Diary

Monday January 27 class notes (posted by Amelia)

Exterior collector website: https://www.tigercubandterrier.com/the-princeton-cubs.html

• You can ride the motorcycle once we finish IF you have your permit/license
• Each group will do a presentation at the end of the class
• We will be working on three partially completed motorcycles rather than a single one

Precept vs Lab

• 1 hour of precept followed by 2 hours of lab (Athletes can leave early, not before 4)
• Precept will be largely based on the 2 books we will read(Pirsig & Crawford)
• Precept will also address technical motorcycle concepts, with demonstrations

Groups (for the semester):

(Jon) Engine (group of 4)

Sam) Electrical

(MGL) Bodywork + wheels

(Iris) Full bike assembly 

(Rihan) Leaks, Clutches, Cables (British cars/motorcycles have a tendency to leak due to poor design)

Leaks/Mechanical (Rihan)	Engine (Jon)	Electrical (Sam)	Bodywork/wheels (MGL)	Assembly (Iris)
Drew	Bea	David	Eliot	Evie
Nikki	Richard	Amelia	Abigail	Ava
	Israel	Pierce	Atticus	Maren
	Alex
	Kai

In Canvas, under modules:

• Parts catalogues for each motorcycle 
• Cub Body & Cub Appendix (“Tiger Cub Bible,” with technical data for each motorcycle by serial number)

Canvas (Perusall):

• A PDF copy of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”
• Go through split up readings in groups and flag references to motorcycles to discuss in precept

Objectives:

• How to build a motorcycle 
• How to fix
• Understand how it works 
• What tools do we use
• How the motorcycle and motorcycle maintenance evolves
• How to diagnose 
• WHY ISN’T IT WORKING?!

MUST DO THE ONLINE SAFETY TRAINING

Pirsig Intro:

• 2 errors, definition of “Phaedrus” and confusion at the ending over who was talking because of the two personalities of the narrator/Phaedrus
• Phaedrus is the narrator’s “old self,” before electroshock therapy and personality change

Motorcycle references in chapter 1:

• “The choke,” you don’t let any air into the engine in order to get more gasoline in so that it is easier to start 
• “Flooded engine,”  too much gas wets the spark plug, so the fuel cannot be ignited
• Pull plugs out so that the engine can be dried out

Content:

• Traveling narrator and son with friends John & Sylvia to Montana
• Motorcycle vs car, able to be in the scenery, not bound by the frame
• John & Sylvia are anti-technology
• Narrator is concerned that his son has shown early signs of mental illness, reason for trip
• “It’s not looking at what is new, but what is best” (What does it mean to be “best”)
• Chautauqua: Traveling lecture 

– Prof will create groups on Perusall so we can flag motorcycle references in the readings

Wednesday January 29 class notes posted by Amelia

Zen and… In Class Review:

• Motorcycle “canting,” leaning into the wind, using body to turn
• “Wide open” throttle, top speed 45 mph
• 6 ½ horsepower cycle
• There is a slide in the carburetor (opens/closes based on twisting the throttle), when it is opened it lets air through and the gasoline is drawn up and mixed with air
• Spark plug screws into the “head” of the motorcycle
• Glass insulator for one plug
• 10,000 volts between the two contacts
• Points: two small cylindrical surfaces, made of tungsten, a spark is generated when the “points” open 
• Carburetor: Device base on airflow and fuel, atomizes fuel
• Stopcock: one way valve, allows fuel to go through
• Reserve tank: enough gas in a small compartment to get you to the next gas station
• Air-cooled engine: uses outside air to cool the engine, avoids enlarged pistons, overheated fuel, “seizures” (locked engine and rear wheel, starts to skid)
• Clutch separates the engine from the wheels
• The head has an intake valve and an exhaust valve, opened by push rods (one on intake and one on the exhaust, made from soft aluminum)
• Tappets: Hardened steel piece that sits below the push rods, gets pushed into push rod which opens the valve
• Timing: retarded (spark comes late, engine runs cooler) or advanced (spark comes early), relevant to top dead center, where the piston comes up
• Open-end adjustable wrench vs. spanner wrench
• Mallet vs. ball-peen (softer)

Seizure:

• Takes a lot of heat to raise the temperature of the barrel 
• Piston can expand when heated 
• Piston is more hot than the barrel, so it expands while the barrel does not

Content:

• People were “spectators” of technology
• Main idea of care and effort/time, to care for something requires time that isn’t seen anymore, in any situation
• “Poisonous” 20th century attitude
• Narrator wrote technical manuals for computers
• Hints at schizophrenia with the storm?
• Not an obsession with the past, rather a respect for the way things used to be done, slower pace, “off-roads,” etc. 

