Oh Snap!

Sometimes motorcycle work permeates into other facets of life. Robert Pirsig was, I think, one of the first to write about this phenomenon in a comprehensive way, or at least take the idea to a new level. The most recent book I've read about it is Matthew B. Crawford's Shop Class as Soulcraft. If you liked Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence, I suggest you give Crawford a try.

Recently, my attempts at starting the Norton for the first time have been thwarted by my lack of focus. First, after finally sorting the wiring, and mere minutes away from kicking the engine over, I stripped the sparkplug threads. Everything was in place for the big test, and, in my haste, I bodged one of the simplest things, which set me back two weeks.

Then, on Hallowe'en night, after buying a new torque wrench, I had the head back in place, and after dragging my dad over to help me line up the push-rods, I began to torque the head bolts. Two of them are partially blocked by the spindle covers, but are still accessable, so I went at it. I thought I felt the torque wrench give at 20 lbs, but couldn't be sure, so I kept going. This time, I felt nothing. So I kept going. Nothing. So I kept going. Then the bolt snapped.

I cooly set the wrench down, walked in the house, ate a miniature TOOTSIE-ROLL, pressed my thumb and index finger to the bridge of my noes and contemplated suicide.

Well, that may be stretching it just a tad, but my whole endeavor took on new meaning. When I stripped the spark-plug threads, I was infuriated with myself. This job really wasn't that difficult, and I couldn't understand why was I having so much trouble. Then the answer became clear: I lack focus. I have too many other things on my mind. My subconscious is constantly processing too many other things while I should be dedicated to my current task, whatever that may happen to be. This is the way of Zen, and this is the reason why I bought the Norton to begin with: it is an outlet where I can forget my daily obligations and focus on the bike, but it clearly doesn't seem to be working.

I should mention that I'm not a mechanic. I really don't know what I'm doing, and just when I think I do, I strip threads or break bolts. Most, if not all, of what I've learned is from my dad and from books. I have no real experience, hence my failures at applying my knowledge.

The broken bolt put my whole life into perspective. The bolt is everything; everything is the bolt. I need to focus, to listen to my instincts and slow down, otherwise I may snap, just like the bolt.

The worst part about both the stripped threads and the snapped bolt is that at some level, I knew that something was going wrong in both instances, but I was too distracted and didn't listen to those instincts and the result, both times, was disaster.

But this entire problem manifested from my constant haste. There is always something else I should be doing, something else that commands my attention, some future endeavour that I need to make time for. This is the mode of thinking that results in distraction and snapped bolts.

Now, this time, once I have the new parts I need, I will take the process slowly, methodically. Be one with the bike and forget everything else for those few hours in the garage.