[Ducati] Kevin's Summer Trip

Thu Jun 28 11:08:13 EDT 2007

I have never met a mechanic that was good that was offended by any rant re those that lack any real passion for excellence in what they do. None of that is ever intended to generalize to the extent that it suggests all are no good. We all should know better, I assume we all know better. I have been fortunate enough to meet some of the very best in my travels. I find lots of positive inspiration here, we have lots of talent and knowledge right here on this list and I consider myself on the tail end of that list. The good ones know who they are and I would be shocked to find they spent more than a passing glance at anything we say here, they are usually too busy doing what they are good at. I mean there are plenty of good folks right here on this list and certainly they know as you do who they are surrounded by so nothing new to them or us...really to say this is kind of redundant and does little good. taking up a wrench yourself and saving a buck in the bargain is something
 you can do that does in piece make the point. if you are not happy paying someone to do for you do for yourself and shud up and sit down, right? 
Some folks do not care and should not attempt to do for themsleves many tradesman sorts of things. If I spent my day designing iPhones or some such billion dollar widget I likely would not care to work on my bike...maybe. I can understand that. But my work benefits from my hobbies and vice versa so it is win win. I have often brought things I learned from work to my motorcycling and vice versa. When Mike C. brought Hylomar to the attention of us on the list I quickly saw that as a good thing to share...anyway...for some the problem is always finding them. I feel for folks who are geographically challenged. We all are. Heck I had to trailer my Duc some years back from Virginia Beach to Laconia to get Bruce to help with mapping...so we all struggle with lack of talented resources in our back yard. Rich

----- Original Message ----
From: Ronald Betts <ronaldebettsasalc0015 at hotmail.com>
To: ducati at ducati.net
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:46:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Ducati] Kevin's Summer Trip

I agree with much of what you have to say Rich.. I genuinly get alot of 
satisfaction out of doing my own service and repair on the Duc. That's part 
of the passion I have for the machine. I do have the shop adjust my valves 
as I don't have the shim selection and to be honest, to me , it's a boring 
job. I was an Automotive technician ( mechanic, greasmonkey and on and 
on)for almost 30 years and honestly I do not miss it. I worked with plenty 
of guys that wore ASE Mastertech patches on there uniforms that didnt know 
which end of the screwdriver to use. It certainly is hard to keep the 
passion in your work year after year and it is even harder to find a wrench 
with the passion they once possesed. I'm not saying that there aren't any 
good or qualified wrenches out there, I just know the reality of which you 
eluded to. People work for a living ,and that includes mechanics of any 
brand. The thing that really makes things bad is the shop owners and service 
management that are constantly looking at the bottom line and want you to 
crank out as much work as possible, damn the guality. At least that has been 
my experience in the shop. Now I dont want to offend anybody because I know 
there are some shops and employees that do posses the passion and regard for 
quality work, and I do applaud them, you just have to find them.....;-}>

Peace...Ron"Desmohead"Betts 95 900 SP
I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!

