I Bought 14 Motorcycles at Auction and its NOT GOOD
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the narrator recounts his experience purchasing 14 motorcycles at an auction in Las Vegas, only to find that most of them don't run. With the help of Craig, a skilled mechanic, they embark on a journey to restore the bikes. The narrator shares his excitement and disappointments as they assess each bike's value and condition, revealing the highs and lows of his impulsive buy. From a rare 1986 BMW R80 GS to a 2004 Yamaha M1, each motorcycle tells a story, and the video is punctuated with humor and the unexpected challenges of dealing with a broken-down trucking company. The video concludes with the reveal of the narrator's most anticipated bike, the Honda Rune, and a contemplation on starting his own auction platform for motorcycles.
Takeaways
- ðïž The narrator purchased 14 motorcycles at an auction in Las Vegas, but only two initially ran.
- ð° The narrator paid $4,000 for a 1986 BMW R80 GS, which is valued between $12,000 and $17,000.
- ðïž A 2013 Road King 10th anniversary bike was bought for $8,000 and is valued around $14,000.
- ð The narrator and Craig, a skilled mechanic, work together to get the bikes running.
- ðž The narrator spent $7,000 on a 2004 Yamaha M1, which is a rare model not released in America.
- ðïž A 1986 Honda Z50 Christmas special was bought for $10,000, with similar models selling for up to $225,000.
- ð ïž The narrator and Craig encounter various issues with the bikes, such as missing parts and non-functioning clutches.
- ðŠ The narrator had a negative experience with a shipping company called Thrasher Trucking, which led to additional costs and delays.
- ð The narrator considers starting his own auction platform with clear fees and detailed descriptions of motorcycles.
- ðïž The narrator is excited about a Honda Rune, a unique motorcycle he has been looking for a long time.
- ð€ The narrator contemplates the idea of starting an auction with curated motorcycles and transparent information.
Q & A
How many motorcycles did the narrator buy at the auction in Las Vegas?
-The narrator bought 14 motorcycles at the auction.
How many of the purchased motorcycles were initially running?
-Only two of the motorcycles were running when they first arrived.
What is the narrator's profession or hobby related to motorcycles?
-The narrator seems to be involved in buying, restoring, and possibly selling motorcycles, as they discuss the value and condition of the bikes.
What is the value range of the first generation BMW R80 GS motorcycles?
-The value range for first generation BMW R80 GS motorcycles can be as low as $10,000 and as high as $35,000, depending on the miles and condition.
How much did the narrator pay for the 1986 BMW R80 GS?
-The narrator paid $4,000 for the 1986 BMW R80 GS.
What was the auction price for the 2013 Road King 10th anniversary bike?
-The auction price for the 2013 Road King 10th anniversary bike was $8,000.
What is the estimated value of the 2004 Yamaha M1 sport bike?
-The narrator estimates the value of the 2004 Yamaha M1 sport bike to be around $8,700, considering the fees and expenses.
Why was the narrator excited about the 1986 Honda Z50 Christmas special?
-The narrator was excited because the 1986 Honda Z50 Christmas special is a rare and valuable bike, with similar models selling for up to $20,000 or more.
What was the narrator's total expense for the Honda Rune after fees and everything?
-The narrator's total expense for the Honda Rune was around $5,000 after fees and everything.
What issue did the narrator encounter with the rotary engine motorcycle?
-The narrator encountered several issues with the rotary engine motorcycle, including a lack of fuel, a dry engine, and various parts not being put together properly.
What is the narrator's plan regarding motorcycle auctions?
-The narrator is considering starting their own auction with clear fees, descriptions, and curated motorcycles with videos showing their condition and operation.
Outlines
ðïž Auction Motorcycles: A Risky Purchase
The narrator describes his impulsive purchase of 14 motorcycles at an auction in Las Vegas, which turned out to be a gamble. Only two of the bikes were running initially, and he enlists the help of Craig, a skilled mechanic, to assess the value and condition of each bike. They begin with a 1986 BMW R80 GS, which is in excellent condition despite high mileage, and a 2013 Road King 10th anniversary bike, both of which seem to be good deals. The narrator also mentions the lack of information provided by the auction, which made the purchase a significant risk.
