R.I.P. Robert Pirsig

[Lucky Phil]

2 hours ago, docc said:

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/

I read the book years ago and the saddest thing was learning at the end his son was murdered in a totally random knife attach when he was in his early twenties from memory. Felt like you got to know the kid well in the book then this happened.

Phil

[gstallons]

What caused you to post this ?

 I went back and read EVERY post in this thread . I realize how many members are no longer "involved" and how much "we" have all changed and not changed. 

p.s. if you want to keep someone from reading a book , just recommend it.

[docc]

13 hours ago, gstallons said:

What caused you to post this ?

 I went back and read EVERY post in this thread . I realize how many members are no longer "involved" and how much "we" have all changed and not changed.

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 . . . 

 

[Pressureangle]

34 minutes ago, docc said:

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 . . . 

 

 

needle bearing cam...mmm smooth.
White Brothers used to make a billet clutch basket for these, as the ears tend to crack; otherwise everyone touched a groove on the outer ends of the fingers and fixed a steel or aluminum band. 
Wut else... It'll swallow a 44mm carb if you don't ride much under 3000rpms. plenty room for bigger intake valves, compression up to 13:1 pistons, Falicon can do the cranks in their sleep and make them indestructible. 
You probably don't ride it like that tho, eh? lol
I miss that engine, a lot. 

Edited December 11 by Pressureangle

[docc]

10 minutes ago, Pressureangle said:

Thanks, man! Fortunately, I sourced a cam (from Israel!) and all the other top end parts (mostly from CMS/The Netherlands). The challenge with the re-rebuild was getting a GB500 head gasket. This is, apparently, a one-off not interchangeable with the XR or the FT motors. And the GB cam has a special double decompression system that is a special extra gumption-trap challenge.

Just adding order to the universe, here . . .   

 

[Pressureangle]

6 minutes ago, docc said:

Thanks, man! Fortunately, I sourced a cam (from Israel!) and all the other top end parts (mostly form CMS/The Netherlands). The challenge with the re-rebuild was getting a GB500 head gasket. This is, apparently, a one-off not interchangeable with the XR or the FT motors. And the GB cam has a special double decompression system that is a special extra gumption-trap challenge.

Just adding order to the universe, here . . .   

 

 

Ah, that's a RFVH? I was thinking of the parallel valve 500 Ascot motor. 
Still, if I had a hangar for storage, I'd have one.

[docc]

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

[gstallons]

8 hours ago, docc said:

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 . . . 

 

What do you need to fix the GB ?

[gstallons]

Ther was this kid I grew up with and he had a 66 model CB160. He rode this a million miles w/absolutely no maintenance . The seat spring broke and he stuffed a pillow up in there to make it tolerable and the handlebars broke and we use a section of galvanized pipe for handlebars . IDK when he finally got off of it , I suppose when he started driving ?

 AFA Pirsig's bike , I never knew it was a Super Hawk until later in life . I just assumed H-D or a British bike .  I now see how he had time for philosophy instead of vocabulary ! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[audiomick]

9 hours ago, docc said:

... Yet, fair warning: long answer . . .

Long, but very interesting.

I read "Zen and the art..." a couple of decades ago, and now I think I should perhaps have another look at it. What I remember most is his questioning of how someone can work in a concentrated manned on an engine with the radio going in the background. That stuck in my head, as I ask the same question myself.

The concept of a "Gumption Trap" is fascinating. I'd never heard of that, but having consulted the Wiki on the subject, I realise that I am very susceptible to those. Hmmm...

EDIT: thinking about it, I reckon the more one is a perfectionist, the more likely one is to be susceptible.

Edited December 11 by audiomick

[Chuck]

^^^^Yeah, I've never understood a TV in the shop, or listening to the radio while riding..

[gstallons]

Hmmm . I like Classical (yes Classical ) when I am concentrating , old stuff any other time , Framptom Comes Alive is probably the best to listen to (IDK why) . After that , anything goes !

[docc]

3 hours ago, gstallons said:

What do you need to fix the GB ?

All the parts and tools have finally arrived.

It's down to equal parts time and Zen . . . .

[LowRyter]

My boss gave me the book when I retired 10 years ago, still never cracked it open.

So far as the Superhawk, the first modern bike.   A local riding buddy and restorer has all the the 305's, Scrambler, Dream and SH.  According to him, for sure the Superhawk was the best of the bunch.  Built with better parts like swingarm bearings but also a convertible bike that has adjustable controls, big brakes and very much a race bike that could be ridden to the track.  I think Honda learned they could build a cheaper bike and still have it's famous reliability, finish and performance.

[motortouring]

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. 

Edited Thursday at 02:04 PM by motortouring