73-year-old Nebraska man reunited with motorcycle stolen 46 years ago, found in California

OMAHA, Neb. – A Nebraska man has been reunited with his long-lost, now-vintage motorcycle nearly 50 years after it was stolen.

Donald DeVault received the 1953 Triumph Tiger 100 on Wednesday at a trucking company near the airport in Omaha.

His first reaction? To hug the man who found the bike. His next move was — naturally — to take the bike for a spin in the parking lot.

The 73-year-old DeVault learned two weeks ago that California authorities had recovered his motorcycle at the Port of Los Angeles. The bike was about to be shipped to Japan when customs agents who checked the vehicle identification number discovered it had been reported stolen in February 1967.

The bike was valued at $300 in 1967. Today, it's worth about $9,000.