West Coast’s Fanciest Stolen Bikes Are Trafficked Through a Single Brain in Jalisco, Mexico

To review this article, select My Profile and then View Saved Stories.

Christophe Salomón

Bryan Hance sitting in his basement on a Sunday afternoon in June 2020 when he won an email about a used motorcycle for sale. A BMC Roadmachine 02 from a Swiss company, the motorcycle painted the color of a traffic cone, with goblin green racing stripes. It’s magnificent. The motorcycle had some of the most complicated parts you can buy with cash, such as fancy Zipp wheels and electronic shifting. It was the kind of riding that made other cyclists, he and his owner, envious when they passed him without delay. Hance surmised that a motorcycle like that would likely charge $8,000, however, he showed up for a fraction of that amount.

However, Hance wasn’t looking for a new motorcycle. What intrigued him most about the motorcycle was that it had been stolen.

Hance is the co-founder of Bike Index, a site where other people can register their motorcycles (for free) and log their flight. This allows cyclists and authorities to keep an eye out for a sliding motorcycle. Since its inception in 2013, Bike Index has helped more than 14,000 stolen motorcycles, from Sacramento to Saskatchewan and as far away as Australia. Hance’s hobby is cycling or, to be more precise, the sense of network and general goodwill that fosters a life in the saddle. A message recommending a missing motorcycle is copied to you each time.

Bryan Hance, co-founder of Bike Index.

Bryan Hance

A cyclist in Portland, Oregon, where motorcycle thefts increased by 20% during the pandemic.

In the FBI’s undercover operation in history.

The WIRED AI Elections project: tracking more than 60 global elections

Ecuador is powerless in the face of drought

Don’t worry: here are the mattresses you can buy online

Joseph Cox

Brilliant Steven

Dexter Tomás

Christophe Nilesh

Marc Harris

Steven Levy

Samantha Subramanian

Hanna Zeavin

More from CABLING

Reviews & Guides

© 2024 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED would possibly earn a portion of sales from products purchased through our site through our associated partnerships with retailers. Fabrics on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used unless you have the prior written permission of Condé Nast Ad Choices.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *