MMI Week 5 DONE!

Well week 5 has come and gone with quite a bit of headache. Our instructor was pulled out of our class and we got the afternoon class instructor. Needless to say it's been a repeat of the last time he was in. If I had to put up with this crap all the time I wouldn't be in this school. It's not acceptable that I am getting my time and money wasted because some people would rather have fun than learn.

On a positive note we did get to take apart a few carbs this week. It was cool to get a little hands on. We didn't rebuild them or anything. They were "junk parts" but they were complete (mostly) and we got to take them apart and put em back together after telling the instructor what all the parts were and what they did.

We finished covering carburetors and fuel injection systems. I got a 98 on the test tonight....or last night depending on your point of view. I only missed 1 question and the only reason I missed it was cause some asshat behind me decided it was a good day to live out his John Bonham fantasy and perform a 30 minute drum solo on the table with his fingers and pens. It was so damned distracting I checked a wrong box. I've made my frustrations known to this instructor and if this crap keeps up I'm going to main office about it. I'm not the only one either. There's about to be a civil war in the Theory 2 night class.

We started taking the notes down for the electrical theory chapter for next week and it's not gonna be a total breeze, especially if the crew keeps up the crap.

I'm still positive about the entire experience as I'm learning quite a bit and I still can't wait to really get to tear into some bikes and get dirty.

MMI Week 4- Done

Well the 4th week is over and we've been over oil, gas, transmissions, final drive and a few other little things. Keep in mind we aren't covering every single thing there is to know about these things but the theory behind them.....Hence the class being called "Theory 2". The first test in this class was on Friday and I got a 92 on it. Not what I wanted but considering the sheer amount of information the 50 questions were drawn from, I think I did ok.

We started covering carbs after the test in preperation for next week and I was ready to stab the instructor in the head to get him to use the word "vacuum". For some odd reason he doesn't want to say it. He says it doesn't exist on earth. I know he's an instructor for a reason but I also know that everyone can't know everything. I don't want to assume to know what he does and doesn't know but I do know that he's not explaining his point in a way that everyone can understand. I personally blocked him out and started reading something else while he was talking about it. He was just confusing me as I already understood the basics of how a carb works. I did keep an ear open in case something came up that I didn't know. People do ask questions and it could be something I don't know.....It's a good way to learn, listening to others questions.

So week 5 is about to begin tomorrow night and that means only 2 more weeks of theory then its time to get our hands dirty!

MMI Week 4 (part 1)

We've had a few nights this week and I'm still noticing people coming in late, leaving early and just not showing up. Are these people paying the same amount I am for this school?

Our instructor informed us on Monday when we came in that he had just finished covering the afternoon class as a favor and that he missed us. Evidently the afternoon crowd is loud and doesn't pay attention. Not to mention the fact that a bunch of them tried to sneak out early and that he found out they do this just about everyday. I believe it. Again......are these people paying the same amount as me?

So far this week we've covered transmissions, cooling and lubrication systems and watched a few of the Harley PHD (PHD is Harley's training program) videos on rebuilding transmissions and the oiling systems for the 88's. They wouldn't let us take the test for them while watching them though. They said we had to wait till we actually started the Harley specific portion of the training. At least I've got an idea of what to expect now when I have to watch as many of those videos as possible before I graduate. They have a lot of information in them and it would be nice to able to get a copy of them. I'm sure there's someway somehow to pull it off but Harley doesn't want anyone to have them besides a dealership. It's an ass move but it's a way they keep the business in house.

I'm still keeping a pretty good grip on things. I think I'll do good with this class as well. Hopefully on the next update, Friday night, I'll have another high score to report.

Until then....................

For you Judas Priest fans out there, they are selling tickets to win the Harley CrossBones they use during the show. All proceeds go to charity. I'm assuming since it's a "local charity" thats local to this particular dealership that they are the ones who gave the bike to the band and had it painted and such. The bike is supposed to be autographed at the end of the tour and I'm sure it'll come complete with custom scratches and everything else loved by a fan. You can mail this in so no need to be there if you'd like a shot to win it. I'm personally not THAT big a Judas Priest fan to be rolling around on a custom bike with their logo all over it but I wouldn't refuse delivery either.

MMI- Week 3 DONE!

Well the first class, Theory 1, is done. We took the final for it tonight and I got a 96 on it. I missed 2 questions. One was reader error. The other, well, I contest the results of this one. I'm not trying to say the instructor was wrong I'm saying the question wasn't worded properly on the test to get the answer they say was right. I don't have a copy of the test so I can't retype it...and I don't have the patience to try and explain it all but its pointless anyway. It won't change my score, just make me feel better complaining about it. Much like everything else in life, even when they're wrong they're right because they're in charge.

Back to the point of the post. The class is done. I got a 96 on the test and finished out the class with a 96 AND perfect attendance. Not one minute late. That doesn't sound that hard but you'd be surprised how many couldn't seem to pull that off.

After finishing the test and getting our grades, and kicking out a few that couldn't pass Theory 1, we started in on a little of the Theory 2 class since we finished early and had some time to kill. Works for me.....I hate sitting around with nothing to do.

Transmissions are the first mission in Theory 2 and just kind of brushed on em lightly tonight. We hit on some basics of the gears and how they link up to each other. We also hit a little bit on the power flow of an indirect drive transmission. I think I'll be OK on this section. Motorcycle transmissions are a little different from car ones, well at least I think they are. I'm not a transmission expert for cars or anything. Hell I know the VERY basics of them but I'm not going to school for those.

For now its MILLER TIME! More like Bacardi but that doesn't sound as good when you say it.

Until next week..............

MMI Week 3 - Part 1

We've dipped into 2 stroke motors and a section they call "Shop Math". I call it 3rd or 4th grade math. You'd be surprised how many people need help with this stuff but the dedication I saw last night on quite a few of those people to nail it down was good to see. On that note I have to say that the attitude of our instructor in his handling of classroom rules is very strict. As a matter of fact I had thought it was a little overkill...until last night that is.

We had a substitute last night and let me say that it ended up like being back in high school again. All the rules just went right out the window and NOTHING got done. It's gonna kill us with this final test Friday. Everything we were supposed to get done last night, that we didn't get done, we'll have to cram in tonight and I'll have one less day to study it. A couple fights almost broke out between those of us trying to learn and the ones who didn't care. It got a little ugly a few times. A few of us got a little vocal about our displeasure of the situation, to put it mildly, and offered lessons in manners outside after classes after getting told, and I quote, "shut the hell up we'll do what we want" among other things a little worse sounding. Didn't get any takers though. I don't want to go off on a rant again but it's a fact that all the ones causing the trouble happened to be sport bike students. Now don't read that wrong. I'm not saying all the sport bike students were causing the trouble. I'm saying all the ones that were causing trouble were sport bike students. Young kids with an attitude problem and no real desire to learn I guess.

I'm no angel myself but I'm never that bad last night I was actually keeping my mouth shut cause I know how hard that stuff can be to someone who doesn't get it.

ANYWAY.......Tonight is gonna consist of, after getting our collective asses chewed out I'm sure, checking all the homework from the last two days and starting into clutches and gears.

Bald heads and do-rags.

This observation is quick and to the point. A freshly shaved head, an ample application of sunscreen and a nice clean do-rag at 80mph will quickly become a head with no do-rag and a nice lil sunburn. Why I was thinking it would stay on is beyond me but when that wind hit that slick smooth head it came off real quick.