Parts Changer vs Mechanic

[mcgovern61]

I have thoroughly enjoyed restoring and working on my '82 over the last three years! Reading through much of the advice here, I have really come to appreciate the difference between a parts changer (me) and real trained mechanics that understand the systems down to the finest details. I admit that although my bike is running pretty good, fine tuning carb adjustments, timing, spark advance, cam duration.....etc are still beyond my reach!

Hats off to those of you that are the "real mechanics" out there that have given us "parts changers" a chance to keep these old bikes safely on the road! :hi: :thanks:

 

[Omega Man]

Ayup, partschanger right here.

~O~

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i was a state certified mechanic but found myself more often changing parts :mrgreen:

 

[toytender01]

Without us parts changers there would be a lot of dead wings :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: arty: arty: :music2: :smilie_happy:

 

[joedrum]

i think this forum makes us all knowledgeable on old wings ....as the many make one smart forum and i think everybody contributes greatly .....personaly i make good move and and moves all the time and dont consider myself higher or lower than anyone else ....gerry right his bike runs good and it didnt start out that way at all he made some great moves and im sure some of the moves came from this forum of wing brothers and his daughter paid attension to all of them :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: that was a good move too it made a family affair out of the old wing bike ....were all wish for such a good thing like that to happen in a family.....im glad to be a part of this forum knowing that it keeps these great bikes going and friendships that only this forum can provide :mrgreen:

 

[paddy.shadow]

:blush: Ima part swapper 2...... :roll:

 

[danf]

I just Wing it... :smilie_happy: Many mistakes made and many mistakes learned..I would really like to thank everyone on this site as well...I too have learned alot..

 

[dan filipi]

How do they say it, "the more I learn the more I find out how much I don't know".

I think whoever first said that was referring to ME because once I think I've learnt myself everything I could know about something up pops something I didn't know and a lot of times it happens after I changed a part!

I learn so much from everyone on the forums.
I know a lot of things and it brings me great satisfaction to pass on whatever I DO know, not always correct because then I learn something new :smilie_happy:

Hats off to everyone here for all you do!
Putting all our heads together to help each other out really is a very cool thing!

 

[paddy.shadow]

Makes me love me Goldwing even more :lust:

 

[slabghost]

Even parts changers here are thinkers. Almost anyone can fix a machine with all the right books and all the right tools. We do it without either most of the time.

 

[AApple]

Us Meck-a-necks are just glorified parts replacers....but we tend to spend a little more time determining which parts to replace....we even get it right some times the first time! :smilie_happy:
When it comes to the Goldwing, I'll be the first to admit I don't know diddly about them, except what I have learned here, from those of you that have been there before, have learned what the most common issues are, and share that info with the rest of us goobs. I'd be up poop creek without the CGW Forums, and the awesome members here. :clapping: :salute: :music: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

 

[Andyb]

I bet most of the "parts changers" here could be mechanics if there was a need to be. On my old Bandit, I got to know how to manipulate carbs because there was a need to do it. On these wings, it is really more about keeping the carbs clean. On my Bandit, I learned a lot about spring rate, compression damping and rebound damping because my shock wore out and I replaced it with an old Hayabusa shock. I did not learn much about cams because I chose to keep my engine stock, but a lot of guys switched to hotter cams and I am confident I could have learned it to if I had wanted to or needed to.

On the flip side, I have learned more about charging systems, rebuilding starters, starter solenoids, soldering, cleaning old switches and making do with my Goldwing because I have had to.

 

[toytender01]

Amen..."Because I had to" has gotten most of us into some deep s---- and friends and others have helped us out again, :Egyptian: and along the way we learned something even if we diden't want to :smilie_happy: :whistling:

 

[OldWrench]

I’m a truck technician but that certainly doesn’t qualify me as a motorcycle mechanic. I have learned so much about my 80 and 83 wing from the folks here. Unfortunately many times those of us that work as technicians end up being parts changers. However many of you that are so called “parts changers” have the first step down pat, and that is to learn your equipment, pay attention to detail, and take pride in the work that you do.

 

[danf]

....Solutions... Friendship..Sharing

 

[scdmarx]

A parts changer can be taught how to change a part. So can a chimp.

A mechanic is the guy who can study a system, at least achieve a basic understanding of how a system was designed to operate, understand (or even visualize) a parts functional role in a system, and determine if it is still capable of fulfilling it's roll.

It's about information mostly. Learning where to look for it and how to find it when it's needed. Reading manuals, online searching, asking questions, relating to past experiences, processes of elimination, etc, etc. Enlightenment even comes while sharing knowledge - ideas - theories with others. And this is where CGW shines, makeing our little GoldWing world a better place.
I'm greatful for what I take from this site and hope that someday I'll be familiar with the product enough to start giving back.

 

[Andyb]

A parts changer can be taught how to change a part. So can a chimp.

A mechanic is the guy who can study a system, at least achieve a basic understanding of how a system was designed to operate, understand (or even visualize) a parts functional role in a system, and determine if it is still capable of fulfilling it's roll.

It's about information mostly. Learning where to look for it and how to find it when it's needed. Reading manuals, online searching, asking questions, relating to past experiences, processes of elimination, etc, etc. Enlightenment even comes while sharing knowledge - ideas - theories with others. And this is where CGW shines, makeing our little GoldWing world a better place.
I'm greatful for what I take from this site and hope that someday I'll be familiar with the product enough to start giving back.

I hope that those of you who are actually Mechanics did not take offense at my post. I could not currently make my living as a mechanic for the reasons listed above. I, can and I bet many others on here could, be a shade tree mechanic on my own bike because I need to be.

 

[OldWrench]

I hope that those of you who are actually Mechanics did not take offense at my post.

As for me, not at all. What I have also found is there are a lot of people working as mechanics that are merely parts changers and many times don't do a good job at that. I don't know about others but I will go through several people to find one good mechanic. It is like any profession there are tricks to the trade and a level of knowledge that must be learned and needless to say have a strong mechanical aptitude.

 

[scdmarx]

I don't see how anyone would take offense to your post. I must have missed that part. If so, glad I did.

 

[slabghost]

Nothing to be offended by. Being financially challenged most of my life I learned to either fix or do without. I chose fix most of the time.