So, you want to be a Harley mechanic?
Phil Boutros
[The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
intentional.]
So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
of us edumacated folk like to say)?
You probably think you'll get to work on some cool bikes.
People will think you have a cool job. Some people will look up to
you as someone who knows more than they do. You'll see people's
reaction to the great work you do. You'll help people out with their
bike troubles, and save their vacations. You'll get to ride the
latest, coolest new products.
All the above are true. BUT, there are lots of caveats, too.
You'll have to ride some really nasty POS bikes. Some
downright unsafe ones too. Raine or shine. Freezing your ass off
sometimes. On the exact same loops of traffic. Over and over. And,
every time, you have to get all your gear on, and back off afterwards.
While someone checks your efficiency.
You'll have to fix some really messed up stuff, caused by the
customers. Those who are qualified to work on their bikes usually
don't need to bring them to shops, except for tire changes and major
work. Now you have to explain why fixing a non-operational turn
signal took several hours, since you had to replace miles of crimped
together, electrical tape, silly-puttied together wiring.
You will deal with an incredibly large proportion of
small-penis syndrome wannabe tough-guy idiots. This includes
customers, fellow employees, and management. Note: This is not to
say that it is the majority, but a larger percentage than in the rest
of your life.
You *will* be at the very bottom of the totem pole. Salesmen
will want you to do the impossible, and won't give a shit if it can be
done. Parts department will want you to fix shit without the proper
parts, either because they don't have them, or they fucked up and
ordered the wrong shit.
You will find out that there are very, *very* few "bolt-on"
items. Surprisingly, *most* of the H-D branded stuff fits fairly
well, and *most* of the aftermarket accessories are pure, total
garbage. This does not include high-performance stuff. You'd be very
hard pressed to find a bad product from S&S, Headquarters, Zippers,
ets...But the accessories suck. For example, White Brothers has been
making the Easy Clutch for years. I've put in hundreds, if not
thousands of these. You'd think they'd have figured out by now that
you have to grind down 99% of these to make them fit with a stock
cable, or the little hook won't fit on the coupler.
You'll find that sales people lie (shocking, I bet). And
it'll be up to you to try and make what they claimed would work
*actually* work. This is true of parts departments too. Some of it
is due to cluelessness, lots of it is due to greed and a desire to
"make the sale". You'll get no recognition for fixing their mess. A
good parts person or salesperson is worth his weight in gold. There
are very few good parts people or salespeople.
You'll work next to people who are clueless and/or clearly
don't give a rat's ass about the quality of their work. You'll see
stuff that makes you cringe, and stuff you'd never, ever, want to do
on your bike. They'll take shortcuts. After all, how is a customer
going to know if the clutch and throttle cables got lubed proplerly
during a service? Smart customers will figure it out and start
requesting you or other wrenches like you who actually care and treat
bikes they work on like their own (or better). Once again, expect no
recognition from this.
You'll find out that you are a disposable ressource in the
eyes of management. People who claim you are "family" will turn
around and screw you in a second if they don't need you anymore. I
have worked for many kinds of people from mobsters to MENSA members.
Ironically, the mobsters were the only ones who made a real effort to
meet their promises, and were honest when they could not, and
explained why.
You will work next to some people who would have to multiply
their IQ by a factor of 2 to be able to reliably tie their shoes
properly every morning. If you're as lucky as I was, you'll also get
to work next to some like-minded people, whom you can count on, who
will indeed treat you like family, help you through rough times, and
do anything short of giving you the shirts off their backs, and know
that you would do the same. Those people are also worth their weight
in gold, and also very rare.
You'll have no job security. Your schedule may be required to
change often. You may be told many times that "If you don't like it,
the fucking door is that way."
You'll have to buy your own tools. Lots of them. Including
some specialty tools to make your life easier. If you decide to buy
*good* tools, you will have more invested in tools than many people
have in their primary vehicle. I'm afraid to add it all up, but I'm
sure I probably have at least $20k invested.
You will face an incredible amount of bigotry and intolerance
for anything different than what some people's limited life experience
has opened their tiny minds to. You can try to change that. You'll
probably fail in most cases.
You will work with some people who have *no* business anywhere
near anything customer-service oriented. They will still be there,
either through an unwillingness to deal with them, the fact that some
money is still coming in, or pure nepotism. Or a combination of the
above. It will be made very clear that "the bottom line" is all that
matters. The quality of the work is secondary. The work ethic or
integrity is secondary.
If, like me, you take pride in your work, and you take your
work very, very (i.e. way too) seriously, the above will drive you
mad.
All the above are based on the last 7 years of my life, which
have been spent working in the motorcycle industry, with the last six
as a Harley technician. I have learned a lot. I have made some very
good friends. I have done pretty much anything on a Harley that you
would find in a dealership, and more. From a simple tire change to
building strokers, machining cases and heads, using a lathe, milling
machine, boring bar, Sunnen hone, etc...
But, due to many, many factors (including all the ones listed
above), I've decided that it's time to end this particular chapter in
my life. As of yesterday (or today, technically, since this is a
statuatory holiday), I am no longer a professional wrench (purely by
my choice).
My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
decide it'll take until it's done.
In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
--
AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS ph...@total.net
http://ah61.com EKIII rides with me. http://eddiekieger.com
"I know some day, the righteous will rejoice and sing." - Warrior King
Pappy
news:slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com...
One thing I've learned is that every life change you make works out one way
or another. Best o' luck. Have a drink on me.
Pappy
ilbcn...@aol.com
GOOD ON YOU my brudder, this is way kewl to hear. Now, all ya hafta do
is move someplace warmer - legally of course heheheh God bless you my
friend, da best to the missus and make shure they bury you face down in
a shallow grave so the world can kiss your ass.
Proud ta know you
rico
Wakko
I'd rather be a lion tamer!