 

Monday February 3 Class Notes – Posted by Abigail Kolbe

New on website

• In the Science section of the website: Thermal expansion table referenced in previous class when discussing pistons
• In Data section: Motorcycle model articles, note design flaws & fixes

Chapter 3 Discussion

• Speedometer needle: speedometer works as the spinning cable spins up a magnet, the conducting plate above is dragged along, moving the angle of the attached needle to indicate a different speed.
• Tachometer is the engine speed, measures revolutions
  • Can have the same tachometer reading and a different speed based on gear

• Content:
  • Narrator, Chris, Sylvia, and John continue their trip
  • Narrator’s relationship with/comments on ghost stories point to his past and possibly schizophrenia
  • Audience first encounters Phaedrus in the story
  • Narrator is ambiguous about Phaedrus’s identity, but describes him as ‘his ghost’. Narrator vaguely remembers a town they move through but feels as though these memories are from a past life.
  • Chris pesters the narrator with questions throughout the chapter, perhaps foreshadowing that Chris knows something we as the audience don’t
  • Philosophers can ask questions that are fundamental and ‘deep’ but annoying (Narrator’s soap-box speech on gravity only existing in the human mind)

Chapter 4 Discussion

• Narrator shares his packing list
  • open-end wrench
  • cold chisel
  • taper punch: like a cold chisel; you can punch out a piece of metal
  • tire irons
  • bicycle pump
  • impact driver: if you have a screw rusted in place, can use to get unstuck
  • point file: when the points burn, you can use a point file to file them flat; usually made of hardened steel. Can’t use on aluminum because it is soft/doesn’t flake
  • feeler gauge: When you have to set a point, a feeler gauge can be used to determine thickness of a gap to the thousandths of an inch
  • test lamp
  • Spare parts:
    • Plugs
    • Throttle, clutch and brake cables
    • Points
    • fuses
    • headlight and taillight bulbs
    • chain-coupling link with keeper: connecting link used to assemble chains; the keeper secures the connection
    • cotter pins: secures fasteners in place
    • baling wire: tough material used to hold things together
    • Spare chain

• Content:
  • Narrator & Thoreau (Walden)
    • Narrator has an admiration for the townspeople/farmers’ relationship to technology. He dislikes how John and Sylvia depend on technology yet simultaneously condemn it.
    • He explains that the farmers are those who need the technology the least (could survive without it) yet they value/have gratitude towards it and maintain it themselves. He favors this approach over John and Sylvia’s, who need technology (couldn’t survive without it) but have no gratitude towards it

Objectives today:

• Troubleshooting group will see if they can get the motorcycle that wouldn’t start to start
• Assembly group will start to figure out putting together the motorcycle
• Engine group will start trying to take parts off the engine we’re rebuilding
• Electrical group will work with Sam
• Leaks/mechanical will work with Rihan

Wednesday February 5 Class Notes – Posted by Abigail Kolbe

Lab Last Time:

Engine group

• Started off organizing the workshop
• Answered:
  • How can we clean the engine using different machines?
  • How does the engine function?
  • Why are different metals used for specific functions within the engine?

Maintenance Group

• Used milling machine to drill holes into aluminum
• Learned how to make a starting ‘pilot’ hole
• Learned how the milling machine works

Electrical Group

• Learned to use soldering iron
• Tested the power on the 6V battery

Troubleshooting Group

• Tried to find why the ’50 Tiger Cub wouldn’t start
• Removed & cleaned carburetor and jets
• Checked the electric: Horn/lights worked, but motorcycle still wouldn’t start
• Couldn’t get a spark, will investigate today

Assembly Group

• Found as many missing parts as possible
• Organized parts
• Measuring which screws fit where
• Used calipers to measure bolts and screws
• Learned about how ball bearings work

New on Website:

• Locations in book

 