>From: Rich Roberts <bigredxrunner at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: Ducati Owners Group <ducati at ducati.net>
>To: Ducati Owners Group <ducati at ducati.net>
>Subject: Re: [Ducati] Kevin's Summer Trip
>Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:30:13 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Yeah, I know this is not the response you want to hear....but fix it 
>yourself with the lists help. Just give up on those best mechanics. truth 
>is there are really only a handful best mechanics. And I have found the 
>individual owner can almost always do better. It is your bike....you wont 
>be cutting corners to make a buck or save time. that is why i have always 
>said...I do not care how good Nash or Eraldo or Earl or Tony or. Guy or 
>Doug or John is was or will be....I can do better with my bike. pay em for 
>the few things maybe they can do better, like head work or crank balancing. 
>it is not that hard. And I respect all those guys but thery are in it to 
>make a buck... I can tell you, you simply start somewhere sometime and roll 
>up your sleeves and do it. there are bunches on this list who have gone 
>there. And you know the better wrenches are alway willing to help those who 
>help themselves. I did not get to be on a first name basis with these guys 
>and others because I am some
>  kind of prodigy. I got there cause I was unwilling to pay for mediocrity 
>and wanted to do as much for myself as i could. So quit bellyaching about 
>the imposters or posers to the crown. And do for yourself. there is no such 
>thing as a leak that can not be solved.  Course you may need to take some 
>shit apart....it does not happen by magic i am afraid. That is why your 
>glorious mechanics likely have not solved your issues, they are only gonna 
>spend so much time working on it and likely have all sorts of magical 
>shortcuts to not fixing the problem permanently.  like anything else 
>sometimes there are no quick fixes. Anyone know of a really easy permanent 
>proper fix for a rear main seal leak on any of several FORD engines? 
>Usually takes a bit of effort. Dont keep pissing money down a hole. Every 
>time I have done it I have regretted it, almost every time I have paid 
>someone else to do it for me I have regretted it as not cost effective. 
>Course i have also spent entire weekends
>  deburring a set of cases removing every speck of casting crap. But it is 
>mine and only i know how right it is. is it satisfying. hell yes. Is it 
>aggravating talking to most of these johhny come lately ace mechanics? Hell 
>yes. tell me this, how many 20 year Ducati Mechanic veterans are there out 
>there? Used to be all of em worth their reputation had a good 20 years 
>under their belt, now if they knew what a Ducati was 10 years ago that 
>might be a stretch, they usually dont teach about that in elementary 
>school. 20 somethings will never get expert stature in my book.  Changing 
>oil and spark plugs and belts does not make a Ducati mechanic.  Just cause 
>you have a wrench in your hand and someone is paying you dont make you a 
>mechanic. Course many think that makes them superior to the average 
>customer in some way. Face the facts of life you can not pay most people to 
>do a better job than you can do yourself if you have the time and 
>inclination. the knowhow is usually obtainable
>  and in many cases is not the result of decades of experience. Many many 
>many authorities on such things started exactly this way. Do for yourself. 
>It used to be the American Way. Rich
>
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Alec Moss <amoss at coastside.net>
>To: "ducati at ducati.net" <ducati at ducati.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 1:41:26 AM
>Subject: Re: [Ducati] Kevin's Summer Trip
>
>
>Aw, bummer.  I say go for it as much as you can.  Surely you didn't plan 
>the
>finances for these repairs but if you can afford to keep going, do it.  You
>have a few weeks time and you can salvage a great trip from this.  It just
>won't be the trip you planned.  I can't wait to hear the stories first 
>hand.
>
>Go for it!!!
>
>
>Cheers,
>
>Alec
>
>
>On 6/25/07 10:14 PM, "Kevin Kachadourian" <kkachadourian at cv.k12.ca.us>
>wrote:
>
> > Well, things seem to  be falling apart out here in Montana. After the 
>second
> > repair job (both of the mechanics who did the two repairs so far, 
>Bellevue WA
> > and Bozeman MT, were described as the best wrenches this side of the 
>Rockies),
> > the bike is still leaking oil about as bad as it was before, only now, 
>it
> > seems to be leaking from more places (the tacho drive/cable fitting into 
>the
> > head, the oil cooler hose entries to the engine, and there are still
> > gatherings of oil around the vent holes on the clutch cover). Whatever 
>exactly
> > is wrong, these expert mechanics can't seem to fix it. To add insult to
> > injury, the body is starting to fall apart. So far, the right fairing 
>side
> > well nut will not stay in the post that attaches it to the frame, and 
>the tail
> > light seems to be hanging loose. Meanwhile, my notebook computer has a
> > software glitch and is unusable (I'm at the hotel's public access 
>terminal). I
> > haven't checked my camera lately, maybe I shouldn't.
> > So, I'm in a hotel in Laurel, MT, wondering if I should continue the 
>struggle
> > forward, or turn and make a dash for home. My next move tonight is to 
>see if
> > there's another motorcycle mechanic east of here who can fail to fix my 
>leaks.
> > Any suggestions are welcome. I'll be posting in the morning.
> > Kevin Kachadourian
> > '96 900 SS SP (doesn't seem to be up to the task)
> > '85 650 Alazzurra (yep, I definitely should have taken this one)
> > *****
> >
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>
>
>
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>motorcycle
>stand superstore.  Every brand, every model, 95% in stock for immediate
>shipment. Whether front stands, rear stands, paddock stands, dirt bike
>stands, or any kind of stand or lift, MC Stands tests, rates, and discounts
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Our newest sponsor, MC Stands, has just opened its doors!  It's a motorcycle
stand superstore.  Every brand, every model, 95% in stock for immediate
shipment. Whether front stands, rear stands, paddock stands, dirt bike
stands, or any kind of stand or lift, MC Stands tests, rates, and discounts
everything they sell.  Check them out!

Visit: http://mcstands.com/
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