--
Wakko NTXNS TOMKAT SENS BS#Pending
2006 FLHTCUSE
2003 FLSTSI
Mike Imbler
I've found my mechanical experience had made me a much better engineer. I'm
sure the same would apply if you pursue a physics career,
Mikenews:slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com...
Shaggy
"Wakko" <wgl...@alldata.net> wrote in message
news:4aalu9F...@individual.net...
> "Phil Boutros" <ph...@total.net> wrote in message
> news:slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com
>
> I'd rather be a lion tamer!
You'd tame a lion?...no, wait...
--
Shag BS#245
'35VLD, '42EL, '78FLH, '88FLHTC, '04FLHTCI
Pull the plug to reply
Shaggy
>
> [The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
<snip the tale of corporate bullshit>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
Whatever ya do, do it frustration free.
Glad to see ya back in here. Now you can just be parta the R.M.H. brain
trust when yer in the mood.
badaztek
become a machinist which I should've done sooner for two reasons ,I want
to be able to actually make something for a good pay and to be able to
make my own custom parts for my own projects ,can't wait to build my own
springer and a couple other wierd projects in my head :-) and I'm hoping
to go back and get a degree in engineering as well but that has to wait
til I'm working again.
Good luck again
Kestrel
>
>[The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
>the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
>intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
>of us edumacated folk like to say)
<snip to>
> But, due to many, many factors (including all the ones listed
>above), I've decided that it's time to end this particular chapter in
>my life. As of yesterday (or today, technically, since this is a
>statuatory holiday), I am no longer a professional wrench (purely by
>my choice).
>
> My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
>compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
>again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
>pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
>decide it'll take until it's done.
>
> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
>job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
>possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree
>(I'm thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
Does TMR know this? Gonna be smiles up that way today;-).
>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
>knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
>it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
>spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
>Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
Congrats on the move Phil. Dumping my job and starting anew by meself
was the best thing I ever did. I'm sure that it will prove the same
for you.
Now, let's sit down and drink this big bottle of Brio to celebrate.
Jimbo. #63
The Squid riding Asshole(tm)
Remove my motorcycle to reply
Chilly
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
> [edited] Ride some really nasty POS bikes... Raine or shine... deal
> with of small-penis syndrome wannabe tough-guy idiots... be at the
> very bottom of the totem pole ... accessories suck... sales people
> lie... people who clearly don't give a rat's ass... no recognition...
> People who claim you are "family" will turn around and screw you... no
> job security... bigotry and intolerance... "the bottom line" is all
> that matters...
>
> I've decided that it's time to end this particular chapter in
> my life. As of yesterday, I am no longer a professional wrench
> (purely by my choice).
Bravo!
Shirley a double of the good stuff is in order ... Such a life change takes
great bravery. It'll likely be exhilerating, stressful, liberating, awful
and wonderful all at the same time ... May yours be full of the good stuff
and lead you to new rewarding path.
[Clink]
--
Chilly BS#226
Be...@anywhere.invalid
>
===================== Snip ======================================
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
Good luck in your new endeavor/adventure Phil. Hopefully you will have more time in here as
well as more time for IRL's. <g>
--
(^oo^) AH#120 SENS NEWT#11 BS#188 MISFIT DOF#YES
(_0_) RMH FAQs - http://rmhfaq.com
BEAR Reply-To: gtodd at eye_ex dot netcom dot com
dual45s
snip all down to
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on.
You have to do whatever makes you happy. Here is hoping your next carear
move does just that.
>Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
And that will be a good thing!
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
They always do. It just takes a wise man to change with the times.
--
Wayne
The road goes on forever...
AH 52
Spunky the Tuna
(in article <slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com>):
>
> [The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
The stuff I snipped is absolute gospel and ought to be emblazoned above every
door of every YouTooCanBeAMotorcycleWrench school on the planet.
> My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
> compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
> again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
> pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
> decide it'll take until it's done.
>
> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
> job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
> possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
> thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
There's nothing surer than change. Everything we do changes us in some way
or another (except Kenny, who has proven to be completely impervious to
clues, sense, compassion, and intelligence). What we take from the
experience can make us better, bitter, or a bit of both.
IMO, it's not a bad thing to upend your life periodically. It's been one of
the guiding forces in my life. I suppose on some level I'm drawn to chaos in
a sense. One of my teachers told me that we should take out everything we
believe in every six or seven years and toss it out the window and reexamine
all of it from zero so that we'll only keep those beliefs that continue to
work and jettison the ones that were only transient accommodations to life
situations.
Good luck in your new job, good luck in school.
Think maybe you need some time in the sun? We've got quite a lot of it down
here, we've got lots of space, a spare bed, three cats and a Liberian
Huskador who are all African friendly.
--
Spunky the Tuna
just another atheist out there doing god's work...
roach
Phil Boutros wrote:
>
> My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
> compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
> again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
> pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
> decide it'll take until it's done.
Heh! Good on ya, Phil.
If I ever decide to have something done I can't handle, mind if
I call on ya?
--
Roach AH#123, A Hoodlum© Asshole(tm)
"but I don't mean that in a bad sort of a way"
diablo
<snip>
> You'll have to ride some really nasty POS bikes. Some
> downright unsafe ones too.
<snip>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
> --
> AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS ph...@total.net
> http://ah61.com EKIII rides with me. http://eddiekieger.com
> "I know some day, the righteous will rejoice and sing." - Warrior King
Your not kidding! I was test riding a customers POS Sportster chopper that
had a springer front end, and a home made front fender mount. My self being
a front brake man I was on my way back to the shop and when I grabbed a hand
full of front brake the front fender sat down on the skinny 21" front wheel.
The wheel locked up and I had to ride the skidding bike out until it slowed
enough for the tension of the fender on the tire could be released.
Of course his cool custom painted front fender was fucked as the paint
bubbled up from the heat. When the jerk came to pick up his bike he pissed
and moaned about the front fender of course, but after I dressed him down
about almost causing me to crash he shut up.