Chapter 5 Discussion

• Chain lubrication: if there is dirt/rust in the chain, there will be friction and it will heat up
• Clutch: when you pull in the clutch, it takes the power away from the engine, so cycle will just roll
• Socket wrench: pictured in class; 12 point sockets
• box-end wrench: spanner wrench that goes all the way around
• Handlebar clamp: when you screw it shut, the hole for the handlebars can only get so small; problem in book was that the handlebars were too small, clamp was too loose
• Aluminum is a good material because it is soft, oxidizes but doesn’t continue to rust away

 

• Content
  • How John being a drummer plays into his hands-off attitude towards technology
  • Narrator wishes John cared more about the maintenance of his own motorcycle
  • In a way John cares about the tech in his own way; didn’t want Narrator to use beer can to repair his fancy motorcycle
  • Narrator brings up Chris’s stomach aches as a beginning sign on mental illness, but is weary of getting him professional help
  • Narrator recalls ominous poem by Goethe about a father and his child who sees a ghost and dies; “the ghost wins”

Chapter 6 Discussion

• The chain sagging:  narrator adjusts it; internal threading is stripped
• Cotter pin: explained in last class
• Engine & Power-delivery system
  • explained with kinex model T Ford engine (auto-cycle engine)
  • Pistons moving up and down, light represents spark
  • main parts: wheel, connecting rod, piston in cylinder, spark

 

• Content
  • Classical vs Romantic understanding
    • classical: analytical, function, form, the way things work
    • romantic: outward appearances
    • For most people, these things are opposing sides. Narrator says that his trying to reconcile the two sides got him into trouble/contributed to his mental illness
  • Explains “Phaedrus’s world”/how Phaedrus thought
  • Phaedrus’s “knife” of analytical thought leading to his going crazy

 

Chapter 7 Discussion

• The engine making “knick-knicking” sounds from overheating: If two parts expand from heat at different rates, the fit will be wrong and they will start rattling
• ‘Blowing out’ a tire due to heat: If it’s hot outside, tires will wear faster, especially at higher speeds, making them more likely to fail

 

• Content:
  • Talks about Phaedrus as a timberwolf ‘in pursuit’ of something, trying to ‘figure out’ the world, causing him to go crazy
  • Compares the concept of a Mark Twain knowing how to ‘read the river’ to a motorcycle driver being able to kind of ‘read’ the machine. However, says that this analytical approach necessary to ‘read the river’ makes the river lose its beauty
  • When wielding the analytical thought, the “knife”, something is always “killed” in the process (the beauty of the experience) but something is created too

 

Monday (2/10/25) Class Overview – Posted by Maren Urata

Lab Progress: 

 

• Body Work/Wheels (Abagail, Atticus, Eliot) 

• Originally did not understand the internal mechanics, the external wires were shown and 16 points of contact. 
• The Nylon screw and nut had to be screwed in since the initial tapping broke it. 
• The upper part of the witch is for the lighting and the lower part is for ignition

 

• Engine (Kai, Alex, Bea, Israel, Richard ) 

• Repaired the stand on the lift as one of the wheels fell off
• Spent time trying to find the correct sized bolts and nuts. 
• Continued to organize the workstation and 
• Removed one piece of the engine, planning on continuing to deconstruct different parts of the engine. 
• Discussed the pieces of the engine while learning to use calipers to properly measure the bolts and nuts. 
• Learned how the crankshaft function and the transmission

 

• Electrical (David, Pierce, Amelia) 

• Inspected the diagram of the electrical system 
• Through manuals, to understand the wiring process is extremely difficult, trying to make sense of the drawn documentation of the wiring process.  
• Removed the headlight to properly integrate understanding of the diagram
• Finished the electrical harness 

 

• Leaks/Mechanical (Drew, Nikki)  

• Continued to look for missing parts, organized their station and drilled holes. 

 

• Assembly (Evie, Maren, Ava)

• This group pressed out the bush from the swing arm, a part of the framing. 
• It was previously coated in paint making it difficult to remove the bush from the swing arm. 
• Utilized the arbor press to remove the bush
• Conducted a cleaning process to remove excess oil in the channels of the swing arm. 
• Created two ball bearings to allow the front fork to function smoothly.  

