Greetings All, Last Wednesday night / Thursday morning my garage in North London was broken into and the b@stards stole an exceptionally rare vintage motorcycle. The bike in question is a 1961 Cezeta 502-00 scooter, one of less than a handful in the UK and certainly the best one in Europe, if not the world. I commenced the restoration project in 2000 and it took five years of blood, sweat, tear, love, devotion and resources to get it to better-than new condition. Now it's gone...with only 330 km on the clock. Check out some photos of this unique little motorcycle HERE. The scooter won the "Best European Bike On Show" award at the 7th "Classic Bike Guide" International Classic Motorcycle Show at Knebworth House in 2006 and has featured in a number of magazine articles, one of which you will find HERE. OK...and now for the real bummer. Not only did they steal it, but in the process they scraped the bike on a concrete pillar as they manoeuvred it out of its parking spot, and also damaged my 328 GTS in the process! After all that, I have no idea what the thieves are going to do with the motorcycle, as it is so rare. There can't be more than half a dozen Cezeta's in the country, and it would be very conspicuous if it came on the market. The thieves are not going to be able to move it in this country or abroad. So this is a plea to all of you in the trade, to those of you who trawl the used vehicle press and websites and to those of you who move in biking circles to PLEASE keep a look out for this unique and distinctive piece of automotive history. And to put it into Ferrari context...PLEASE help me catch the scum that raped my 328 last week. It's been an expensive week. Thanks in advance, MARK
So sorry man. I'll keep an eye on. don't worry i'm sure you will get your precious love back Saludos, Dave
Hello! Not only to steal such a beautiful scooter but also to damage your F-car ist so unbeliefeable.... As I'm really into the german classic scooter scene (Vespa, Lambretta and of course other exotics) i will have a look if someone tries to sell it in Germany... So maybe you can also have a look into www.germanscooterforum.de There is a Threat about rare and exotic scooters besides Vespa/Lambretta. It's called "Gespanne und Exotenroller" Don't be shy to write in english there ;-) And if you want me to start a Threat there - maybe with photos - just let me know..... Cheers Alex. EDITH says, that a friend of yours already posted a threat in a Cezeta-Forum in Germany! Good luck then to get it back!!!
Hi Buschi, I have tried to activate all the networks I know - magazines, club newsletters and the internet: Scootentole (4000 members) http://scootentole.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=28340 Les tontons scooteurs : http://www.les-tontons-scooteurs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1461 German Tatran Website http://www.tatran.net/forum/showtopic.php?threadid=649&time=1173981915& Ferrarichat UK: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=136562809&posted=1#post136562809 FerrariChat Euro: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=136562747#post136562747 Fcars UK: http://******************/forum/showthread.php?p=215124#post215124 Please feel free to post to your automotive forums! Cheers, MARK
Mark, as I said before this is a real bummer. Hopefully with getting the word around forums like this we can help find it. I really hope you get your scooter back, it is a beauty. As annoying as the damage to the ferrrari is, the 328 can always be repaired. Cheers Simon
That really sncks Mark. I am not into vintage scooters but I'll keep an eye out. For the people who don't use links, this is the where Mark is talking about. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Simon, Yes, that's true, but it's all so unnecessary! I would have been happier if they's stolen my BMW to be honest. At least that can be replaced. The Cezeta can't. Well, I suppose it could, but I don't think I can summon up the energy to do it all again!! Waiting for a quote for the Ferrari... Cheers, MARK
Ahhh!! Thanks Roel. The photo on the right is of the guy in Prague who did the restoration for me. Cheers, MARK
Now, I just made up a threat in the germanscooterforum with two photos of it! Fingers crossed to get response.... And what's the damage of the 328 then?
Sad news Mark! Makes you think again about the world we're living in lately.... Why on earth are there such bastards? Why do they do it?... Hope the bike will be found and the thiev(es) will be punished! All my best, Guy
I am sorry to hear about the theft of your scooter Mark. I know what it meant to you. The two of you brought home some nice prices.
Sorry to hear the story. It sounds like they knew precisely what they were after - that's not the kind of equipment that you take by chance. On the other hand why would they damage it. Hope it surfaces and the 328 is repaired quickly.
I am a member of scooterclub Hellas here in Greece I'm sorry to hear what happent.... I did post the report together with photos from your site to our Club Forum... http://scooterclub.14.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?p=42688#42688 You never know where this might end up... Hope you'll find this rare scooter my friend
Thanks Buschi! Do you have the URL for me? I am taking my car in for treatment in April...I will let you know how it goes. MARK
Hi Yiannis - thanks so much for taking the time to do this. You are right - you never know where the scooter may end up. I will keep an eye on your posting. Regards, MARK
Thanks for the kind words Waldo, Przemek, Ton, Pan Modena and Guy. Apologies for my slow response, but I've been in Moscow for a week on business. I have not heard anything from the police and am currently liaising with my insurance companies Regards, MARK
Mark, Given the rarity of the motorcycle / scooter, have you thought about contacting the news channels? Not sure about England, but here in Denver, we get stories like that on the news all the time, helps to bring the publics attention to it. We had a story just recently here in denver where a guy's truck got stolen and it had pictures of his 3 or 4 kids who died last year in a plane crash, his ONLY pictures. They went on TV, in a few days, the truck turned up, stripped, but the pictures were there. Anyway, because of the rarity, if the news picked it up as a public interest story, the pressure would be on to the thieves and it might just turn up, either by them abandoning it, or by someone seeing it on TV. Just a thought, Good luck, James in Denver
Just read your post, this really sucks!! At least you still have your 328 for tuscany... hope you get your scooter back, it looks really cool!
Hi James, Unfortunately local TV is not a feature out here and I am relying on the motorcycle press to give me lots of coverage....especially in the old-timer and restoration markets. I need to do some local community posters and the local newspapers, but have not got around to that yey. Still no word from the police Cheers, MARK