You can never assume that someone did it right.
diablo
SteveI
> On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 14:42:46 -0700, Phil Boutros wrote
> (in article <slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com>):
>
> <snip>
>
>> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
>> job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
>> possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
>> thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
>>
>> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
>> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
>> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
>> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
> shortage appears to be (at least around here)...
>
> You plan to stay up there in Canada?
Walmart's hiring.......<sfsf>
--
Steve Irving (Irv) - BS#237/SLOB#12
http://www.nite.com/bike.html
Under a black flag we shall sail.......
TaxmanHog
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
> job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
> possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
> thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
Sounds a lot like what we all face in life & work............
Maybe ya could do a thesis on the aerodynamic issues of solid disk wheels on
various bikes!
--
TaxmanHog - http://home.comcast.net/~taxmanhog/
EKIII page - http://eddiekieger.com
r.m.h FAQ - http://rmhfaq.com
r.m.h parking lot - http://rmhparkinglot.com/
04 VRSCA (V-Mod)
98 FXSTS
Road Glidin' Don
wrote:
>"Phil Boutros" <ph...@total.net> wrote in message
>news:slrne405ra...@ah61.is-a-geek.com
>
>I'd rather be a lion tamer!
It might be a bigger step up than you think, from taming a few
pussies, Wakko.
--
Home page: http://xidos.ca/scripts/personal/
Greg O
news:0001HW.C065AC30...@news.supernews.com...
> >
> IMO, it's not a bad thing to upend your life periodically. It's been one
> of
> the guiding forces in my life. I suppose on some level I'm drawn to chaos
> in
> a sense. One of my teachers told me that we should take out everything we
> believe in every six or seven years and toss it out the window and
> reexamine
> all of it from zero so that we'll only keep those beliefs that continue to
> work and jettison the ones that were only transient accommodations to life
> situations.
>
>
when the job situation does a 180!
I have completely changed professions every 5 years, or less! I have worked
in auto repair, as a draftsman, small engine repair as an employee, then
owner, managed a warehouse, service tech for a chemical company, hit the
road doing route sales, and now work as a HVAC tech. The HVAC job has been
the best as far as I am concerned. The ratio between pay, hours,and putting
up with crap has been very favorable! Fair pay, forty hours, virtually no
crap, so I may stick with this one for a while! I would like to see more
money , but the hours and lack of crap seem over ride the desire for more
pay!
--
PoorUB
'05 Ultra Classic
Snag
> [The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
> knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
> it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
> spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
Phil , whatever you do , do it for the love of the task . My daddy told me
to get a job doing something I like . I'm a cabinet maker now , having been
a fast food manager , a rocket scientist (no shit ! want the details , let
me know !) a flooring installer , home repair contractor , and having a
degree in accounting/bus mgmt .
I look forward to going to work each day , and helping the projects grow
to completion ...
--
Snag aka OSG #1
'76 FLH "Bag Lady"
BS132 SENS NEWT
"A hand shift is a manly shift ."
<shamelessly stolen>
none to one to reply
Phil Boutros
> Does TMR know this? Gonna be smiles up that way today;-).>
Ayep...Has known about it since I started trying to put those
particular wheels in motion back in January.
> Congrats on the move Phil. Dumping my job and starting anew by meself
> was the best thing I ever did. I'm sure that it will prove the same
> for you.
I hope so. Either way, anything is better than how miserable
the last place made me!
> Now, let's sit down and drink this big bottle of Brio to celebrate.
I'm all over that. That stuff is hard to find here (I do
have some local sources, but they all require more travel time than
the local grocery store).
Phil
Phil Boutros
>
> The stuff I snipped is absolute gospel and ought to be emblazoned above every
> door of every YouTooCanBeAMotorcycleWrench school on the planet.
Somehow, I doubt they'd put it up.
> IMO, it's not a bad thing to upend your life periodically. It's been one of
> the guiding forces in my life.
Believe it or now, some of your past experiences came to mind
when I was going through the decision process.
Heck, I've already changed careers once, why not another. I'd
still be way behind your count.
> Think maybe you need some time in the sun? We've got quite a lot of it down
> here, we've got lots of space, a spare bed, three cats and a Liberian
> Huskador who are all African friendly.
Heh...Definitely kept in mind, although money may be a little
tight. However, I may officially be able to take vacation during the
riding season now!
That's something else I forgot in my...er...brochure for bike
wrenches. Two things that I was told right from the start from older
wrenches who became friends: "It's a great job if you like bikes.
It's a shitty job if you like *riding* your bike" and "If you're doing
this to get rich, you're in the wrong business".
Phil
Phil Boutros
>
> GOOD ON YOU my brudder, this is way kewl to hear. Now, all ya hafta do
> is move someplace warmer - legally of course heheheh
Mexico's looking kinda nice!
Phil...the "Gimme a chance to work on my Spanish..." Asshole(tm)...
Phil Boutros
>
> If I ever decide to have something done I can't handle, mind if
> I call on ya?
Any time. You know how to reach me.
Phil
Phil Boutros
Without getting into a political discussion, yes, definitely
(for now, anyway).
Phil Boutros
>
> They always do. It just takes a wise man to change with the times.
I don't know how wise I am, but at least I'm trying to adapt!
Phil...the "And a supportive and understanding Queen helps too..." Asshole(tm)...
Phil Boutros
>
> Phil , whatever you do , do it for the love of the task . My daddy told me
> to get a job doing something I like .
Heck, that's why I became a Harley technician. Turns out
that, with all the bullshit, it just stopped being fun. Now that part
of my life can start being fun again.
> I'm a cabinet maker now , having been
> a fast food manager , a rocket scientist (no shit ! want the details , let
> me know !) a flooring installer , home repair contractor , and having a
> degree in accounting/bus mgmt .
