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guzziz make their own music

It is actually funny that quite a few in this Guzzi forum have read Zen and the art... and also Lord of the ring past by as a read. Starting your motorcycle life on and with a cheap Honda with head gasket problems. It reads like someone wrote parts of my history.

Yes, RFVH. I will call them cousins, but don't expect to see my GB in The Smithsonian. Maybe on the road, again, mehopes . . .

Fair question. Yet, fair warning: long answer . . . My older brother, who got me into motorcycles through his Yamaha SR500 "thumper" (led me to my first bike, at age 35: the Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy), gave me a copy of this book in college. I'm not sure I made it halfway, but put it down and read Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy instead. Later on, I tackled the (challenging) Pirsig philosophy writings for what they were, and discovered a recognition of some of my innate "values." First, that a drive to put things right ( "quality ?") is just, and desirable. And respectable, and important. Also, that not everyone "has it." And, further, that this drive extends to things mechanical. Which bolstered my natural tendency, and lifelong intent, to fix things and push back against entropy with good repair and maintenance practices, adding order to the universe. One of Pirsig's concepts (coming around to the "why" question) delves into what he called the "Gumption Trap ." I have not read his presentation of this concept in quite some time, but we all know it. That project stalled in the shed. That missing part made of unobtanium. The failed repair that failed again. Evidently, the Zen escaped my motorcycle maintenance and the GB was damaged by a mistake I made installing the oil filter. Ten years (!) later, the mistake was revealed and a top end rebuild was made. Two years later, the head bolts pulled out of the cylinder and the head gasket failed. Because of "life", it had to sit leaking oil (very un-Honda-like!) for fourteen months while a Major Gumption Trap set in. For the last three months, I have endeavored to gather parts, and special tools, from the U.S., The Netherlands, and a Japanese gasket set from Germany. I am lucky to have some really supportive and understanding friends that have encouraged me through this Gumption Trap. Revisiting Pirsig's writing, I saw this latest article about The Smithsonian exhibit that includes his SuperHawk. That the author never revealed the motorcycle he rode has always been an enticing mystery. That his motorcycle is now in The Smithsonian is testimony that these machines, these very personal machines, are more than just nuts and bolts and gaskets. They are emblematic of the devotion and care that is the fabric our lives. I feel better about moving forward and making my first motorcycle roadworthy again; ready to bust-out of this gumption trap ! That same brother once drew a cartoon of me in a struggle with this GB500 that really says "Gumption Trap " . . . Pretty revealing that my GB looks EXACTLY like that cartoon on the lift right now . . .

Another article from The Smithsonian with more references and photos, including this amazing period photo of Pirsig with his son on the SuperHawk . . . https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/zen-motorcycle-still-inspires-philosophical-road-trippers-50-years-later-180984143/

Had a Pirsig moment on this weekend's ride to the lakes on the KY-TN. Like Pirsig's motorcycle trip, my son was along (on his own Guzzi). Not an hour out I spot a red-wing black bird as we pull away from a stop. I honestly cannot remember the last one I've seen. "RED WING BLACKBIRD!" I holler and point. Then I say out loud, in my helmet, "I've seen MILLIONS of those, Dad!" An instantaneous moment of differential significance.