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Peter Mark / The Canadian Press via AP
The Vancouver Sun reports: A Langford motorcycle dealer is helping to return a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to its owner in Japan after it was washed out to sea by last year's tsunami and ended up on B.C.'s northwest coast. With the subsequent news that the owner had been found, the bike is to be taken to the dealer's shop and packed for shipping to Japan in its rusted state. Harley-Davidson has offered to restore the bike at one of its Japanese facilities so the owner can see the motorcycle before and after.
"I think it's going to be great that it actually goes back in its original condition. I think it's going to have a lot more meaning there," said Steve Drane, owner of the Langford dealership.
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Uhhhhh...Harley Davidson, my 1938 Harley ULH 80" flathead got swept away in a rainstorm. Could you please find it for me and restore it to original condition please? I'd be forever greatful...
It's so nice of you to be so evil so early in the morning. Many of the people in Japan lost everything that they owned including their entire families. Put a sock in it and stop being such a nasty, vindictive POS!
Congratulations to this poor man for getting his motorcycle back and having a little bit of happiness again. Kudos to the shop that is going to ship it to him and Harley Davidson for being so generous in restoring it.
@mo nig
Instead of being such a big "RICHARD" (long for short word) so early in the morning, be happy that something made in america has been bought in Japan. They send everything over here, yet no one hears of american bikes being sold to Japan. I'm proud that an american bike is on Japanese soil. Means we might be reaching out with our goods to foreign countries, instead of the other way around............
This is a very nice gesture from both the shop and Harley Davidson that I am sure is very much appreciated. It will be great for the owner to get at least one small piece of his life back after losing so much to the devastating tsunami.
This man lost his entire family - he was the only survivor. Harley is restoring is bike that was thought to be lost forever like his wife and kids. We should be happy that he is getting something, however small it is, back.
In reality, there is probably little or nothing from that bike that can be salvaged in the restoration. That many months on the sea has probably done a job on every piece of it. It would probably be better (and much, much cheaper) if they just gave him the new Harley of his choice. The restored one won't have much of the original one in it anyway....
Sarcasm is a forgotten art... it's rather disheartening when you see some of the replies to mo nig's post, but apparently he is a nasty, evil, vindictive POS "Richard."
I'm scared to even open my mouth about this article :/
markutk.. sarcasm doesn't really work in writing all that well.. and perhaps sarcasm isn't always welcomed.
I get your point though. That will teach him to open his post (mouth).
Like my momma always said if you don't have anything nice to blog then don't blog at all.
Right then his restored Harley will be a daily reminder of how he lost his wife, kids, family, everything.
You can fix a broken bike but that's about it. Dragging up the past to burn the horror into his mind everyday with the bike...
Monster!!!!
If you knew anything about Harley's, you would understand the humor in Mo's post. His post in no way is offensive towards what happened.
@carl-3838426
Harleys have been popular in Japan for quite a long time. Outside of the USA, Japan is by far the largest market for Harley-Davidson.
cynicism...a sour grapes human trait;-)
A BIG THANK YOU to Harley Davidson Motor Company and everyone involved.
What a wonderful thing to do, kudos! HD recognized in the face of such tragedy a long ride on a restored hawg is going to be therapy for the soul for that man. Right on, and ride on.
This is why Harley Davidson has the reputation it does. They take pride in their work.
how did it not sink to the bottom off the pacific?
an empty gas tank and tires
And all the floaty-chit stuck to it in the debris.
It was in a storage container.
It was in a small shipping container of some sort that the owner was using as a garage. Apparantly it floated. I am pretty sure tires and the gas tank won't float a several hundred pound bike.
I was thinking about the same thing... that is some awesome storage container! where I can get one?
I hope they show the "after" pictures when it's done.
I've got an 'after' picture somewhere around here, if you want to see it. It's a Harley.
So you can drive to Japan
Only American do stuff like this.
it being done in British Columbia and Japan
Anyone know how much a Harley goes for in Japan? Is the owner in a position to just buy another one? I'm starting to smell a "PR" stunt.
Yes, only in America do we think that only in America do things like this happen. Pathetic!
So, Vancouver is now part of the US? Where the Hell have I been?
Canada, idiot!
Last I knew, Harley Davidson was a US company. It didn't mention any Canadian or Japanese companies offering to restore it. Without the restoration there would be no sense in sending a rusted hulk across the ocean.
He is from Texas. May not know that there is country named Canada.
Where are you from aweo
You mean there are countries out side of Texas?
Not any that really matter. Austin is the capital of Texas but Houston is the Capital of the World!
how did it make it all the way here when that boat took so long to make it to this side and it could float. i say bulls--t
things dont float across the ocean in a straight line, its not a race
How do I answer this without making you look too stupid? I don't think I can do it but I wil try. Does it take you just as long to leave your house and run to the market as it would somebody else in your house? Damn, I tried not to make you look stupid. My bad!
It wouldn't be viable to restore it as it has no antique value. Just replace it. Its been in slat water. The motor is shot and the wiring is totally corroded. All electrics exposed to salt water. Everything will have to be replaced from the ground up. A new replacement would cost much less.