 

 Professor Littman’s Demonstration (2/10/25): 

• A model similar to an engine
• Mectrolosis cell connected to battery (one plus/minus side), acid included into white container to increase speed. 
• Hydrogen in one container and oxygen in the other (Hydrogen has twice the amount of oxygen) 
• Brings the oxygen and the hydrogen into the chamber at atmospheric pressure
• If perfect mixture results, reverts back into the form of water, an exothermic reaction results by generating heat
• In an engine, instead of the ping pong thrusted upwards in the demonstration, the piston in a motorcycle would be pushed down

 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pising 

Chapter 8 Discussion  

Motorcycle References:

 

“John is off looking for a duckbill to put on his helmet” (Pising 136) 

• John refers to the attachment for a helmet, a visor or peak that helps block sunlight or wind. 

 

“The engine has picked up a noise that sounds like a loose tappet but could be something worse, so I’m going to tune it now and see if it goes away. Tappet adjustment has to be done with the engine cold” (Pising 137) 

• A mechanical issue with the motorcycle, the tappet is part of the valve system in the engine. If it is loose, it can cause a ticking noise. He decides to adjust the tappet to see if it will fix the issue, but metal has to be cold to avoid expansion. 

 

“The carbon molecules in the gasoline aren’t finding enough oxygen to combine with and they’re just sitting here loading up the plug.” (Pising 138) 

• A fuel combustion issue, for proper combustion, the gasoline is made of carbon molecules, oxygen needs to be mixed to burn completely. If there is not enough oxygen then the gas does not properly burn and the carbon deposits are left building onto the spark plug. 

 

“The fourth tappet is too loose, which is what I had hoped. I adjust it. I check the timing and see that it is still right on and the points are not pitted, so I leave them alone, screw on the valve covers, replace the plugs and start it up.” (Pising 144) 

• He tightens the tappet to correct the looseness, matching his diagnosis. Timing refers to the synchronization of engine components, the points are part of the ignition system. Reassembles the engine and starts the motorcycle to test adjustments. 

 

Classical approach – The complex system of a motorcycle can be understood better through dividing into parts. The box components are categorizing the parts, power assembly is components responsible for generating power, and running assembly includes the transfer of power to movement. 

 

Chapter 8 Content: 

In this chapter, they arrive in Montana. The narrator stresses systematic rationality, emphasizing the effects over the causes when evaluating an issue. 

 

• Key Ideas 

• A motorcycle is a collection of different structures and functions together as one. 
• There is a discussion of the classical approach which is one which breaks down complex structures or concepts into components to understand their individual function
• The narrator reflects on the differing systems and how they work in harmony to achieve a goal like reaching a destination.

 

• Visitation to a Mechanic and Reflection 

• Observation is made of the local mechanic effectively working through chaotic surroundings. 
• Mechanics often are deep in thought, dislike interruptions because they are constantly problem-solving.  
• He reinforces the idea where working on motorcycles or any issue requires a level of careful understanding, patience and analysis. 
• The narrator reaches the realization where things can effectively function despite surface-level organization. 

 

• Military-Industrial Complex and 1960s/1970s Era

• Briefly touches on the influence of the military-industrial complex which was evident during this time period. 
• This connects to a larger discussion regarding the political tensions, cultural divides and etc (provides the example of hippies vs. older generations) 

 

• Radical Professors and Narrator’s Past 

• The narrator has an association with radical professors and further suggests someone threatened him to expose his former works. 
• Hints at possible flaws within the narrator’s past experiences or character in general. 
• We learned that the narrator was formerly a teacher in Bozeman, Montana.  

 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pising 

Chapter 9 Discussion

Motorcycle References: 

 

“To test properly the mechanic removes the plug and lays it against the engine so that the base around the plug is electrically grounded, kicks the starter lever and watches the spark plug gap for a blue spark. If there isn’t any he can conclude one of two things: (a) there is an electrical failure or (b) his experiment is sloppy.” (Pising 155) 

• The mechanic tests the spark plug through grounding it against the engine, kicks the starter, and checks for the blue spark. This indicates proper electrical function and no spark would indicate electrical failure. 

 

Chapter 9 Content:

The chapter discusses the scientific method, specifically the usage of deductive and inductive reasoning to properly solve a complex issue. The narrator describes his strong belief within the method where it becomes an overwhelming guiding framework, which will overall contribute to the downfall of his past self, Phaedrus. The chapter explores the power of logic. 

 

• Key Ideas 

• The narrator outlines the scientific method, a step-by-step approach. Where a hypothesis is created, even a dumb one. A series of structure questions will follow in a systematic order to work through the problem 
• The method allows the consideration of every logical possible cause. 