That's quite the pedigree!
> I look forward to going to work each day , and helping the projects grow
> to completion ...
There is something to be said for a tangible result to a task.
Phil
Dana Taramina
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
>knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
>it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
>spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
Congratulations, Phil. You're on my tab tonight.
Dana
Bitch 16 Wench 22 BS 23 BOTY VI ret.
'05 FLHRSI "Belle"
'03 FLHTCUI
Roger M
Phil Boutros wrote:
> <<< snpped it all >>>
>
> Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
> --
> AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS ph...@total.net
> http://ah61.com EKIII rides with me. http://eddiekieger.com
> "I know some day, the righteous will rejoice and sing." - Warrior King
Everything you wrote is the reason I opened my own shop nearly 20 years ago.
It's not always easy but I get to draw the line. Your experience is typical of
someone that gives a shit about what he does in a business world that only
gives a shit about one thing, the bottom line. I work on cars because riding
and wrenching on bikes is my hobby. Making it into a job would have ruined it
and I do enjoy doing it so it's for the most part something I'm not going to
do. I have a friend working for me now and he wants to work on bikes so we now
do a limited amount of bike work and do not want to work on all of them.That
makes it easy to look at someone's mess and simply say "No" to them.
Over the years I've learned that disrespecting someone that can actually do
thing with their hands is an easy thing for people to do. Those type of people
get the lesson from me in one way or another. They either pay for their
attitude or they're shown the door. It's gotten me labeled as an asshole (ntm)
in my community but why should I care. I have at this time a great clientele
that doesn't have unrealistic expectations of me. They understand that I have
a family and friends and a life and I'm only going to allow a very limited
amount of their intrusion into it. They know if they bring me junk I'll tell
them it's junk and they'll pay dearly for fixing it because I don't want to
work on it to start with.
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you like you would have liked it to. Did you
ever think of opening your on small place? There is plenty of room in the
world for people that actually care about what they are doing. I'd say ninety
percent of my customers are people that have been burned by the *other* guy.
Good Luck in whatever you pursue, I know how you feel about this one, there
was a time I could have written what you did.
Roger
the garage owner
Ruppster
>
>[The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
>the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
>intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
>of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
> You probably think you'll get to work on some cool bikes.
>People will think you have a cool job. Some people will look up to
>you as someone who knows more than they do. You'll see people's
>reaction to the great work you do. You'll help people out with their
>bike troubles, and save their vacations. You'll get to ride the
>latest, coolest new products.
>
> All the above are true. BUT, there are lots of caveats, too.
>
> You'll have to ride some really nasty POS bikes. Some
>downright unsafe ones too. Raine or shine. Freezing your ass off
>sometimes. On the exact same loops of traffic. Over and over. And,
>every time, you have to get all your gear on, and back off afterwards.
>While someone checks your efficiency.
>
> You'll have to fix some really messed up stuff, caused by the
>customers. Those who are qualified to work on their bikes usually
>don't need to bring them to shops, except for tire changes and major
>work. Now you have to explain why fixing a non-operational turn
>signal took several hours, since you had to replace miles of crimped
>together, electrical tape, silly-puttied together wiring.
>
> You will deal with an incredibly large proportion of
>small-penis syndrome wannabe tough-guy idiots. This includes
>customers, fellow employees, and management. Note: This is not to
>say that it is the majority, but a larger percentage than in the rest
>of your life.
>
> You *will* be at the very bottom of the totem pole. Salesmen
>will want you to do the impossible, and won't give a shit if it can be
>done. Parts department will want you to fix shit without the proper
>parts, either because they don't have them, or they fucked up and
>ordered the wrong shit.
>
> You will find out that there are very, *very* few "bolt-on"
>items. Surprisingly, *most* of the H-D branded stuff fits fairly
>well, and *most* of the aftermarket accessories are pure, total
>garbage. This does not include high-performance stuff. You'd be very
>hard pressed to find a bad product from S&S, Headquarters, Zippers,
>ets...But the accessories suck. For example, White Brothers has been
>making the Easy Clutch for years. I've put in hundreds, if not
>thousands of these. You'd think they'd have figured out by now that
>you have to grind down 99% of these to make them fit with a stock
>cable, or the little hook won't fit on the coupler.
>
> You'll find that sales people lie (shocking, I bet). And
>it'll be up to you to try and make what they claimed would work
>*actually* work. This is true of parts departments too. Some of it
>is due to cluelessness, lots of it is due to greed and a desire to
>"make the sale". You'll get no recognition for fixing their mess. A
>good parts person or salesperson is worth his weight in gold. There
>are very few good parts people or salespeople.
>
> You'll work next to people who are clueless and/or clearly
>don't give a rat's ass about the quality of their work. You'll see
>stuff that makes you cringe, and stuff you'd never, ever, want to do
>on your bike. They'll take shortcuts. After all, how is a customer
>going to know if the clutch and throttle cables got lubed proplerly
>during a service? Smart customers will figure it out and start
>requesting you or other wrenches like you who actually care and treat
>bikes they work on like their own (or better). Once again, expect no
>recognition from this.
>
> You'll find out that you are a disposable ressource in the
>eyes of management. People who claim you are "family" will turn
>around and screw you in a second if they don't need you anymore. I
>have worked for many kinds of people from mobsters to MENSA members.
>Ironically, the mobsters were the only ones who made a real effort to
>meet their promises, and were honest when they could not, and
>explained why.
>
> You will work next to some people who would have to multiply
>their IQ by a factor of 2 to be able to reliably tie their shoes
>properly every morning. If you're as lucky as I was, you'll also get
>to work next to some like-minded people, whom you can count on, who
>will indeed treat you like family, help you through rough times, and
>do anything short of giving you the shirts off their backs, and know
>that you would do the same. Those people are also worth their weight
>in gold, and also very rare.
