Comments on: The Project Bike

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:16:12 +0000

Paul: Sorry I couldn’t pour any enthusiasm on the URAL for you. My opinion — you’ll be better off shooting pictures than rubbing on a dilapidated URAL. Let the earth reclaim it…

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:14:49 +0000

Brooktown Geezer: I ran into Paul this evening and he threatened to deploy some powerful argument that I could not resist and take on the project. I told him to go ahead and try but the answer is NO.

When I dream, I dream of riding...

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:40:32 +0000

Steve W.:
I feel satisfaction on several levels when I clean, rub, tinker and repair and polish things. I’d enjoy the heck out of fixing up the Ural. The main reason I’d buy the Ural was for the purpose of fixing and dolling it up. That’s the fun part. I took the intake manifold off my dad’s Studebaker when I was 10. I wasn’t supposed to. But Dad put it back together. I assembled my brother’s Christmas bike for my dad. I was honored. Now I’m 55 and it’s just a problem of priorities. I want to do my photography and ride my motorcycle. I was going to talk myself into the Ural through your enthusiasm. “Paul we gotta get that! Oh man it’s going to be the ultimate people magnet! I can take Kim and JR for rides.”
But in the end we have the vehicles we should have already. Happiness isn’t after the next project it’s right here right now. But I’m still in if you are.
Paul

By: OSG

OSG — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:28:50 +0000

Come on Steve, why can't you man up and make bad decisions like the rest of us?

I've done several Vespa rebuilds over the past few years, enjoyed the process but never made a cent when it came to selling them.

Like you, I have finally wised up, sold the last of the projects, and am a recovering projectaholic, who is spending his time riding instead of wrenching and opining about lost garage space.

Congrats on your prudence!

- Brooktown Geezer

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:28:23 +0000

Gordon: I've been thinking about motorhomes a lot. And thoughts of sailboats and horses come into my head. And so do buckets without bottoms, wells, and Dante's Inferno.

Seven miles per gallon.

Still, there is appeal for an unfettered life that includes hot water and a shower...

By: Gordon

Gordon — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:25:51 +0000

Your ability to unravel truth in the midst of emotional chaos is a great gift. Your words will be in my head as I face projects (e.g., the motorhome and my tendency to obsess on details).

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:10:29 +0000

Dar: A lot of men need to have unfinished projects around. It’s how we feel needed…

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:09:48 +0000

Charlie6 (dom): You know you would be all over that old URAL. The thought of completely dismantling and replacing practically everything just has a sick appeal. Like riding in snow.

Seriously though, this bike is far too gone for someone like me, with a short attention span, to think about "fixing up".

I used to do all the service and maintenance on my LX150 until an unfortunate error on a belt change that wrecked the crankshaft. About that time I stopped. And once you stop it is hard to go back.

But I could do it if I had to. The recent simple thing with the loose sparkplug wire turned out to not be so simple and required a tech 3 hours to fix. 3 tech hours equals 12 Steve hours...

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:06:15 +0000

SonjaM: I hate being in the garage. Maybe if I had some fancy setup it would be different. But right now, I want to ride.

Rogier: You have the situation summed up well. Maybe I should restore parts of my house...

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:04:46 +0000

bobskoot: I’m with you — it seems like a bucket with no bottom. My friend Paul sees it as a jewel I think. Maybe he’ll comment and reveal his vision.

If I was going to undertake a project right now I would hope it would be related to photography or in writing a Scooter in the Sticks book…