You don't really understand the concept of "restoring" do you? Obviously cost isn't the concern here. This bike has special meaning and will undergo a full restoration and be given back to it's owner as a serious good-will deed. I think it's awesome, personally.
What is 'slat water?'
Isn't the Motorcycle highly Radioactive? I think Canada should put up signs warning of High Radioactivity up and down their Pacific Coast.
Thats my opinion.
Think of that radioactivity as a sort of natural nitro-boost this bike will have! At night, it might even glow at high speeds--kind'a like Ghost Rider!
jim , you have never owned a Harley have you ??? have you heard the phrase, if I have to explain you wouldn't understand..... 50 pan, 62pan w heads,67 sportster 78 sportster, 02 beull cyclone, great story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's early here in California, and this story is such an affirmation of the good things that happen in the world that I thought I would hurry up and post an admonition that anyone who tries to turn this into something negative should consider getting into therapy. But alas, I am too late.
Some people just manage to find the thorns on the rose.
Some don't ever even notice the rose, just the size of the thorns.
How did a motorcycle float across the Pacific?
To get to the other side?
hahahaa.. too good
It didn't float. It was in a container with other items.
It didn't float??? So, it sank?? I'm confused.
The bike had to of been in a shipping container of some sort.
That's the least HD can do as they make Millions from consumers buying there overpriced Motorcycles. Your just paying for a name.
Jeoulous much? roflmao What a dik
Harley-Davidson is an Americon icon & has been since 1903. They have had their ups & downs since day one but still thrive because of their reputation & the American dream. If you don't own one, you will never understand. And why is it, someone living in Japan, rides a Harley. That should tell you something about these great motorcycles. I have been riding Harleys over 30 years now. What an experience. Ranknfile, do you own & drive an American vehicle. Talk about over priced UNION products. Enough said.
Then don't buy one. That is your choice.
Do you buy Nike? Dell? Ford? Kelloggs cereal? Sony? Guess you're just paying for the name!
And an American product, damn fine name.
A Harley doesn't do anything special that a Honda, Yamaha etc.... does. It just costs more. For what you pay for a Harley you could buy 2 or 3 of the others. There's a reason Honda is the number 1 motorcycle in the world.
Whenever I'm behind or near a metric I smell burning rice. Buy American.
I guess all the people that dont believe a harley Davidson can float didnt finish sixth grade and cant read. It was in a container the container was full of items packed for moving. A container is sealed to prevent water and dirt from getting in. A container that is sealed is full of air. A container full of air will float. (Like a boat does) Obviously the container leaked and did get water inside hence the rust and damage, it just didnt get enough water to sink. Anyway Harley Davidson from all of us who love your moyorcycles thank you for restoring this mans pride and joy which after losing everything he had he must have thought he would never see again and probably would never have been able to replace. Once restored this motorcycle will be "One of a kind" A special tribute to the man and Harley Davidson. Again thank you for such kindness. A fan for life. Dan.
What is the point in sending it back, it is junk now from the salt water damage. It would cost as much as two new bikes to make it what it was.
Why do you care? Are you paying for it? Didn't think so.
Harley is doing this for publicity and advertisement. Trust me they wouldn't be doing it for anything else. Will I now buy a Harley because of this.
Not a chance.
Would Harley--or other bikers care what you think? Not a chance.
I venture a guess (and a 98% chance of nailing it)--You're from New Jersey--or somewhere in a 300 mile radius.
Nathan doesn't sound like the name of a HD rider maybe a Moped
Who cares why Harley is doing it? Doesn't really matter why? They are doing a good thing for somebody who lost alot. Take it for what it is, somebody is helping out another person. And if HD gets free publicity out of it, so be it.
This is an excellent example of humanity. A stranger found it in the shipping container, others traced it back to the Japanese owner ( who lost 3 members of his family to the tsunami), others recovered the bike, a local bike shop is paying the freight to ship it back and HD-Japan is restoring it. That's a lot of people showing a whole bunch of heart.
Hooray for all those good people!
Is it for publicity? Of course it is. But it's also a nice gesture. And there's nothing wrong with either.
HD is an awesome company. They know a good PR chance when they see one - and it is a good deed as well, so everybody wins.
I'm guessing that the folks who are skeptical of the bike making it from Japan to the North American shores have no idea of ocean currents??? Just go to a beach sometime and see what you can find! Lots of things make it thousands of miles thru the currents....they don't have to float, they can be drug/pushed along the ocean floor and finally pushed onto shores by the waves.
Harley Davidson is making a fantastic statement and will get a world of PR for their actions! Kudos to them! Just think, an AMERICAN company will benefit from their actions!
All you positive people make me proud. All you cynical people make me sick. This is a great story, taken down to the personal level of some good hearted individuals.
The young man needs a few nice gestures. He lost 3 family members of which none have been found! (read the first article on it) I don't care if it's America, Canada or anyone else it's the nice and right thing to do. Harley Davidson will get some pr on it so what! Come on people! Really?
Those poor people lost so much in that Earthquake & Tsunami, it is good to see that there are still people with sympathetic hearts in this ungodly world of selfishness and greed. Good for you Harley Davidson!