ðž Valuing the Bikes and First Impressions
The narrator and Craig continue their assessment of the motorcycles, focusing on a 2004 Yamaha M1, a rare and valuable bike that was previously owned by Corbin, a seat company. They also discuss the challenges of valuing such unique bikes. The narrator reveals his excitement for a 1986 Honda Z50 Christmas special, which, despite its small size, has a surprisingly high value due to its rarity and condition. The segment also includes a humorous moment where the narrator struggles to start the Z50 due to its tiny carburetor.
ð ïž Mechanics and Mishaps
The video script details the narrator's experiences with various motorcycles, including a Gorilla Z50, which has a unique design, and a two-stroke bike with an interesting cooling system. The narrator encounters a few setbacks, such as flat tires and a leaking bike, but also has some successes, like getting a few bikes running. The segment highlights the unpredictability of the motorcycles' conditions and the narrator's mixed feelings about the value and potential of his purchases.
ðïž Disappointments and Excitement
The narrator expresses disappointment with the Honda V45 Interceptor, which did not meet his expectations despite its attractive appearance. He also discusses a trials bike that he is excited about, despite its non-functional clutch. The segment includes a humorous anecdote about the narrator's desire to learn how to ride trials and his enthusiasm for the bike's potential. The narrator also shares his frustration with a shipping company, Thrasher Trucking, which failed to deliver the motorcycles as promised, leading to additional costs and delays.
ð€ The Rotary Bike and Auction Reflections
The narrator's excitement for a rotary engine bike is dampened by its poor condition, which is revealed to be a disappointment. He shares his thoughts on starting his own auction, emphasizing the importance of clear fees, descriptions, and transparency. The narrator also mentions a secret bike under a tarp, which he is very excited about, and plans to reveal in the next video. The segment ends with a teaser about a 1929 Harley-Davidson and a Honda Rune, which the narrator has been looking for a long time.
ð The Honda Rune Reveal
The narrator concludes the video script with the reveal of the Honda Rune, a bike he has been searching for and is very excited about. Despite its dusty and worn appearance, the bike starts, and the narrator shares his positive experiences with it in the past. He expresses his anticipation for the next video, where he will further explore the bike and possibly address the issues with the rotary bike.
Mindmap
Keywords
ð¡Motorcycles
ð¡Auction
ð¡Restoration
ð¡BMW R80 GS
ð¡Road King
ð¡Yamaha M1
ð¡Honda Z50
ð¡Gorilla Z50
ð¡Honda Rune
ð¡Shipping and Logistics
ð¡Rotary Engine
Highlights
Purchased 14 motorcycles at an auction in Las Vegas.
Only two motorcycles initially ran.
Hired Craig, a skilled motorcycle mechanic, for assistance.
1986 BMW R80 GS was bought blind for $4,000 and is in good condition.
2013 Road King 10th anniversary bike was bought for $8,000.
2004 Yamaha M1, a rare bike not released in America, was bought for $7,000.
1986 Honda Z50 Christmas special was bought for $10,000, a high price for a small bike.
The Z50 has never been ridden and is in pristine condition.
The Z50 Gorilla, a taller version of the Z50, was bought for $3,000.
A mysterious two-stroke, air-cooled bike was bought for $850.
The Honda V45 Interceptor was a disappointment, bought for $1,500.
A trials bike was bought for $1,400, but the clutch doesn't work.
The 350 BW, a rare bike, was bought for $1,300.
A rotary engine bike was bought for $3,750, but it had numerous issues.
A 1929 Harley-Davidson was also purchased, potentially a significant investment.
The Honda Rune, a long-sought-after bike, was bought and is in poor condition but has potential.
Considered starting an auction with clear fees and detailed descriptions.