>
> You'll have no job security. Your schedule may be required to
>change often. You may be told many times that "If you don't like it,
>the fucking door is that way."
>
> You'll have to buy your own tools. Lots of them. Including
>some specialty tools to make your life easier. If you decide to buy
>*good* tools, you will have more invested in tools than many people
>have in their primary vehicle. I'm afraid to add it all up, but I'm
>sure I probably have at least $20k invested.
>
> You will face an incredible amount of bigotry and intolerance
>for anything different than what some people's limited life experience
>has opened their tiny minds to. You can try to change that. You'll
>probably fail in most cases.
>
> You will work with some people who have *no* business anywhere
>near anything customer-service oriented. They will still be there,
>either through an unwillingness to deal with them, the fact that some
>money is still coming in, or pure nepotism. Or a combination of the
>above. It will be made very clear that "the bottom line" is all that
>matters. The quality of the work is secondary. The work ethic or
>integrity is secondary.
>
> If, like me, you take pride in your work, and you take your
>work very, very (i.e. way too) seriously, the above will drive you
>mad.
>
> All the above are based on the last 7 years of my life, which
>have been spent working in the motorcycle industry, with the last six
>as a Harley technician. I have learned a lot. I have made some very
>good friends. I have done pretty much anything on a Harley that you
>would find in a dealership, and more. From a simple tire change to
>building strokers, machining cases and heads, using a lathe, milling
>machine, boring bar, Sunnen hone, etc...
>
> But, due to many, many factors (including all the ones listed
>above), I've decided that it's time to end this particular chapter in
>my life. As of yesterday (or today, technically, since this is a
>statuatory holiday), I am no longer a professional wrench (purely by
>my choice).
>
> My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
>compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
>again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
>pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
>decide it'll take until it's done.
>
> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
>job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
>possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
>thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
>
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
>knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
>it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
>spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
>
>
>Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
I couldn't bring myself to snip a single line. That was an excellent
post, Phil. Thank you. Hope you find something more worthy.
I've only worked for two Harley dealerships and must have got lucky
that the first one was truly great to work for. The owner really took
good care of us as he knew it was the service department that could
make or break a dealership. He started off as a mechanic many years
before so he knew how things should work. When the Air Force moved us
from Alaska to Virginia I was forced to find another shop. Ended up
quitting them in less then a year as the bs was so bad there. At least
most of the people in the parts department had a clue and knew what
worked and what didn't. What I hated the most was when the customer
bought something off of eBay for his bike and the part ended up being
for some other model. Then they got pissed at us for not making it
work. My other pet peeve is those that call all dealerships
"stealerships" even after I worked on their bikes on my time for free,
especially when it was the training that my dealership gave me that
gave me the skills to help them out in the first place.
It's been two years since I quit working for Harley dealerships but I
still help out people I'm friends with in doing work to their bikes.
On top of that a few months ago I went in to a Polaris dealership
(I've been a big fan of their ATV's ever since I bought my first one
back in 1991) and ended up getting hired. Now I work on the Victory
line of bikes along with several brands of S&S Evo powered lines of
custom choppers. This time I set it up so my pay is pure stub pay. So
when my boss tries to give me a hard time for taking too long to do a
job I can (and have many times) tell him that it isn't costing him any
more for me to go the extra mile to do it right the first time. Since
I'm their head bike guy (their 2 other mechanics only work on the
ATV's and watercrafts as I am their only street bike mechanic) they
would be in a world of hurt if they were to fire me. <g>
Last month my boss asked me for a list of what Harley parts we should
stock as he wants to expand in to doing routine services on Harleys
like oil or tire changes. Now I am arguing with him in to getting the
factory Harley manuals instead of using Chiltons. I guess the fun
never ends.
Thanks again for the great post. This round's on me.
Hey Shirley, get over here!
Ruppster
sportster at dodge-semis dot com
Spunky the Tuna
> Spunky the Tuna <spunky...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>> Think maybe you need some time in the sun? We've got quite a lot of it
>> down
>> here, we've got lots of space, a spare bed, three cats and a Liberian
>> Huskador who are all African friendly.
>
> Heh...Definitely kept in mind, although money may be a little
> tight.
Money? We don' need no' mo' of dat Canuckian money. We already got it all.
All you need to do is get your ass here. The rest is taken care of.
> That's something else I forgot in my...er...brochure for bike
> wrenches. Two things that I was told right from the start from older
> wrenches who became friends: "It's a great job if you like bikes.
> It's a shitty job if you like *riding* your bike" and "If you're doing
> this to get rich, you're in the wrong business".
Goes for owning a shop, too. Trust me on that one!
Phil Boutros
>
> I'm sorry it didn't work out for you like you would have liked it to. Did you
> ever think of opening your on small place?
I've thought about it many times. And every time, I've come
to the conclusion that the headache factor is way too high.
And, I don't know how it is where you are, but in most places
I've been, there are...er..."politics" involved in opening a
Harley-oriented shop.
Phil
Phil Boutros
>
> Congratulations, Phil. You're on my tab tonight.
Woohoo. It's early. Slide me a coffee...
Tud
> Roger M <rma...@adelphia.net> wrote:
>>
>> I'm sorry it didn't work out for you like you would have liked it
>> to. Did you ever think of opening your on small place?
>
> I've thought about it many times. And every time, I've come
> to the conclusion that the headache factor is way too high.
>
> And, I don't know how it is where you are, but in most places
> I've been, there are...er..."politics" involved in opening a
> Harley-oriented shop.
You need to open it with someone that may not be as mechanically proficiant
as yourself, but has a strong sense of customer service and a willingness to
take on the business side of things, maybe somewhere on the opposite coast
for a nice change. ;-)
I'll be hoping things work out much better for you guys and you find
something career wise that makes you happy.
--
Tud
SENS BS#111 LFS#32 FLF MISFIT Vermort AH#115
http://ah115.com
"There's only *one* RE."
