your friend should ask him or herself is whether or not he or she wants that bike back. I got mine back and right away I had to change the clutch, buy a bunch of new plastics, new locksets, the rearsets were bent from several drops,and it had some electrical faults from the bypass that the thief used. Needless to say, I was really much better off just not having it back at all, sice I had to lugh the bike all the way to California. Luckily, I was able to work it into a deal (not really so much of a deal-but it beats paying for something I can't ride anyway) for my current bike. So it really depends on how quickly the thief can wreck or part out the bike if it is in fact recovered. Good luck and I hope things work out for your friend.