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Inviting Strangers Home
By Gary Smith # 46184
(July Owners News) |
June 30, 2006
Page 1 of 2 12 |
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Gary (with book) and Ron Wright, author of the K1200 Clymer manual, in Ron's meticulous workshop (enlarge image)
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Brad Newsham’s book, Take Me With You: A Round-The-World Adventure to Invite a Stranger Home, about traveling the globe meeting strangers, one of whom is offered an all-expense paid trip to visit America, struck a cord with me. For years, my wife and I have enjoyed inviting people home.
Quite a few visitors come to Pittsburgh, not because we invite them home, but because I invite them to my garage. For almost two decades I’ve been inviting motorcyclists to my garage to tinker on BMW motorcycles. This experience became so rewarding that 10 years ago I bought a small building, previously used as an automatic transmission shop, where hobbyists come to learn about working on BMW motorcycles. Some call it the “motorcycle church,” perhaps because of our devotion. Our amazing collection of cut-away BMW components, made by my friend Al Vangura, which we often use for teaching, has certainly added to the garage’s attraction.
James Grooms, now the managing editor of Clymer, publishers of numerous BMW maintenance manuals, e-mailed me two years ago about one of my Tech Session articles. When I learned that he rides a BMW and is a member of the MOA I quickly invited him to Pittsburgh. He seemed interested in my garage but as an avid Nebraska football fan he was perhaps even more interested in the game between Nebraska at Pitt. He was pleased with the Nebraska victory (ouch), spent time in the motorcycle church, and enjoyed Al’s company.
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Before Grooms returned to Kansas, the three of us came up with an ambitious plan: (1) Al agreed to machine a cut-away of a complete K1200LT power train: the motor, transmission, swing arm, and final drive; (2) Al and I would attend the Indianapolis Dealer Show in February 2006, where Clymer’s display would feature Al’s cut-away to call attention to the anticipated release of Clymer’s new K1200 RS, GT, and LT manual; and (3) I would join James in California for a visit with the writer working on the K1200 manual to gain information for writing an article for the Owners News.
I met James in Clovis, California, in February 2005. From there we took a rental car into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to get together with Ron Wright, an independent contractor/author, who was well into writing the new manual. During the drive, James told me of Clymer’s high regard for Ron, explaining that although Wright’s relationship with Clymer went back a long time, this was his first BMW manual. We found Ron in his idyllically-located workshop behind his attractive home, on property bordering a large ranch, which Ron explained, to my envy, was available to him and his young son for dirt bike riding. I found the confidence placed in Ron very genuine when I learned that it was James’ personal 1998 K1200 RS that Ron was disassembling.
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