
Well, I'd say you're mostly right, but for different reasons. (BTW, as of a
couple years ago, the most stolen bikes in Orange County and SF were 750
GSX's and Ninjas). Probably the biggest reason BMWs aren't ripped off is that
most people who buy BMWs will only deal with the actual BMW dealer, or mail-
order types. Most of these can have their inventory checked fairly easily
by law-enforcement types, and their mark-up is usually sufficient to keep 
them honest about acquiring parts. 

For Harleys and rice-rockets, you've got 2 different situations. There is a
HUGE aftermarket in Harley parts, so a bike can be parted out fairly easily.
Ditto the non-sport Japanese bikes, but the prices on the parts for these are
not as high, comparatively. For the 'rockets', anytime a bike goes down, the 
plastic is usually cracked, and is expensive to replace. It's fairly easy,
then, for a disreputable shop to take a fairing from a stolen bike, slap it
on a bike in for repair, repaint it, and make a tidy profit. The other parts,
more traceable, can be used, or discarded if they are too traceable.

Mike