Anyone going to the auction?

Kocho,

If the entirety bidder did truly backout, let me know if you make progress purchasing items from the Vectrix auction. I assume you'd be buying directly from the auctioneer at this point? There were a few items I wanted (Winter windshield, lefthand mirror) but was unable to buy b/c they were sold in the huge spare parts lots.

I'm in Central PA (Penn State). I'd be willing to meet you somewhere on your way home, if you were able to get these parts for me.

What a mess!

Gary

I'll post here when I know for sure if I'm going. Should know by end of day Thursday when will parts be available, so that will determine when I go and if I will be able to get some along with my bike.

I saw only two winter screens on a shelf, one with black bottom like my original screen and one entirely clear. Don't know if there are more in boxes somewhere. If they are available when I get there and the price is right, I can grab one for you too (I also want one as I'm way taller than the normal screen and my head is right in the turbulence zone).

There were tons of tires too, I need a set for my current bike. Also, brake pads, disks, front shocks, maybe a spare seat, 200A fuse, bearings, handlebar grip rubber, mirrors (my right one is cracked), MC (there were dozens of them) ... small stuff like that I will try to get for myself and would not mind grabbing some for you and others too and deliver somewhere along the way. It may even help pay for my gas money :)

You can email me directly for my contact info.

Right now, I'm leaning toward buying the 2009. I would definitely meet you if the day is right, but my windows when I can go are pretty limited. I'm in southern Vermont--you would be welcome to stay here, but it's at least two hours out of your way.

They were explicit about most of the bikes not in boxes not having a certificate of origin. Like you, I figure I can get around that by using enough of my original bike to have that be the registered vehicle. I am assuming that the 2009 is close to the same as the 2007, as far as parts. If anyone knows otherwise, that would be a helpful piece of information.

I haven't decided for certain whether I'm going to do this--pick up is a challenge for me, and they didn't sound too friendly about allowing time: "If you were a high bidder for items that were grouped in the entirety, we are giving you 24 hours to honor your bids from the auction and we will send you an invoice which you can pay and make arrangements for immediate pickup." If I do go, I'll contact you through email about further planning.

Kocho, if you won the bid for that bike, you should have gotten the email I got. In any case, I think you have to contact them by tomorrow morning if you want to buy it.

As far as you know, were some of the batteries the lithium battery of the 2009, and do you expect I could get one of those from the winners of the bid? How hard is it to get hold of a good cell to replace a bad cell in the lithium? I'm trying to figure out what would be involved in getting the 2009 up and running if it has one or two bad cells.

I did not get an email, but I got a call from them. They were a bit more generous with the timeframe for pickup and payment with me, giving me a week or so.

If you do go there before me, please let me know - I can use some information before I go, which I think I will do on Friday.

As for buying some of the Li batteries that were on site, you got to ask them. Retail, new cells like these I think go for something like $40-$60 a piece based on a quick web search. I think someone won the lot for $1,500 for what I estimate were 400-500 batteries. Not bad at all for what comes to $3-4 a pop. He said he'd be willing to sell some of them, unsure at what price. He is probably close to you and I have his email somewhere, so you can check with him in case he will get them.

I'm not exactly sure what's involved in replacing a cell other than what Antiscab's video's for the Li conversion show on YouTube.

And I don't know if the firmware and other components are standard on that bike Li or some experimental stuff is installed. For example, I might have actually won a lead-acid battery in mine - it does say that in the auction listing, which now I understand I somewhat foolishly ignored and attributed to a typo. But I'm told there were indeed some experimental bikes with lead batteries and mine might be one of them. Not good, but my idea for it was to convert it to Li anyway, just wanted to start with a bike with new parts rather than my older bike to hopefully give me a few extra years of trouble-free riding.

Hello, I haven't been in touch with auctioneers for a couple days. good luck with getting spare parts, I put an offer in to get more VX2's but no luck
Piotr got his money, they own the VX1 inventory, Im going to swing by later, see whats up, they even let the forklift die!!!!

Post more later

maybe a spare seat

Oh! I need a seat! Mine is splitting! Not a short seat, normal height.

