Professor

[DaveO]

Is it alive???

[VincentHill]

"You talking to ME"?? The short answer is "NO"!

This deal is like a watching American Chopper or HotRod! Here is some work I was doing on Sunday before I started fitting the Pistons and Rings. Had a Stubborn Wrist Pin and made this tool.

When I pulled out my Piston Pin Puller that I had bought in the Early 70's I had a problem! The hole was too small. I thought about turning out a .125 then a new tool. Kawasaki wants over $400 for their tool (Which is over $225 dealer) and knew I had to do something. I went to a company called "Starting Line Products" in Idaho and got this tool for $39.95 After a little work with my Hack Saw and a File, here is what I now have.

The problem is the puller will press on the ring land.



Thanks "Again" To Bergie and his web site
http://www.dontbescaredracing.com/for helping me post these pictures


Last Friday the 14th I was down to the Pistons which I had ordered at the end of March and Cometic Spacers and Gaskets which I had ordered the first week of May. Considering Pistons are a lot harder to make and take a lot more time and Skill I knew they would take some time. I have a lot of patience with "Machines" but very little with people. When anything is not done when promised, I am less than forgiving. After a few mis cues, I got the "Pistons" in time to do what I had to do (Lost one person over this!)  

We all know that companies are always trying to get the Job done with out people, but what happened at "Cometic" make what Happened at JE look like a pleasure Boat ride. In the "7 to 10 work days they said it would take, I figuered if I added another week for problems I would have the parts by Wednesday to Friday last week. It did not happen. When really pursued, the answer was they ran out of "Material" to make everything I needed (Now companies are trying to do business without people or material!) If Cometic on a scale of 1 - 10 is a "1", JE would have to be 50% worse to get "DOWN" to a 10!

The Longer answer is it will be a late night Saturday and I will install the engine on Sunday Morning and Start up Sunday evening and start riding the bike Sunday Night. I am taking Thursday and Friday off next week for Dyno Tuning the NOS, Nos Controller and Retard and Fuel. I plan to leave Friday afternoon before Rush Hour!

[DaveO]

Professor,

I have dealt with Cometic directly for a long time. They have always been good....until recently.

I ordered a head gasket for a Gixx1K I sponsor three weeks ago. They told me it was "on the shelf" and would ship today.....I called last week and asked whats up??? Lady told me they are making all orders, since they are backed up with no stock. So I sourced it thru a distributor.

Still haven't heard from them.

On the plus side was Zero Gravity... I called and asked for a diff screen to try for Maxton. Reply was "sorry" we don't have in stock. When I told her I needed it for next event, she asked what I was racing. She said she would get back to me.....

They called Thursday, made me one, and shipped it in time. I was impressed....

Thumbs up to Zero Gravity for expediting it for me.

If I can be of any help with your 12 just ask....

Dave

[VincentHill]

Thanks Dave! I have also apologized to my Step Son and the guy at his work who ordered the gaskets because I just could not believe what was going on there until I spoke to some one that fessed up! With your experience it all makes sense that they really did run out of Material. (Money problems maybe where they owed and could not pay)

I appreciate you taking the time to check up on this Old man and "KNOW" You mean exactly what you say period! I will be older after this weekend but I will be together and breaking it in. I will get back to you on progress, thanks again.

[FastGixx]

whats up with the professor shit?  

are you really a "professor" like at a university?

[DaveO]

Professor at speed.....lesson's at Maxton

[VincentHill]

Professor at speed.....lesson's at Maxton

The "Sultan of Speed" "Mr. Motorcycle" Scott Gutherie Gave me that name. As far as I am concerned, It is more like "Student"! "D

Dr. Dave, I was just Cometic'd today. Like I said earlier, I have all of the patience in the world for machines because they just about do exactly what is expected. They do not lie or make promises they cannot keep wheather or not they know that they cannot keep them. Unlike the Pistons, the gaskets were not shipped for Saturday delivery if they were shipped at all. I will not have anything in my bike made by Cometic even if they paid me. SO if and when they ever show up, they will be returned and I now need a good Head Gasket and .060 and .080 (If possible an .070) base spacer.

I will be working on the AC in my Van this Sunday and make plans for the June meet if nothing else happens. I have had enough and I am too old for all of the Lies (Knowing and un-Knowing) people in business tell nowadays! Dave, I have never heard anything bad about you, Keep it that way and thanks for your Moral support!

[FastGixx]

So lets see... you wont use je pistons or cometic gaskets anymore because they were late getting to you.     god forbid if you blow up and mtc or muzzys is late geting you a part because you will then be stuck racing a stock bike!  

[VincentHill]

So lets see... you wont use je pistons or cometic gaskets anymore because they were late getting to you.     god forbid if you blow up and mtc or muzzys is late geting you a part because you will then be stuck racing a stock bike!  

Never said I am not using JE, I did say is

"After a few mis cues, I got the "Pistons" in time to do what I had to do (Lost one person over this!)

We all know that companies are always trying to get the Job done with out people, but what happened at "Cometic" make what Happened at JE look like a pleasure Boat ride."