 

• Mechanic’s Work : Physical v. Mental 

• The narrator introduces this idea where a mechanics hardest aspect of their occupation is not the physical labor but rather the careful observation and precise thinking necessary
• Mechanics have to look past the4 motorcycle’s physical structure, the usage and attainment of mental hierarchies are needed to diagnose issues logically. 

 

• Faulty Deductive Reasoning. 

• A mechanic assumes that because a horn may not work, the battery is dead. However, this can be incorrect. 
• There are other aspects like the switch or the wiring that can also be the cause of the issue. 
• This further stresses the systematic testing instead of jumping to the easiest conclusions. 

 

• Cardboard Box

• The narrator almost gets hit by a cardboard box on the road, narrowly avoids it and survives. 
• This provides a contrasting lens to the emphasis on control and logic in this chapter, an event that is unpredictable occurred. 

 

Wednesday (2/12/25) Class Overview – Posted by Maren Urata

Lab Progress: 

 

• Body Work/Wheels (Abagail, Atticus, Eliot) 

•  Observed the switch, documented the physical attributes of the switch. 
• Exploring the connections to different pieces of the motorcycle, some went to the ignition and identified the pin numbers associated with each of the parts. 
• Learned by turning the key, different settings would follow. 
• Inserted a filter onto the carburetor, got a spark, spark tested to verify the voltage. 

 

• Engine (Kai, Alex, Beatrice, Israel, Richard) 

• Disassembled the engine then discovered that the internal parts were damaged by water and identified many holes. 
• John suggested that an entire replacement of the engine may be necessary due to the amount of missing parts and the damage on most of them. 
• Attempted to remove the head using some level of leverage or screwdrivers. 

 

• Electrical (David, Pierce, Amelia) 

• Almost completed the wiring harness
• Navigated the dipper switch, trying to fix or reconnect the dipper switch. The sipper switch allows the headlights to go from a normal setting to high beam. It is a two position switch and has a very clever spring action. 

 

• Leaks/Mechanical (Drew, Nikki)  

• Continued to clean, specifically the threads and the cover. There are 32 threads which are the diameters of the screw. 
• Continued to clean those thoroughly to try and get the cover on in the following lab session. 

 

• Assembly (Evie, Maren, Ava)

• This group made a shim using a water jet. After the shim was created, there were burrs, little rigids along the circumference of the shim.
• They deburred the shim using a belt sander
• They then tried to press fit the bushes into the swing arm but couldn’t fit the spindle in with the bushes already in. 
• Therefore, Glenn will try to thin out the bush with a ream to have the spindle fit to get enough play. 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pising 

Chapter 10 Discussion – No Motorcycle References  

 

Chapter 10 Content: 

 This chapter reflects on the scientific inquiry, the nature of the truth and his own personal path through questioning the normal views of science and adapting the more subjective and creative take on knowledge. 

 

• Key Ideas 

• The narrator introduces Einstein’s work as an example of how scientific truths are not always absolute, they evolve and change over time. 
• Science is beyond discovering the fixed truths but understanding and picking the most valid or useful hypothesis from numerous possibilities. 

 

• Narrator’s Past

• We continue to understand more of his background, his early life, specifically his first year of university where he originally studied molecular biology. 
• His interest in science connects to the larger philosophical struggle where he seeks truth yet realizes truth is fluid and subjective. 

 

• Scientific Method and Hypothesis Formation

• He challenges the traditional scientific method which is often viewed as objective and rigid. 
• He suggests hypothesis formation is a creative process that is affected by human intuition and subjectivity. 
• This exemplifies a larger shift from the black-and-white mechanistic view of science to another perspective which acknowledges the role that mind and perception play. 

 

• Internal Conflict 
• The chapter starts to focus on the narrator’s internal issues – his struggle between intuition and rationality. 
• He starts to question why people think and act the way they do, tying into the broader philosophical aspect of the book. 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pising 

Chapter 11 Discussion

Motorcycle References: 

“From my own machine I remove the tool kit and spread it out on the seat, then take the screwdriver, start the engine and with the screwdriver adjust the carburetors until the idling sound changes from a really bad loping to just slightly bad” (Pising 179) 

• The narrator is in high altitude, starts the engine, uses a screwdriver to adjust the carburetor to control fuel-air mixture, fine-tunes them, engine idling sound improves. This shows the gradual progress in performance. 

