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Last updated 05 Aug 2003

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The Straits Times - JULY 12, 2003

Singapore

Bike lost and found - the only purple Harley in town

Biker friends of owner told, and one saw it in a carpark

A THIEF who made off with a purple Harley- Davidson Road King didn't know it was the only one of its kind in Singapore. So, luckily for the owner, it was not immediately repainted. On July 1, Mr Charlie Kek, who normally rides another bike to work, drove his Harley as he had made an appointment with his mechanic.

The biggest bike in the Harley-Davidson stable, a new Road King costs up to $44,000.

But the mechanic could not make it and the 57-year-old parked his bike at his office carpark in Paya Lebar Road overnight. He discovered the vehicle - which he had bought for $40,000 four years ago - missing the next day.

After making a police report, he informed other biker friends, most of them from The Storm Riders Motorcycling Club.

The club sent an e-mail message about the theft to all its 200 members - most of whom know of Mr Kek's purple bike.

Mr Kek told The Straits Times: 'The next day, one of my friends called me and said that he spotted my bike parked at Jalan Besar.

'He said he spoke to the rider, and the rider said the bike was his.'

Mr Kek rushed down.

It took two hours of scouring the area before they found the purple Road King again.

It was parked in a multi-storey carpark at Block 60A, Geylang Bahru.

The licence plate had been changed, but Mr Kek tried starting it with his key.

The Harley roared to life.

Mr Kek wasted no time calling the police and was allowed to take his bike home after an interview.

Police said they are investigating the case.

A Harley-Davidson spokesman confirmed that Mr Kek's Harley in 'purple mica' is the only one in Singapore.

There are about 900 Harleys on the roads in Singapore, and the Road King is the biggest of the motorcycles in the Harley-Davidson stable. A brand-new one costs up to $44,000.

Another pricey bike, a 1,150cc BMW costing $23,000, went missing overnight on June 21.

Owner Seow Kim Wah, 37, an engineer, had parked it in a carpark at Block 616A, Senja Road, off Bukit Panjang Ring Road. The bike has yet to be found.