Phil Boutros
>
> You need to open it with someone that may not be as mechanically proficiant
> as yourself, but has a strong sense of customer service and a willingness to
> take on the business side of things, maybe somewhere on the opposite coast
> for a nice change. ;-)
Hehehe....That's not the kind of "politics" I meant...
> I'll be hoping things work out much better for you guys and you find
> something career wise that makes you happy.
Thanks. Right now, I got a piece of fuel line for my parts
washer and some PST on order. Should be here in a few hours (local
auto parts store). I got a few oil pump gaskets. Maybe this weekend,
I'll get to try changing that outer gasket one more time (and sealing
the threads on the bolt, just in case that is the culprit because of
the Delkron cases). If that doesn't work, the whole engine may have
to come out.
Getting that fixed would make me happy ;-)
Phil...the easily content Asshole(tm)...
Tud
> Tud <tud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> You need to open it with someone that may not be as mechanically
>> proficiant as yourself, but has a strong sense of customer service
>> and a willingness to take on the business side of things, maybe
>> somewhere on the opposite coast for a nice change. ;-)
>
> Hehehe....That's not the kind of "politics" I meant...
If you're saying what I thought you were saying, I think they're all locked
up around here at the moment, but maybe I'm on the wrong track.
Phil Boutros
>
> If you're saying what I thought you were saying, I think they're all locked
> up around here at the moment, but maybe I'm on the wrong track.
Nope. That's what I'm saying! I forgot about the situation
out there. Definitely not the same here.
Phil...the "If you know what I mean..." Asshole(tm)...
Jinks
>
>[The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
>the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
>intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
>of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
> You probably think you'll get to work on some cool bikes.
>People will think you have a cool job. Some people will look up to
>you as someone who knows more than they do. You'll see people's
>reaction to the great work you do. You'll help people out with their
>bike troubles, and save their vacations. You'll get to ride the
>latest, coolest new products.
Dream, Dream, Dreeam.............
> All the above are true. BUT, there are lots of caveats, too.
>
> You'll have to ride some really nasty POS bikes. Some
>downright unsafe ones too. Raine or shine. Freezing your ass off
>sometimes. On the exact same loops of traffic. Over and over. And,
>every time, you have to get all your gear on, and back off afterwards.
>While someone checks your efficiency.
I have a friend that won't touch an unsafe bike.....
> You'll have to fix some really messed up stuff, caused by the
>customers. Those who are qualified to work on their bikes usually
>don't need to bring them to shops, except for tire changes and major
>work. Now you have to explain why fixing a non-operational turn
>signal took several hours, since you had to replace miles of crimped
>together, electrical tape, silly-puttied together wiring.
Those are pointed out & cost extra.............
> You will deal with an incredibly large proportion of
>small-penis syndrome wannabe tough-guy idiots. This includes
>customers, fellow employees, and management. Note: This is not to
>say that it is the majority, but a larger percentage than in the rest
>of your life.
The only ones of those that last around his shop have LARGE,
LOOSE wallets.
> You *will* be at the very bottom of the totem pole. Salesmen
>will want you to do the impossible, and won't give a shit if it can be
>done. Parts department will want you to fix shit without the proper
>parts, either because they don't have them, or they fucked up and
>ordered the wrong shit.
A dealership syndrome.
> You will find out that there are very, *very* few "bolt-on"
>items. Surprisingly, *most* of the H-D branded stuff fits fairly
>well, and *most* of the aftermarket accessories are pure, total
>garbage. This does not include high-performance stuff. You'd be very
>hard pressed to find a bad product from S&S, Headquarters, Zippers,
>ets...But the accessories suck. For example, White Brothers has been
>making the Easy Clutch for years. I've put in hundreds, if not
>thousands of these. You'd think they'd have figured out by now that
>you have to grind down 99% of these to make them fit with a stock
>cable, or the little hook won't fit on the coupler.
Too true.
> You'll find that sales people lie (shocking, I bet). And
>it'll be up to you to try and make what they claimed would work
>*actually* work. This is true of parts departments too. Some of it
>is due to cluelessness, lots of it is due to greed and a desire to
>"make the sale". You'll get no recognition for fixing their mess. A
>good parts person or salesperson is worth his weight in gold. There
>are very few good parts people or salespeople.
Applies to *every* part of life.
> You'll work next to people who are clueless and/or clearly
>don't give a rat's ass about the quality of their work. You'll see
>stuff that makes you cringe, and stuff you'd never, ever, want to do
>on your bike. They'll take shortcuts. After all, how is a customer
>going to know if the clutch and throttle cables got lubed proplerly
>during a service? Smart customers will figure it out and start
>requesting you or other wrenches like you who actually care and treat
>bikes they work on like their own (or better). Once again, expect no
>recognition from this.
See above.
> You'll find out that you are a disposable ressource in the
>eyes of management. People who claim you are "family" will turn
>around and screw you in a second if they don't need you anymore. I
>have worked for many kinds of people from mobsters to MENSA members.
>Ironically, the mobsters were the only ones who made a real effort to
>meet their promises, and were honest when they could not, and
>explained why.
See above again.
<snip>
>If you're as lucky as I was, you'll also get
>to work next to some like-minded people, whom you can count on, who
>will indeed treat you like family, help you through rough times, and
>do anything short of giving you the shirts off their backs, and know
>that you would do the same. Those people are also worth their weight
>in gold, and also very rare.
True!
> You'll have no job security. Your schedule may be required to
>change often. You may be told many times that "If you don't like it,
>the fucking door is that way."
On your own, your name & reputation will be your job security.
> You'll have to buy your own tools. Lots of them. Including
>some specialty tools to make your life easier. If you decide to buy
>*good* tools, you will have more invested in tools than many people
>have in their primary vehicle. I'm afraid to add it all up, but I'm
>sure I probably have at least $20k invested.
