Birthday B-oy!

What Do You Get as a Present for the Man Who’s Already Got Everything He Needs?

When it came to deciding what to get his dad for his 60th birthday, Bill Burgess’s son Ian was stumped. Looking for inspiration he turned to the internet, after all, that’s where we tend to shop these days. On a local selling page on Facebook, he found the perfect prezzie for his dad’s landmark birthday: a Suzuki B120 for sale a few miles away was a much better option than after shave and socks. Ian explained the highs and lows of his Facebook find.

“I had no idea of what a Suzuki B120 really was. I’d been looking for something from the Seventies as somehow my dad would’ve been less excited about a wreck from the Eighties or Nineties. I went to view the bike. The seller wasn’t open to offers on his £375 asking price, but he was local enough for me to waste some time if the trip turned out to be fruitless. I managed to get a few quid off though when I sat on it – the seat pan crumbled all over the floor!”

The problem with doing things secretly means the chances of being found out are often stacked against you, as Ian quickly discovered. “I’d put my dad’s details down on the V5 and tipped my mum off to keep an eye out for any DVLA mail arriving at home with my dad’s name on it. This she did but failed to get to the letter from them about SORN-ing or taxing the B120. This was made extra awkward when my dad rang them up to dispute the letter, claiming he didn’t own the bike in question and that they should get their facts straight!”