-Randy

Guess I could help you with seat, an upholsterer can likely redo it

Hello, I haven't been in touch with auctioneers for a couple days. good luck with getting spare parts, I put an offer in to get more VX2's but no luck
Piotr got his money, they own the VX1 inventory, Im going to swing by later, see whats up, they even let the forklift die!!!!

Post more later

Any news? Did you check out what's going on on-site?

Yesterday I spoke with Piotr and and he told me that, while the Dutch investor walked out of the deal, he and his partner still managed to buy the large individual lots (not the "entirety lot"). So he's got the spare parts and all bikes that sold in lots (such as the ones in the back or the lot with the VX-3s). He maybe willing to sell some of that stuff to individuals now - if anyone needs anything they, I think they should contact him or the auctioneers directly as they are still on-site trying to sell off as much as they can from what's left. As far as I understand, Piotr (and his partner) did not buy the individual bikes, unless the winning bidders backed out of their bids when given the chance by the auctioneers to buy or not this week. For example, if I still want the VX-1 I won, I can get it (and I think I will, hopefully tomorrow).

Will keep you posted on how it goes.

I had decided not to purchase the VX-1, so I didn't call them back. I got another call from them today and learned that it does have a certificate of title and bill of sale. I'm going to buy it. They gave until July 3 to pick it up.

I hope to drive down on Monday, Kocho, so you will probably beat me there, but if you didn't make it Friday, let me know what I can do for you.

I'll try this again. Here's hoping this doesn't once again go from not posted to a double post.

I had decided not to purchase the 2009 VX-1, so I didn't call them back. They called today to offer again--it seems the time pressures and buyers chomping at the bit to take the bike from me were made up by them. But I learned that I will get all I need to register the bike and I have until July 3 to pick it up, so I'm going ahead.

I hope to drive down on Monday. Kocho, if you didn't make it down yet, let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Potential bummer on getting an experimental bike, but there is a good chance the MC and other electronics are the same, so you will likely be okay. It won't be as scary taking apart a bike that cost a few thousand less.

maybe a spare seat

Oh! I need a seat! Mine is splitting! Not a short seat, normal height.

-Randy

Randy, if you're vaguely local to DC (or want to pay shipping) you can have mine - I have the lower seat and, at 5'7", I'm never going to need the stock height one :D

To add to the list of 'wants', if there's any chance of getting a winter / tall windshield I'd love one!

J

To add to the list of 'wants', if there's any chance of getting a winter / tall windshield I'd love one!

J

I installed this to my scooter...made a huge difference.

http://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/MRA_X-creen_Motorcycle_Screen_Flip_Spoiler_Air_Deflector.html

To add to the list of 'wants', if there's any chance of getting a winter / tall windshield I'd love one!

J

Jimmy, you should've called me - did not realize you wanted one. I just came back from Vectrix with 3 winter screens (one for me and two for others who asked me for them and some other goodies). And yes, with a white VX-1 on a trailer :) Came with MCO, so hopefully registration will not be an issue. It seems only half-charged even though the battery meter shows almost full, so not sure if all is in order or not... Managed to go up to 60mph, but the voltage at under 130V was too low for more. After I check it out more carefully tomorrow, it will probably get brainwashed with the Laird's firmware and go through a few charge/discharge cycles to see how good the batteries are. It only has 130 miles on the odometer, but how old/new the battery is, is anyone's guess...

Back to the auction - if you have someone local there, they may still be able to get you one in the mail. Piotr and Matteo (the folks who bought most parts lots) are packing feverishly, getting ready to ship what they bought over to Europe. Don't think there will be much if anything left in the US, but there is a slim chance some will stay here somehow. In short, these next couple of days are the last days to buy something from them while they are here. After that, it might have to be shipped here from Europe...

Doh! I guess I should check in here more often! Do you have contact details for Piotr and Matteo you could PM me?

Thanks!

As were the helical planetary gears (quiet with no whine, anyone?).

Does anybody have Piotr Stec's email address. I met him at the auction and would like to update him on a conversation we had. I tried pstec [at] vectrixeurope.com but he did not respond, I am not sure if he still has access to that email account. You can PM me if you prefer.
Cheers,
Andy

Hi,
I found Piotr there :
http://vectrixparts.com/