I need some help to find "the" bike

Hi all,

I am try and find my late fathers (Terence Summers / "Tel" to his mates) motorbike. I remembered it the other day in conversation with someone. The memories came flooding back, the trips we took on it, they were some great times, so I am looking for it.

I am currently missing 1 vital bit of information, the reg! I know this is a long shot, however I want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later while I search for pics to confirm the reg.

UPDATE: I found the reg! It is EF02 ZKJ.

The motorbike:

It is a 2002 Ducati Monster S4 in Red. It was originally purchased in Marks Tey, Essex (and the shop has since gone! ) It had loads of extras on it, carbon fibre, mushrooms, comms system, auto chain oiler, steering dampener, and micro dots bloody everywhere (of course these could have been removed/replaced over time) and a scratch on the right can (from a brush with brickwork). That is all the info I currently have.

The outcome that I am hoping for is to find out where it is, if it is for sale currently, if not, get in touch with the owner to say "give me a ring if you want to sell it".

I hope someone can help

Cheers!

Don't suppose it will help much but the dealer was Ron Parkinsons (Parkies). They went tits up twice. Once when in Marks Tey - before they reopened in centre of Colchester - and then again a couple of years back. However, the chief spanner guy was a top mechanic called Glen Harrison who has now opened a service set up http://www.moto-v.co.uk/ Long shot but he might be able to help or know ' a man who can'?

[Thuli]

I suppose you would have mentioned if your father was ever a member of UKMOC? Perhaps if you mention his name you might also have a chance of triggering someone's memory. Though you biking folk are probably more likely to remember the bike :-/

[Albie]

Sounds like one of the very earliest s4's out there being a Y plate. Earliest I knew belonged to the Late Bumble of the Kent section that was Red but don't remember much extra bling on it. It did have a brownish seat possibly Seargent not Corbin. Is it too early for a racing series Challenge one .
Standard came with carbon fibre belt covers and front mudguard and exhaust shields. I think rear were options as were steering dampers.
If not theres a decent one on ebay at the moment that caught my eye yesterday but best not go back to that again. I take it that its purely sentimental purchase.

Originally Posted by Fraser

However, the chief spanner guy was a top mechanic called Glen Harrison who has now opened a service set up http://www.moto-v.co.uk/ Long shot but he might be able to help or know ' a man who can'?

Thanks very much for the info I will get in touch with Glen and see!

Originally Posted by Thuli

I suppose you would have mentioned if your father was ever a member of UKMOC?

Yeah sorry, he was a bit technologically challenged when it came to the internet so he wouldn't have been a member.

Originally Posted by Thuli

Though you biking folk are probably more likely to remember the bike :-/

Haha, that is what I am hoping!

Originally Posted by Albie

Standard came with carbon fibre belt covers and front mudguard and exhaust shields. I take it that its purely sentimental purchase.

That sounds right to me, it must have been an S4 then. He just spec'd it up at the garage then fitted the comms and chain oiler himself. Thanks Albie, that is right. It would be a 95% sentimental purchase.

Thanks everyone for the help so far. I am making it my mission this week to find a photo with the reg! It will help the odds of me actually finding it no end.

Unfortunately I can't help but will watch this thread with interest! Hope you have some luck and track it down and do keep us posted!

Thanks Petej, I will keep everyone posted. I've contacted Glen so I will see where that leads. All while trying to find a photo, I must have one somewhere!

[utopia]

Thuli's point that it might help if you provided his name is a good one.
Tbh, I can't really understand why you didn't do this in the first place.
No offence intended but the omission of this info (which could be considered to be an obviously helpful factor) might be considered by some to be a little suspicious in this age of faceless internet communication.

Originally Posted by utopia

Thuli's point that it might help if you provided his name is a good one.
Tbh, I can't really understand why you didn't do this in the first place.
No offence intended but the omission of this info (which could be considered to be an obviously helpful factor) might be considered by some to be a little suspicious in this age of faceless internet communication.

Point taken utopia, I am usually overly cautious and I don't like divulging more information than necessary when online. He wasn't a member, or overly social in the biking community (he just kept to himself) so I didn't feel it necessary.

In the interest of openness (and if it will help in any way to find his bike) I have amended the original message to add it in (Terence Summers / "Tel" to his mates).

[utopia]

Can't fault that for a response.
Good luck with the search.

Originally Posted by utopia

Can't fault that for a response.
Good luck with the search.

Thanks utopia. I will post the reg as soon as I can find it.

Originally Posted by Fraser

Glen Harrison who has now opened a service set up http://www.moto-v.co.uk/ Long shot but he might be able to help or know ' a man who can'?

Great tip Fraser. I've got in touch with Glen and he may be able to help, if I can get him the Reg. That is my weekend sorted, searching for the reg. An hour a night after work isn't cutting it!

[Albie]

Did he have any old insurance documents left lying around maybe

Yeah, I think it would be great for you to find it, and better still if you could get it back into your family, I look forward to hearing the outcome if you get lucky.

[Mr Gazza]

Of course DVLA would be able to match a reg to an owner in seconds, and the Police have access to that info too.
I don't suppose for a moment that they would tell you who owned that bike, but....

If you took the right approach at the right time, an amiable Policeman might... just might, contact the owner on your behalf and forward your contact details. It's probably highly irregular (or even illegal?) but might be worth a try?

I am fairly certain that DVLA would tell you the reg of the bike that your Father owned?
I think they will list vehicles owned by yourself historically, for a fee possibly.

It might be worth having a chat with DVLA to see how far you can go in that direction. Or wander into your local Police Station and not expect too much.

I am sure there must be some sort of search service that could be employed, such as the vehicle check that you can buy when buying a bike.

Did you get any further with tracking the bike down??