Transcripts
so a couple weeks ago I bought 14
motorcycles at an auction in Las Vegas
and it took a couple weeks honestly this
might have been a huge mistake but they
finally showed up and to my surprise
only two of them actually run we're
going to figure out on a bike by bike
basis that I make a good purchase or an
awful purchase and we're going to try to
get all these bikes running today but
first I'm going to need some
help hey
you behind the wall you know anything
about
motorcycles little bit come on I need
your help I'll pay you 30 bucks for the
day yeah come we'll see if this guy can
help us out I mean sometimes you just
need a warm body to the pick up and move
stuff and I need a good uh assistant you
know what I mean a gopher okayy go get
that wrench hi I'm
Craig that's here well I need I need an
assistant to help me with these bikes oh
wow got a lot of motorc Mes in
here you guys might recognize Craig from
the bearded mechanic he is the best
motorcycle mechanic out there actually
we do have a little bit of History
together we met once
before yeah we jumped in the clous and
went to the store to get a bunch of
stuff that we might need but probably
don't you
good
just like old times and then I show
Craig the one of only two bikes that
actually run from the auction my very
amazing gen 1 1986 BMW r80
GS so this is the last bike I bought and
I kind of bought it blind paid $4,000
for it and these first gen GS bikes can
sell for as low as $10,000 and I've seen
them as high as like $35,000 and that
just depends on the miles and the
condition now mine's got 32,000 Mi on it
but it's in really good condition the
problem is I didn't know it had 32,000
Mi on it because meum auction they
barely show anything at best you might
see two pictures that looks like they
were taken with an etra sketch and most
of the time they wouldn't even tell you
how many miles were they wouldn't tell
you how many miles were on the bike they
wouldn't tell you if it ran they you had
no information about these bikes this
one's actually one of the toughest ones
to appraise because not that many first
gens have sold in this condition I would
value it somewhere between 12 and maybe
177,000 if we had to nail it down let's
go conservative let's put a number at
$12,000 and I got to admit it looks good
and runs good
too now this is my 2013 Road King 10th
anniversary bike and like the last bike
I had zero information I didn't know the
condition I never saw it before and I
didn't even know the miles on it and I
stole it for the auction price of
$8,000 and when I went and saw for the
first time the bike is beautiful it's in
perfect shape has 7600 M on it really
low miles but I would value this bike at
around 14,000 bucks making this thing a
killer deal if we can actually get it to
start because when you turn on so did we
buy everything we needed except
batteries uh no I have I have
batteries I thought I saw you bend it
out okay we have more than we
did okay let's pop the uh we just need a
jump just find a ground
anywhere
oh
on oh
go we need
um we need
more cowbell yes we need probably more
volts to be firing the fuel injection if
we threw a new battery in
there it'll run we need a
battery they would have them at a riy
would they I believe so yes yes this is
right
now we spent 3 hours on the the
potentially the easiest bike we had to
get running it just needed two batteries
well we got lunch too we got lunch to
all
right all right
two down 12 more to go oh man that bike
feels
good did you say I'm getting 30 bucks
per day or 30 bucks per bike 30 bucks
per day oo I should have kept walking
now this is the other bike that showed
up actually running it's a 2004 yamal M1
1700cc v twin yamal sport bike which is
super cool and never released in America
and it was previously owned by by Corbin
the seat company which might explain how
they got this thing into the United
States cuz I think they used some type
of Trade Show loophole of how they were
able to get it in here but now that it's
here it's perfectly legal to own I could
not have got this thing into the United
States and I cannot wait to ride this
thing all we have to do is bleed the
front brakes and it should be good to go
now I paid $7,000 for this thing which I
think is a pretty good deal with fees
and all my expenses I was somewhere
around 8,700 bucks it's a tough bike to
Value but I think at least on a
conservative mark it's worth 8,700 bucks
no break it's a very very interesting
bike this is a 2004
M1 it's a nak Street Fighter bike with a
1700 CC v twin really really cool bike
not that cool if you're from Canada cuz
apparently they they got this how did
Canada get anything that we didn't get I
don't
know Pur this was Corbin's bike they
bought this bike so they can put they
can build this thing in the seat which I
think looks good Awful this is the ug
dumbest thing ever so you can put a
sandwich back there looks like someone
actually rode the thing aop pic exhaust
carbon fiber Wheels it was done up very
nicely I would love to find a original
seat for this get this ugly thing off
there and really cool bike it's got
baringer brakes and clutch which the uh
