Nail on the head, Gregor! I am looking forward to see what fire this ember creates! I have to say, this thread (along with the van thread) have really given me some perspective on things and inspired me to step out and try new things, regardless of what others think. Almost picked up a van (Effin' Gregor!) this weekend but wasn't what I was led to believe.
Again, can't wait to see where this leads but it's got to be good!
Side note: Jealous of the 1 on 1 time with Walt. His work is amazing!
Edited: Just realized I have been lurking this site for 8 years and finally posted!
What?!?! So much here to unpack. So glad that I've inspired you and others to try to tackle things out of the comfort zone. Like posting in GJ for the first time in 8 years - wow.
This week I'm going to put some time into the van. I bought a pair of seats from MG from his late model Transit. They are benches with shoulder belts attached to the seats. As soon as Ben took the KTM (check out
my old thread which he's updating now that the bike is his build) I put the benches in the garage and then order supplies for the back build out - sound dampener, L-track and insulation. And no more space again.
Walt. Yes he is an amazing guy. Sometimes you can read about people and see there work and think, "You know, I'll bet this guy is really cool - I'm sure we'd get along" and this was one of those times. He was just such a cool person - beyond the bikes. The way he and his wife got along, his kid was really nice and his house was just filled with art and beautiful things. I mean, the guys hair is perfect and he's 56.
But more than anything he's pursued something he's passionate about. He wasn't trained in any way for what he's doing but his passion allowed him to learn and his desire to perfect things has lead to a very successful business. I'd like to think I have those same qualities. I certainly have the desire to do things I don't know how to do and try to become good at them.
It's funny because as I start to research my project I end up finding so many naysayers in the forums. It took me back to when I built my first boxer and every time I asked a question I was told "You can't do that" or "That's not how the factory did it - are you smarter than the factory? I don't think so" and it pissed me off to no end. Like seriously made me angry. The factory isn't god, and everything, every single thing was made by someone who once didn't know anything. So why the hell can't I be that person?
What made the difference is that I was luckily surrounded by friends who listened to my ideas with an open mind. If they were skeptical they'd say so but they were open to trying them. That was the key for them - will it work? Let's try it and see. "No" was never the option.
Turned out I had some good ideas. And when we finished the bike all those people who told me I couldn't do this or that asked how I did it. By not listening to you! Then those people started to copy my ideas.
So I take that to heart. People make a fuss about how we're this generation of parents that give every kid a medal or a ribbon. I can sort of understand their frustration - not everyone wins and kids should learn that. But to me everyone starts from a place that they can win. And all kids have is that spark of ideas - in fact they're sort of like smacking a fire - sparks all over the place. Being told you can't do something can just shut the whole discovery process off. My job as a parent is to say "You can do it" even if they can't. It's up to them to find limits and not for me to set them based on what? My ideas? If all we did was limit it to the ideas that exist now we'd never get anywhere.
Man, struck a nerve there.
Okay, I suppose I should give a little hint of things to come. Here's a shot of how crowded the garage is right now. You can see the van seats and general state of chaos.
And maybe you see something else. I love all motorcycles but my boxer was my first bike and I have a connection to them. I just love old BMW's and I've given everyone 19 years to make a cooler bike and no ones done it. This bike here is pretty close. It was built by a guy in Canada and incorporates a lot of the ideas I'd been wanting to try on my fathers bike so when the opportunity came up to buy it I jumped.
Airheads, what the old BMW's are called, are just a super cool design. It's where I started. I love them and I have a lot of ideas. I need to be an expert on them again. Get familiar again. Get more ideas. Ignore all the people who say no just like Walt did.
But that shop is still way to crowded - lot's more things need to go.
G
