And you think that it is just DIYers who pull stuff like this?

This was sent to me the other day, by someone who made his New Year's Resolution to be he would not post anything on the 'Net. Disappointed, but understanding his feelings, I could not get him to break his resolution. However, he suggested that I put this on my "blog".

Ok, this is too good not to share. But make no mistake:

This is not an original writing by the author of this site. It is being published here with the knowledge and encouragement of the person who did write it. Respect his desire to remain anonymous.

(I know that is hard for a lot of you. Tough.)

So, without further blather from me:

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I have a friend who I talk to about once every two years now who used to live in one of the more modest sections of NYC. In an old walk-up apartment. Must have been in the early 70's.

Some Japanese guy rented one of the two apartments on the floor below his.

Every day, a couple other Japanese guys would come over first thing in the morning then leave around early evening. This went on for probably three or four months.

Then one day, he noticed that the Japanese guys weren't showing up every morning or leaving at night.

I guess the lease was month to month. At the end of the next month, the landlord came around and opened the door to the apartment rented by the Japanese guy. He'd paid up, and had moved out. The landlord was there to get the place ready for renting.

But he couldn't. He went to grab my friend for help.

It seems that there was a brand new Harley Davidson taken totally part in the living room. Totally. Everything was well organized, too, with tags and everything on each part. In Japanese, of course.

These Japanese guys from some motorcycle company in Japan had taken the motorcycle entirely apart, measured everything, photographed it, made drawings and reversed the entire design. About a year and a half later my friend recognized some new Japanese motorcycle as clearly being derived from that Harley.

But at least guys made the effort and Harley made a sale.