& they're worth every penny.
> You will face an incredible amount of bigotry and intolerance
>for anything different than what some people's limited life experience
>has opened their tiny minds to. You can try to change that. You'll
>probably fail in most cases.
Not worth wasting your time on..........
> You will work with some people who have *no* business anywhere
>near anything customer-service oriented. They will still be there,
>either through an unwillingness to deal with them, the fact that some
>money is still coming in, or pure nepotism. Or a combination of the
>above. It will be made very clear that "the bottom line" is all that
>matters. The quality of the work is secondary. The work ethic or
>integrity is secondary.
Again, applies to every part of life.
> If, like me, you take pride in your work, and you take your
>work very, very (i.e. way too) seriously, the above will drive you
>mad.
Only until you find your slot.
> All the above are based on the last 7 years of my life, which
>have been spent working in the motorcycle industry, with the last six
>as a Harley technician. I have learned a lot. I have made some very
>good friends. I have done pretty much anything on a Harley that you
>would find in a dealership, and more. From a simple tire change to
>building strokers, machining cases and heads, using a lathe, milling
>machine, boring bar, Sunnen hone, etc...
>
> But, due to many, many factors (including all the ones listed
>above), I've decided that it's time to end this particular chapter in
>my life. As of yesterday (or today, technically, since this is a
>statuatory holiday), I am no longer a professional wrench (purely by
>my choice).
>
> My tools are at home. I'll eventually get a lift and
>compressor in my shop here, and I can enjoy working on my own stuff
>again. If I decide to do a few small projects here and there, I'll
>pick the customers, the quotes, the hourly rate, and how long I
>decide it'll take until it's done.
Careful! Good work there could result in a career. I know
people that it's happened to................
> In the mean time, I have a few things lined up. Like another
>job in something totally unrelated and stress-free, and the
>possibility of going back to school and pursuing a degree (I'm
>thinking a Physics degree, so I can get back to my former geekdom).
Whatever works for you.
> It's been an interesting ride. Would I do it again? Who
>knows. And why even worry about it. I did it, I learned, and now
>it's time to move on. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more time to
>spend in here, nitpicking at some of the tech posts <sfsf>.
Good to hear that you had an "interesting ride". "Do it
again", why? You've done it! Use what you've learned & move on.
Good luck in whatever you choose!
>Phil...the "Times, they are a'changing..." Asshole(tm)...
Jinks ('86fxrs,'02 K1200LT,'95 Triumph Sprint)
#64
Remember, "No good deed goes unpunished"
Roger M
Phil Boutros wrote:
> Roger M <rma...@adelphia.net> wrote:
> >
> > I'm sorry it didn't work out for you like you would have liked it to. Did you
> > ever think of opening your on small place?
>
> I've thought about it many times. And every time, I've come
> to the conclusion that the headache factor is way too high.
I guess it can be that way. I've been at it long enough that at times I forget the
hard beginnings. Still at this point I'd have to say I don't have any regrets. Being
independent is very high on my list of things that matter to me.
>
>
> And, I don't know how it is where you are, but in most places
> I've been, there are...er..."politics" involved in opening a
> Harley-oriented shop.
>
Right now we are doing it the easy way as far as bike repairs go. We do what we
want to do but we have the auto repair to back it up at all times. So it kind of
doesn't matter if we do any bike work or not. We did a few and in our kind of small
community word travels fast. We've been steady with the bikes ever since.
Anyway, good luck in our new endeavors whatever they may be.
Roger
the "I went for a nice long ride today" garage owner
I feel better too
HiTech RedNeck
Phil Boutros
<snipped some good words of wisdom from someone who's been there, done
that...>
> Good to hear that you had an "interesting ride". "Do it
> again", why? You've done it! Use what you've learned & move on.
> Good luck in whatever you choose!
Thanks. We'll see where life takes me next...
Phil
keg...@bowling.net
this newsgroup with:
>Jinks <Ji...@thecomputer.net> wrote:
>
><snipped some good words of wisdom from someone who's been there, done
>that...>
>
>> Good to hear that you had an "interesting ride". "Do it
>> again", why? You've done it! Use what you've learned & move on.
>> Good luck in whatever you choose!
>
> Thanks. We'll see where life takes me next...
>
>Phil
Phil,
Not to compare being a tech to a public servant (e.g. fire, police),
but doesn't it always seem to work out that the job everyone always
wants to have is always associated with the least amount of respect
and pay?
And then, on the other end of the scale are lawyers, politicians, oil
execs...
Good luck to ya. Anyone who can put up with what you did, for what
little you were paid, has the drive and initiative to accomplish
anything they want.
Hoppy
Phil Boutros wrote:
> [The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
> --
> AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS ph...@total.net
> http://ah61.com EKIII rides with me. http://eddiekieger.com
> "I know some day, the righteous will rejoice and sing." - Warrior King
The quickest way to ruin a great thing is to try and make a living at
it.
Hoppy
BS7 AH85 SENS SLOB16
Roger M
Hoppy wrote:
Amen to that.
Roger
big al
ng
>
>
> The quickest way to ruin a great thing is to try and make a living at
> it.
>
> Hoppy
> BS7 AH85 SENS SLOB16
>
Or marry it.
--
BS205© G&W© FD#1®
CVNS® "Sometimes we ride, sometimes we don't"
-Dave Schultheis-
Tud
> Hoppy wrote:
> ng
>>
>>
>> The quickest way to ruin a great thing is to try and make a living at
>> it.
>>
>> Hoppy
>> BS7 AH85 SENS SLOB16
>>
>
> Or marry it.
Heh.
the heekster
>ilbcn...@aol.com <ilbcn...@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>> GOOD ON YOU my brudder, this is way kewl to hear. Now, all ya hafta do
>> is move someplace warmer - legally of course heheheh
>
> Mexico's looking kinda nice!