this brake is smoked let's put it back
let's get the next one running now this
is the bike this is the 1986 Honda Z50
Christmas special born the same year I
was born this one has never been ridden
not sure if it ever fired up and I paid
$10,000 for it hold on hold on I know
what you're thinking that number is
insane for a little tiny child's bike I
can ride that bike I fit on that bike
but that that's an insane number for a
little tiny child's bike well in the
past 6 months two of them have just sold
for
$225,000 so it might not be as insane as
you thought it was but let's see if it
runs I think it's it's the coolest
looking bike ever this one's nicer and
it apparently has no no miles no hours
let's see if we can get this guy running
this bike is Cherry it is really really
nice I mean we still have Nubs on tires
yeah pretty easy super clean you could
have got a bike like this yeah Christmas
day I was that kid too like every
Christmas I'd wake up thinking like one
of these years there's going to be a
bike under the tree yeah there never was
no there never is I can't get my finger
in there I was going to try have some
spark plugs now I'm getting a little
concerned maybe this thing's not as a
spring chicken as we thought it was well
you know what if this thing was sitting
the that carburetor is so tiny it's very
small we're not getting any fuel it's
crazy because if you looked up a Z50
anywhere on Craigslist Marketplace
whatever they're not worth very much
maybe 700 bucks maybe 1,200 bucks if you
look up this one the 86 Chrome Christmas
special seen these things sell as high
as $20,000
and that wasn't a fluke I think more
than one it's happened multiple times
yeah so there's no way that like I said
that that idle circuit is so small that
I don't think
we'll I
don't
wow might be the most this bike ever ran
yeah that is so cool I will say this
that is that's oil from a bike that's
never been ran or R
Ren that's straight up Dino
juice well that's amazing I love it that
is a great bike if there's any bike that
I bought that might have just saved the
whole the whole lot it's that bike paid
$10,000 for it next is a motorcycle that
we never got in in America and that is
the uh this is called the gorilla the
Z50 gorilla and it's pretty much the
same thing as the uh as the Z50 and the
monkey and all those bikes except for it
just sits up taller see we get this
thing going to fire
up oh this has a lot more compression
that sounds good
too that could be a thing that could be
a thing yeah and then you could adjust
the Bars by turning this and the whole
bars come off you can put them in or out
or that might be less for adjustment and
more for uh storage purposes so the
buyer fees what's uh buyer's premium 10%
that's not horrible minimum I just paid
133% oh your auction kleinfelder yeah I
bought a bike for a buddy last night and
it 13% where'd you get them a Java moped
oh cool Oh it's leaking
God gum tap it Craig give it a tap tap
tap it's really
leaking still
leaking yep yep should I try to start it
um I'm going kick it yep now we're
good hey
hey nice look at that we have
her so I paid $3,000 for this
and after fees and all my expenses I'm
in this thing for around 4,300 bucks but
it's not really in the shape that I
thought it was in it's the wheels don't
really match but it does run really
really good and I'm pretty sure it's
streight legal so I'm going to say it's
worth at least 4,000 bucks to the right
buyer which still keeps me ahead of the
game but I'm not sure how long that will
last because I got some pretty big
mistakes coming
up hey I'm riding a
gorilla oh oh stay rotting stay rotting
I got two flat tires that is awesome
this is a neat bike yep all right so the
next bike and I don't I'm going to be
honest with you I don't know why I
bought it actually it's awesome uh it's
two-stroke isn't it maybe it looks like
a little flat Flathead well it's air
cooled no fourstroke because it doesn't
have any sort of expansion chamber on
here yeah right and this here's um
there's proba yeah there's like little
fan blades in there you see that it's
like a little squirrel cage fan oh yeah
so that's blowing oh
wait oh okay so then that creates air
and that's pulling air in and and
putting it across the the motor okay
throwing out an idea we know it's very
simple it's very
basic is there no transmission in it is
it just like you you just start it on
the stand pull the clutch in and like a
moped yeah yeah maybe that's how a moped
is you start you start it
up well that's very no
compression what if you pull the clutch
in this thing sounds like a little
Ripper
does okay well you want to be in the
center there it is
wow that's a two stroke is it that's a
two
stroke oh it smells so good cool cool
this is such a cool little bike I paid
$850 for it with fees and shipping I was
in it for about 2,000 bucks but in
reality it's probably worth maybe at
most 1,500 bucks it is really really
cool though and it it's possible it
might has it might have a really
interesting backstory which I have not
discovered yet but it is Italian like
Ferrari and Lamborghini so maybe that's
