Spotted on Craigslist
February 2, 2010Jon Brooks Comments OffBoy, people can get really sarcastic on Craigslist…
I’m reaching out to all members of the Bay Area BMW motorcycle riding community for your support of a fellow BMW rider who’s fallen on hard times. Anyone who’s perused the CL motorcycle listings at least once during the past year has seen the posting for the BMW R100 Head Pipe (damaged). I, like you, initially thought this posting was made as a joke for our entertainment but the subsequent weekly posts have convinced me that not only is the seller serious, persistent, and probably destitute but the clear signs of impaired judgement indicate he may be delusional as well. This individual, in his own way, is crying out for our help.
Nobody in Northern California actually needs or wants a damaged headpipe and current economic conditions have dictated a good belt tightening for all of us. May I therefore suggest a “Damaged Headpipe Charity Ride” as a means of both generating the $35.00 the seller so desperately needs and of showing him that BMW riders can be counted on to be there in his time of mental and emotional need. We can do this with minimal impact on our own wallets. There must be at least 350 motorcycle riders in the Bay Area willing to bite the bullet and cough up a dime apiece to help the poor dude. (May I suggest you get “pledges,” from your workmates, family, employer, etc. to help in this donation effort if you too are facing financial challenges but still want to help). We can set up a group ride to the sellers’ home in the Pleasanton/Livermore area on a mutually satisfactory time. Or, we could wait until next Summer (I’m sure the ad will still be running then) and do it when the BMWMOA has its’ big rally in Oregon. Once the circumstances are explained to the Rally attendees I’m convinced we could get 3500 riders to not only cough up a penny apiece in support of this challenged individual but ride down en-masse for a $35.00 presentation ceremony on the fallen Brothers’ doorstep.
Let me know if you’re in.. Thank you and God bless you for your help.
I’d pay a dollar just to read the guy’s response.
UPDATE: Wait, strike that! I’m not paying a dollar, but I found a response on a BMW Motorcycle Owners of America forum.
STOP! Before you flag this ad (again), know that when you do I’ll just re-post it. And the way Craig’s List works will cause it to rise to the top of the listings. Leave it alone and it’ll slide back down to the bottom, and if someone hasn’t bought the pipe before the ad expires a week or so down the road I’ll renew it. Just like the CL guidelines say I should.
I don’t know why certain people on this list have taken such exception to this post. Yes, it’s for a part that has seen better days. But the pipe is not junk; it got me to Baja and back a few years ago, no problem. Somebody out there with more skill than money, and the right tools, can make it good as new, and at a cost that’s pennies on the dollar. I’d like to give them that opportunity. That’s what CL is all about.
As far as I can tell I’m not violating any of the CL guidelines. And I won’t let this ad be taken advantage of by a bunch of small minded people acting like grade school playground bullies. Keep flagging and I’ll keep reposting. That’s not overposting; that’s standing up for what’s right.
Got it? Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
This stainless steel head pipe is gen-u-ine BMW and fits the R100GS and/or the R100R. This particular example has seen better days, but is still functional. As you can see in the images, the leg is a bit pinched. It could probably be expanded back out by a muffler shop for a few dollars, but I haven’t tried. With a tubing expander like this one you could fix the thing yourself. BMW gets about $175 for a new head pipe, but if you can make this one work it’s yours for $35. Shoot me an email reply if you’re interested and we can get together. I’m not interested in shipping; it’s too big and you should see for yourself what you’re getting before the purchase.
So there…