>
>
Or not. Ever think there just might be a reason all those Mexicans
are in the US illegally, and not in Mexico?
Best of luck to ya, Phil. If you want to do little steps in the
Spanish, try Tejas first.
--
the heekster, BS#4, preposterous
roach
Roger M wrote:
> Hoppy wrote:
>> The quickest way to ruin a great thing is to try and make a living at
>> it.
> Amen to that.
Yep. Did it with photography. Now I charge so much I may never
have to do it again.
roach
Willie Wahoo
wrote:
Hence.... I am not a porn star. <sfsf>
Butch & Joyce
NTXNS CRABB MAMBM
'03 FLHRCI
Fort Worth, TX
Rick Begeman
>
> [The following is non-fictional. No names are mentionned to protect
> the guilty. Any resemblance to actual people is definitely
> intentional.]
>
> So, you want to be a Harley mechanic (or "technician", as some
> of us edumacated folk like to say)?
>
> You probably think you'll get to work on some cool bikes.
> People will think you have a cool job. Some people will look up to
> you as someone who knows more than they do. You'll see people's
> reaction to the great work you do. You'll help people out with their
> bike troubles, and save their vacations. You'll get to ride the
> latest, coolest new products.
>
> All the above are true. BUT, there are lots of caveats, too.
>
> You'll have to ride some really nasty POS bikes. Some
> downright unsafe ones too. Raine or shine. Freezing your ass off
> sometimes. On the exact same loops of traffic. Over and over. And,
> every time, you have to get all your gear on, and back off afterwards.
> While someone checks your efficiency.
>
> You'll have to fix some really messed up stuff, caused by the
> customers. Those who are qualified to work on their bikes usually
> don't need to bring them to shops, except for tire changes and major
> work. Now you have to explain why fixing a non-operational turn
> signal took several hours, since you had to replace miles of crimped
> together, electrical tape, silly-puttied together wiring.
>
Snip
I thought it was just me.
I had similar experiences at car dealers.
Switched to indy shop then my own.
Lost hair, stressed out, got tired of the physical toll.
When to school and learned UNIX.
Found things were the same just different players.
Got tired of being treated like a piece of toilet paper.
Started working on bikes, Harleys feast or famine.
Lots of crap equipment or billet barges with less than 5k miles.
Moved to Oregon, few have any disposable income here so the Harley economy
is limited.
Now I am assembling chip testers, as a temp employee for managment who get
bonuses for my labors but cant keep me supplied with parts or are more
interested in covering ther ass than actually producing product and a
sales dept who dont have a clue.
I don't think it matters where you go the shit is still brown and stinky.
If you really take pride in your work, it is squandered by lousey
managment, shit on by a sales dept that excells in the wine and dine end
of the deal, and engineers who are hiding their fuckups by loosening
specs.
You have to disconnect yourself, play their game, and find humor in how
fucked up things are. Save your heart and sole for what you love at home
in your own garage. Cherry pick the jobs and customers you do work for,
and leave yourself lots of time to fuck off. Do not place your customers
first, give them the respect they deserve, but not at the cost of your own
joy.
I keep telling my manager the all the money in the world isn't worth shit
unless you have the time off to enjoy it. They manage by crisis and
throw people (man hours) at the back end of a problem that they would not
have if they managed the front end more efficiently...
Time is a finite resource. Once that clock goes tick tock those ticks are
gone. NO DO OVERS! I intend to spend as many of those ticks as I can doing
what makes me happy. Life's too short.
RickB
Rick Begeman
> or you can do what my cousin did, open his own shop
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.....
RickB
Roger M
Rick Begeman wrote:
How do you get that?
Roger
the garage owner
Andrzej Jan Taramina
> I've thought about it many times. And every time, I've come
> to the conclusion that the headache factor is way too high.
Sorry to hear about your decision Phil, since I remember how enthused you were
when you first got into being a wrench. Sometimes turning your passion into your
livelyhood just isn't a good idea. But it's hard to know when that might be the
case.
Nothing ventured....etc.
> And, I don't know how it is where you are, but in most places
> I've been, there are...er..."politics" involved in opening a
> Harley-oriented shop.
Uh...there are "politics" involved in living life. You either recognize that
and deal with it (and there are many ways to do that....minimize it, avoid it,
play it, etc.) or you don't and get burned every time.
Speaking from experience....
....Andrzej
"There's only *one* RE."
Imagine if there were more?
Thank the lord for that small blessing....
Andrzej Jan Taramina
> Thanks. We'll see where life takes me next...
With any luck, for a visit out our way?
Phil Boutros
>
> Sorry to hear about your decision Phil, since I remember how enthused you were
> when you first got into being a wrench. Sometimes turning your passion into your
> livelyhood just isn't a good idea. But it's hard to know when that might be the
> case.
>
> Nothing ventured....etc.
Perzactly. I'm going to go do something where my noggin comes
a little more in play, and my body less.
In the mean time, I started a new job for a friend yesterday.
Doing masonry work. Being the new guy means you mix a lot of mud and
haul it around. And cut stones. And do grunt work. I'm a sore and
tired boy today, I'll tell you!
> Uh...there are "politics" involved in living life. You either recognize that
> and deal with it (and there are many ways to do that....minimize it, avoid it,
> play it, etc.) or you don't and get burned every time.
Well, I was talking about a particular type of "politics"
involved in starting a bike shop...
Phil Boutros
Heh...Eventually, but probably not anytime soon! However, the
coast is quite nice this time of year (hehehe)...
Tud
> I'm going to go do something where my noggin comes
> a little more in play, and my body less.
<snip>
> Doing masonry work. Being the new guy means you mix a lot of mud and
> haul it around. And cut stones. And do grunt work. I'm a sore and
> tired boy today, I'll tell you!
Ummm...nevermind.
--
Tud
SENS BS#111 LFS#32 FLF MISFIT Vermort AH#115
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