A lot of people make spacers and several make head gaskets. Yes MTC Make good pistons but everything I liked about MTC were done to the JE's

It is not in the "lateness" of getting me anything I have a problem with. It is in what I am told about it that I have a problem with. If you Tell me one thing 3 weeks ago and then call me on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and tell me another thing on each and every day and then on Saturday it does not happen after  all of this? Yes, I have a problem with this and anyone that would not stop doing business with someone that just did this is "Encouraging" them to treat all of us like that!

Would you do business with someone that told you 4 different stories and 3 in 3 days?

[THEMOTORHEAD]

daveo  i have a stock 1000 headgasket if ya need it

[DaveO]

Dennis,

Got one, but THANX for askin...


Dave

[2fast4u2c]

The nickname Professor, comes from the musical "The Music Man" where the main characters name was Professor Harold Hill.  

Professor Vincent Hill.  But sure, you can learn a lot of lessons from the "Sultan of Speed".

See you in May.

[VincentHill]

The nickname Professor, comes from the musical "The Music Man" where the main characters name was Professor Harold Hill.  

Professor Vincent Hill.  But sure, you can learn a lot of lessons from the "Sultan of Speed".

See you in May.

My Uncle was Harold Hill

I "May" see you by June or September at this rate of dealing with the parts vendors! I am now beginning to appreciate "American Chopper and American Hot Rod" always harping on meeting the "Deadlines" and getting things on "Schedule" from the manufactures! Maybe I am not supposed to go over 200?

[VincentHill]

Final FINAL on Cometic.

#1, the Original Order was placed on May 4th and to be received between 13th of May and the 18th of May which never arrived. Problem #1 (Not a lie but still not done.

#2, I called them on Wednesday and they stated that the parts would be shipped that day and would be received by Thursday. (Lie #1)

#3, They called me on Thursday and stated that they had a problem and that the parts would not be shipped until later that day and that I would receive them on Friday. (Lie #2)

#3, On Friday, the called and stated that they had run out of material and would not finish until today and did I want Saturday Delivery which I said "Yes". Since there was no delivery on Saturday this is where I figured it was Lie #3. I was wrong here because at 4: 15 pm, FedEx Picked up the parts in Ohio.

#4, I drive to Baltimore and no parts and no FedEx No nothing.  Today I called Cometic to get the tracking number only to see that FedEx stated that they had "Attempted Delivery on Saturday at 8:45 AM and the place was closed". The problem here is that they left no door tag and sent the parts back to Memphis Tn to be resent for Monday Delivery??

#5, I call FedEx and they credit my account because we both think that the driver knew they were not open and did not even go past to leave the tag. I have the parts now and will be sending one gasket to Jim Owens, so I will be selling 2 base spacers for a ZX12R and 1 head gasket for a STD Bore ZX12R.

Not 100% Cometic's fault, but waay over 90% because of the 7 earlier dates they could have sent the gaskets (along with not doing what they stated on 4 occassions) and I would have received them in time. I am calling Falicon and Johnny Cheeseman for the spacer prices and Muzzy for a Head Gasket. End of this story.

[DaveO]

Professor,

So I assume you are workin on it RIGHT NOW??? Sounds like FedX thru ya a curve too. Unfortunately it is too common in many types of servie/parts industries nowadays.

I still haven't got my parts from cometic, luckily I sourced them elsewhere. I run into this every season, it's always some part. This year it's gaskets, last year Carillo's, and next year who knows.

Now get ot work on that bike.....I have to go make mine faster. Ya think a good coat of wax will help...LOL

Dave

[VincentHill]

Professor,

So I assume you are workin on it RIGHT NOW??? Sounds like FedX thru ya a curve too. Unfortunately it is too common in many types of servie/parts industries nowadays.

I still haven't got my parts from cometic, luckily I sourced them elsewhere. I run into this every season, it's always some part. This year it's gaskets, last year Carillo's, and next year who knows.

Now get ot work on that bike.....I have to go make mine faster. Ya think a good coat of wax will help...LOL

Dave

Correctamundo on the FedEx and everything else

Dr. Dave, you ought to charge for the Good Feelings you give out!  Sometimes when "Everything " is keeping you from doing something, it MIGHT just be the "Man" himself trying to keep you out of trouble. 20 or 30 years ago I would have it together tonight and be putting it in the frame tomorrow  morning and call in sick and be riding it by the afternoon . That is just too much to ask myself "Nowadays"  

After all of the fun I had last year with "Color-wrong" and they ended up sending me about a case of Base and Color, I would also like to have the bike all in one color also when I show up either June (Too Old for the Heat also ) or September. To Paraphrase what I said in that article "I have the rest of my life to get this done[/i]

Now, I really would like to see that bike of yours break 215 with no spray and maybe 222 with a little spray and take the Big Man's money in October

[2fast4u2c]

Now, I really would like to see that bike of yours break 215 with no spray and maybe 222 with a little spray and take the Big Man's money in October

Yes, put some spray on it and break 222, that would be great.  Take my money, please.  Let's see how fast we can get juice bikes to go.  We know how fast the turbo's can go.  But a Nitrous ride is a more demanding tune-up.  I think it takes more skill as a builder to be able to get Nitrous to perform.  Of course, Turbo's will always be more powerful than a Juice bike, but it's much more costly.  Except of course if your tune-up is not good, your blow stuff up.  Just ask me.

Guy