Course 4 - Week 3 (part 2)

Tonight was the second test for the electrical class. I got myself another 100 in the books. We had a little last minute cram session right before class and it's a good thing I jumped in because a few of the points we hit on I think I would have missed on the test. It's quite a bit of information to try and remember and I'm really scared of the final. I don't think I'll be able to remember it all and as much as I'd like to get a 100 on that too, if I don't, I won't start ripping my hair out. It's definatly preferable to remember the information but its more important to know where to get the information when you need it and then put it to use.

Other than the exam we worked on making a final block diagram of an ignition system. It's a little tricky because it's different from any other type of bike we've worked on in our practices and final labs.

We're having a slight revolution in our class. Evidently quite a few of the people aren't exactly happy with the way the instructor is teaching. They aren't quite grasping the material and are really struggling with it. From what I gather they seem to think it's the way he's teaching it. The guy we have is sort of a substitute since our original instructor got sick and then a few days later started his vacation. He, our current instructor, normally teaches the advanced electronics class and I think the problem they're running into is that he's used to teaching students that already have the fundamentals down and we don't. I've noticed he likes to respond to a question with a question. It can be frustrating at that exact point in time but it does make you think. The only problem I see with that method though is that you have to understand the base material to be able to figure out your own problem, if that makes sense, and a lot of these guys don't.

I'm trying not to lose my cool with him but I have a few times and I've told him that I'm sorry for doing but that I was just frustrated and I've also told him that I realize that it's easier having the answers handed to you but it's more rewarding to figure it out.

Course 4 - Week 3

Here we go. The final push in the electronics class. We've covered charging, ignition and starting systems now and we've had all our demonstrations. This week we have to knock out all the rest of the lab practice projects, the final projects, one more quiz and the final exam. It's gonna be a busy week for some of the people in there. Not so much for me.

I've finished all the practices for the charging, starting and 2 of the practices for the charging systems. I've also finished the final projects for the ignition and starting systems. I forgot to mention that we have to do the charging, starting and ignition project on a Kawasaki, Suzuki and a Honda for a total of 9 practices and 9 finals. So far I've gotten 100's on all my projects and a 100 on the one test we've had. I'm doing good so far but the last test and the final are the real ball breakers. That being said I'm not counting my chickens on this class yet. I've got some serious studying to do for this one. During the projects I can look through my book but not during the test.

I'll give everyone an update Wednesday night after our last quiz and again Friday night after the final exam.

Course 4 - Week 2

We had our first test of the course tonight. I got a 100 on it. According to the instructor this was the "free pass" test. It was only 10 questions and it was real easy. The next test is going to be 25 questions then the final is 50 questions and its a real ball breaker. Everyone says you really have to study for it.

I've finished all my practice projects that we can do and I've started into my primary final projects. I finished two of them tonight and got 100 on both of them. The lab projects aren't really the hard part of this course. The book learning is the hard part. At least for me anyway.

I'll be updating again Friday night.

No Biketoberfest for me!

I was hoping to be able to get some new pictures to post on here but I can't get off work to go. The weather is supposed to be great this weekend too but one of the things you just gotta do, to do what you want to do, is to do what you don't want to do. As much as I want to hit up Daytona and party, I want to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas also head out to Cincinatti in February for the V-Twin Expo even more. I've gotta pick my battles and unfortunatly Daytona isn't high enough up on that list. I'm definatly planning on going next year right after graduation.

Course 4- Week 1

We're pretty well into the Electrical course and we've covered the basics from the Theory class and started to get into more detail. We hit on the starter systems, had a demo and started testing the starter systems on a Honda, Kawasaki and a Suzuki. We aren't given a Harley to test. Why I'm not sure. We get a different answer every time we ask so I've given up asking. Part of the testing of these systems has been drawing out a block diagram from the schematics. Reading the schematics isn't really hard. The hard part is knowing exactly what the instructors want us to pull from the schematics for the diagrams.

I have to admit that I'm having fun with this part of it. It's challenging looking at the schematic and finding that wire on the bike. It's nice when you get it right quick.

Next week we're supposed to hit on the charging systems and the ignition systems so I'll be ready to cause some real damage soon enough.

Why am I here.......

I had someone ask me, "Why are you going to motorcycle school?". Then I starting thinking to myself, why am I here?

Why am I here............

Have you ever asked yourself that and honestly gave it thought? Really, truly thought about it?

I think I'm here for a few reasons. I like motorcycles. I like riding them, I like being around them and I like the feeling I get when I sit on one. What does that mean exactly? What does that mean to me? I hate to sound cliche but when I sit on a bike I feel free. Not the type of free that you find in an advertisement in a magazine. I get this feeling that I can be better than I am. That I can free myself of the troubles of my mind. Maybe that's what the ads are selling.

I'm also here to prove something. I could say that I'm here to prove something to my mother or my friends or just about anyone but I'd be lying. I'm here to prove something to myself. I've screwed up just about every good opportunity I've had and I need to, no, I want to finally finish what I start.

I've got a lot of work to shake all those bad habits and lose some of the attitude I've developed. Why do I need to challenge and fight everything? I don't know. I do know that, for some reason, I need to though. Maybe the thing or person I really fight and challenge is myself. I'm my own biggest critic and I bash myself the hardest. I suppose that can be good when I use it push myself to improve. What have I been trying to improve though? What are we all trying to improve?

The people I've respected most have been people who could fix or build things. For years it seemed all I ever heard was "you don't have the mechanical ability" and I think it's the reason I gave up on my pursuit of auto mechanics after high school. My favorite times growing up were when I got take something apart or build something. I know I'm good at it and the person or thing I will fight from now on is the one who stands in my way. I've finally found something I enjoy and makes me happy. I feel sorry for the one who gets in my way now. I include myself in that. I will not give up this time. I will not settle for anything less than what I want.

Course 3- Done

I finished out the course tonight with a 97.8. It's not as good as I wanted but it's what I got.

I scored a 88 on the final exam missing 3 questions. Two of them were from topics we covered in lecture but that we didn't do anything with in practice or lab so I didn't think it would be on the test. Was I wrong on that. There was also a question on the test that was not only not covered in lecture, in our papers or done in lab but it didn't have anything to do with our class at all. It was from Course 1. I got that one correct though. The last one I missed was just an incorrectly checked box. I knew the answer but just got excited that I thought I was going to get a 100 on it and just screwed up. Slowing down and taking my time is something I obviously need to work on.

Monday we're on to the first electronics class. I'm really looking forward to this one, partially because I have some experience with electronics and also because I'm afraid to touch the electronics on a bike. I know what happens when you start playing with wires and don't know exactly what they do so I've been afraid to touch the electrical system on my bike. It'll be nice to learn how the systems work so I'll feel confidant to work on mine once the warranty is up.

Hopefully it'll be as fun as I think it will and I'll have a few updates next week.