maybe that's a thing this next bike
looked really good from
stage in person was a completely
different story and the next bike we're
going to do is the big beautiful V45
Honda Interceptor it's a 4 cylinder V
configuration and it's a very very cool
bike going to let it waft
waft I think this whole bike has been I
think the whole bike has been painted
yeah that's not that's awful looking I
may have uh I may have jumped the gun
when I bought this I think it was it was
way it seemed way too
cheap of course we don't know if it runs
I'm well let's uh hook up to a jump box
and yeah let's see what we got give it
the old cgic
try thing on the thing will light
up when that turns we should see some
lights
okay that's good news something back
here that's a thing that could be a
thing that choke
mhm if there's any one of these bikes
maybe with the exception of the BMW
maybe even the Harley you're like Sean I
want to buy that bike off you shoot me
an email this is dripping fuel that's
funny oh that's look yeah starts yep so
getting fuel oh it's nasty fuel though
man I don't know if it's going to run on
that
stuff all right go
ahead
that might be running off the
gas which ones aren't
running
did it did it bike is
fixed call me a mechanic for sale only
ridden on Sundays totally for sale all
it needs is a mirror ready to ride the
V45 was a huge disappointment I paid
1,500 bucks for it on stage when all
said and done I was in it for about
2,900 bucks I think it's worth at least
1,500 bucks to the right person maybe
it's for parts but it it was not it was
not that good looking of a bike 20t away
it looks pretty good though now let's go
to the next bike which I'm sure you're
going to see why I'm so excited about
this thing as long as it actually works
trials bike heck yeah the Alp I'm
excited about this also I've been
tossing around the idea of me and Craig
going to like a trial School M learning
how to trials ride I'd love to learn how
to trials ride it has a um
odometer speedometer that goes up to
120 right 12
at this final drive ratio yeah that's
not going to happen got super cool
vintage
aars
sticker dude that much compression got a
lot of
compression
heyy ah look there's no clutch oh no
clutch okay the clutch doesn't work so
we're going to go this way
go so the master the clutch cylinder the
master cylinder is shot uh so we
couldn't get it in gear for just to pull
out but a little
push yeah get that stance look all
Z this is fun I kind of wish I had a
clutch I would feel a little more uh
conf Craig jump on
it there's no
seat I forgot there's no seat I love
that bike let's put it back in let's get
the next one running at first glance I
stole this thing
$1,400 for a trials motorcycle and with
fees and everything I'm in it for around
2500 bucks which I thought was I thought
I was doing pretty good but trial's
bikes aren't that valuable it is cool
though but just not that valuable I
think in reality it might be worth
14,500 bucks but I might be saved by
this bike the next bike is possibly one
of the coolest bikes I got for the
cheapest price I think I paid 1,300
bucks for it the 350 BW is a very hard
bike to find they're awesome and it
looks like this thing was being ridden
recently so the 350s were pretty
rare yeah and they are
awesome ain't dumb if it works
right that's why I flew all the way down
here it's like a warrior
engine oh corers like it's on
Rails I imagine that's what it's like
driving like the Batman bike the back
tire is so wide pretty
cool kids choose your friends wisely and
choose your shipping company even more
wisely the first shipping company I
booked I got off a you ship and they had
pretty decent reviews let's call them
Thrasher Trucking because that's what
their name was I told them I need I have
14 motorcycles that need to be picked up
in Vegas and transferred to Tennessee
and I think at this point they had
around 5 days to to get it done but if
they're not picked up by Sunday I'm
going to crew an extra $2,000 fee so you
got to get it before Sunday they said no
problem but strangely and I didn't know
any better strangely they asked for half
down kids lesson number two never pay
half down for anything that's getting
Shi at most release half the funds when
they pick up the item or better just pay
for the whole thing whenever it gets
delivered because their truck broke down
now the truck broke down pretty quickly
and they still had a couple days to fix
it so I was like okay they'll get it
fixed there were serious and
circumstances that never got fixed I
missed the deadline I had to pay another
$2,000 and the truck's already been
broke down for a couple days it's got to
be getting fixed soon well they were
running out of time it was almost
getting to the deadline we had to pay
another $2,000 for the another week of
storage so I was forced to get another
trucking company now listen I understand
stuff breaks down that happens things
happen but you have a responsibility to
your customer so I was like listen give
me my deposit back we will go our
separate ways and then I'll I'll get
someone else well nope they refused to
give me my deposit back that name again
