Subject: RE: Garage Heaters(No loop content)
Author: Kevin Graf
Date: Jan 26, 2005, 8:41 AM
Post ID: 1718277235
Yeah, I wish I could stick to one at a time. A good practice that I would
like to eventually adopt. Right now I only have old stuff, have to maintain
whats runnin to keep it that way plus work on projects. One day I'll have
one of them fancy, space age new murdercycles.. I have to slow myself down,
sometimes it still feels I'm wrenching on a flat rate pay... I have to
remind myself that I work on the bikes for myself, noone eles, that allows
me to slow down(most of the time) and get closer to detail.
There was a time in high school, my pal Kev & I tore apart his 80's Buick.
That engine was in a zillion pieces, I don't remember what propted us to do
this, prolly a dirty air filter:-) Couldn't for life of us figure out how to
put it back together:-)His ol' man come home and blew a gasket(pun
intended), cussin' and stomppin' around. Told us to put the damn thing back
together, after a while, we dropped our tools, well, his father's tools, we
literally threw the pieces back in the car, & walked inside the house. His
father asked if we were done....yup.. We got the phone book, called the
wrecking yard, and got $50.
-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Bender [mailto:gr-@thisoldtractor.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 11:23 AM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: RE: Garage Heaters(No loop content)
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I agree, Kevin. I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from taking
things apart, figuring out how it works, fixing it, and putting it all
back together again. This personality trait of mine used to frustrate my
Dad to no end...as I would always be trying to fix stuff that wasn't
broken. If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times, "If it ain't
broke, don't fix it!"
But, alas, I never learned! Fortunately, I've gotten a lot better over
the years at actually fixing things that I take apart. Now that I have
the Quota as well as the Ambassador, I have a simple rule: Never work on
more than one bike at a time.
I love to ride and I love to wrench. For me, it's not a question of
which is more important. It's only a matter of when I do each.
Kevin Graf wrote:
Well, If you want to ride a classic bike with out wrenchin', or at least no more than regular maintain ace, you picked the right one. Guzzi would be the one that is reliable enough to do so. It defiantly sounds as though you would need allot more tools, but if you have the time, energy & motivation I would have to say do it yourself. You most likely already have the manuals & Guzziology plus you have this list & great guys from MG Cycles & Mark from Moto Guzzi Classic, always willing to set you straight. What more do you need?:-) I'm a firm believer in DIY, esp. with motorcycles. I believe a person that builds, restores, a bike takes more pride in that machine than one "bought off the self". Once you get your hands in it, you know the bike inside and out. You have a better understanding of what's going on mechanically to get the thing down the road, and when all of a sudden it stops going down the road(which is inevitable, even w/Guzzi) you built the thing, you know it's weak points(if any) and that allows you to be able to fix the bike (at least diagnose it) to get yourself home instead of being at the mercy of others. If you have another bike, a newer bike that you don't have to worry about, ride that & wrench on the Guzzi until you feel your done, once you do it right, you won't have to do anything major for a long time. It will compete with the new bike in the turn the key and go category. Not only that but there's nothing like the feeling of starting a freshly rebuilt engine for the first time, and thinking, hmmm... did I put that last wristpin clip in??...Then it starts with no fire and the feeling of pride is awesome. Going done the road on a motorcycle is one thing we all love, going down the road on a bike that you built only amplifies the feeling. Try it, You'll like it! Kev -----Original Message----- From: Todd Nordwig [mailto:d_da-@hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 9:24 AM To: Loopfram-@topica.com Subject: RE: Garage Heaters(No loop content) Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Need a Laptop? Get a Sony Vaio Laptop Free! http://click.topica.com/caac6MFb1dfltb63b4qa/ProductTestPanel -------------------------------------------------------------------
Probably......but I "struggle" with that.....;-) I am in the process of planning a "workshop" (read Guzzi Garage) in the future. The problem is whether I have the patience and ability to learn as I go when tinkering with a running, but ratty Eldorado. My tool collection is marginal at best and most of that would have to be updated also. Do I invest in space, equipment and tools to do a mediocre restoration or do I trade it for a nicely restored Eldo and save a bundle in time and headaches doing it myself? I always think about the riding time lost while trying to figure out how to fix something on my bike. Remember....it takes me 4 times as long to do something than the average rider :-).... That is why I run a newer bike while I tinker with the loopframe. I'd never get on the road if I had to depend on my mechanical skills. Todd _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee® Security.http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Like music? Get a CD player on us. Click here. http://click.topica.com/caac48Rb1dfltb63b4qf/PermissionData ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Regards,
Greg Bender
1971 Ambassador
2000 Quota
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/gtbender
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