is Thrasher Trucking I think we're going
to be trying to get that rotary bike
running well we're on a roll we are on a
roll just push that just push it back in
line let's go for sushi it sounds
horrible does sound horrible also
there's no uh no front brag no front
brake no clutch cable that's a cable
clutch I'm told by my friend Jay Leno
from a video that I watched that these
are incredibly smooth motorcycles the
rotary engine is just Gold Wing
smooth oh hey look at this see what that
does cold start video oh shoot hey
that's pretty
cool 144 145 January
22 I'm going to throw it out there these
don't look like guys I want to buy bikes
from that's this bike it's it's an exact
bike first of all they did not they did
not prove that that it was actually a
cold start from that video right nothing
about that bike was no one was licking
the exhaust header that's what I do I I
lay my tongue on the exhaust header
before I start every video that's how
you prove a cold
start it's the sound effects that help
oh man what a gosh awful emblem oh it's
so ugly yeah well that's the engine uh I
know what it is all rotary bikes will
put that stupid logo you don't see
Pistons all over uh right normal bikes
there wasn't fuel in there was there no
it was pretty pretty dry you ever get a
you ever get a face slash eyes full of
gasoline thrown in your face on the
hottest day of your life when you're
wearing a full race
suit you ever you ever you ever
experienced that you hang around Craig
enough you
will the small gas can was sitting in
the sun for a while so it got like and
then like I just wasn't thinking we're
at the track and I went to put gas in
something and I bled off the pressure
and I didn't realize Sean's face was
like I don't know why he was staring
into the nozzle I was staring at like
like wide open too that's that
guy why do none of these bikes have
batteries p hold all the batteries take
them to the part store for the $10 core
charges why would they make a cold start
video take the fuel line off pull the
battery pull the battery out I feel like
we've been swindled yeah and the deeper
and deeper we looked the worse the bike
got oh well that doesn't go
anywhere that doesn't go anywhere these
don't go anywhere this doesn't go
anywhere this doesn't go anywhere this
doesn't go anywhere nothing about this
bike is put together oh it's got a gear
position
indicator oh I like it again yeah sweet
look it's got a metallic paint job yeah
I like it again it has its own oil tank
it does and it has oil p oil. p for them
long runs yeah do you know who might be
able to get it run it who the bearded
mechanic I was so excited about this
motorcycle because I hear they're such
they're very very smooth bikes I've
never ridden a rotary I've never ridden
a rotary anything I don't think I've
ever been in an RX7 or a rotary bike so
I pumped about about buying this bike
and I thought I stole it at 3750 and
until until of course I saw the bike so
with fees and everything I'm in this
thing for around 5,000 bucks what's it
worth I best maybe 1,500 bucks there's a
few special bikes that we didn't show
and for a good reason one is the Honda
motra which I'm very very concerned
about because it feels like it has no
compression and if you want to see what
happens to that bike go to the bearded
mechanic Channel where me and Craig do
thing but before I show you the secret
bike underneath the tarp which I am the
most I'm so excited about this bike I
want to throw something out this this
auction thing is kind of kind of getting
to me um so I've been thinking lately
and I want to hear some feedback from
you guys I might start my own auction
why not why not start my own auction
with very clear fees very clear
descriptions you know curated
motorcycles with video showing that they
run and and and and their conditions and
all this stuff you would know more about
that bike from looking at that auction
than you could just you know you know
looking at it I'm thinking about
starting an auction I want to see what
you guys think about it there was also a
1929 Harley-Davidson I bought at this
auction I'm going to go to my buddy
wheel Through Time CU that could have
been the biggest mistake in my life or
the greatest investment of my life but
for now let's go see the bike under that
tarp so I saved the best for last I've
been looking for one of these for a long
time I've had a couple never should have
sold them I think it's one of the
coolest bikes ever made that is the
Honda Rune I know it looks like it's
been in a barn for the past uh 12 years
it was just in I think this all came
from being inside um Hall bikes
Warehouse Dusty as anything it's gross
looking let's see if it
starts that's good news 8,900
miles
got to admit that sounds pretty
good one of the best motorcycles I've
ever ridden very unique experience to
ride this thing I love this bike we'll
see you guys next time and go check out
the beard and mechanics YouTube channel
Craig has a ton of Awesome videos and
eventually he's probably going to get
that guy running and that Honda race
bike
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