 

• Disappearance of the rubber from the tire and the usage of gas. 
• The loosening of bolts and nuts occurs as a result. 
• The brake shoes and the drums. The control cables (brake lever is a control cable) (throttle cable and clutch cable) are constantly changing, these are all things that are happening overtime and slowly. 

Chapter 11 Content: 

This chapter, they travel through yellowstone. It also reflects on the narrator’s personal history, his philosophy, the comparison between western and eastern cultures. The concept of “a priori” knowledge and a debate between classical and romantic thinking. 

• Key Ideas
• “A priori motorcycle” refers to knowledge independent from experience, the theoretical or abstract way of understanding something before engaging with it. 
• The priori motorcycle characterizes a conceptualized motorcycle, using analysis and reason before experience of riding to understand.
• This ties back to the narrator’s larger comparison of the classical vs. romantic

 

• Road Trip 

• They venture into the high country, entering a deeper philosophical state and seeking the connections between the different perspectives. 

 

• Phaedrus history and influence of Korea 

• The narrator reflects on time deployed in Korea which was a formative experience
• The narrator asked deeper questions about his identity in Korea, his understanding of philosophy and the place he holds in the world. 

 

• Knowledge and Experience

• The chapter investigates the origins of knowledge, if it is inherent or from experience
• The narrator argues that the knowledge is constructed through experience and rational understanding that is built through real-world engagement and observation. 
• Draws on the example of the Copernican Revolution, geocentric to heliocentric theory didn’t change the world but changed the way people understand it. 

 

 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pising 

Chapter 12 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 12 Content: 

The narrator in this chapter delves into technology, differing perspective of problem solving and his personal experience with Eastern philosophy. He continues to try to separate the romantic and classical thinking which foreshadows his deeper struggles or the downfall of Phaedrus. 

 

• Key Ideas 
• The narrator reflects on a story regarding the fixing of a table or a light switch which draws on how Phaedrus is a naturally skilled person in problem-solving technological issues.
• The artist friend in the story was intrigued and fascinated, approaching it differently by asking “How did you do that?”
• The contrast stresses the different ways to engage with the world, a technical mastery vs. artistic curiosity. 

 

• Road Trip 

• The end of the chapter, the narrator and his friends continue to journey on the road. 
• He starts to reflect on the past ten years before he became a teacher. 

 

• Phaedrus’ Experience in Eastern Philosophy and India 

• Discusses the time Phaedrus spent in India, exposing himself to the Eastern philosophy, specifically Zen 
• He discovered that many of the aspects of Eastern thought are aesthetically pleasing but struggled to fully understand the meaning like Daoism. 
• Western attitudes align with classical thinking and Eastern attitudes emphasize the aesthetics and tradition. 
• Western and Eastern perspectives relate to the classic vs. romantic comparison that he draws towards throughout the entire book. 

 

• Foreshadowing Phaedrus’ Downfall 

• Tension between classical and romantic thinking remains intense for Phaedrus and the inability he has to understand them leads to the eventual mental breakdown. 
• The internal conflict he faces foreshadows the manic state which started and resulted in his downfall. 

 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pirsig – 02/17/25

Chapter 13 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 13 Content:

Church of reason– Author compares university to a church, essence of a university isn’t in the brick and mortar but rather in it’s search for truth. Foreshadows his eventual dialogue on the subject of Quality. Blind obedience to institutions can lead to Fanaticism, undermining the goal of seeking knowledge and truth. 

He uses Accreditation to expound on this point. Accreditation merely ensures an educational standard but does not ensure adherence to a mission of finding truth and “quality”.

Chapter 14 Discussion –

Motorcycle References: 

“ We slow down to first gear and ten miles an hour and keep both feet off the pegs to kick the cycle upright again if it should mush into the gravel and start to go down” (222)

Practice caution when riding on gravel as motorcycle traction is minimal leading to the easy possibility of injury.

Chapter 14 Content:

Rotisserie Chicken Manual- This manual will give you the instructions on how to assemble one in a machinelike manner, it does not help the assembler truly understand the machine.

Christopher Columbus Discussion- Columbus discovered the new world by not accepting the status quo, rather questioning and acting upon his ideas leading to new discoveries. Compares this to Phaedrus, who is also not accepting the status quo and is charting his own path based on his philosophical ideas.

Dialectic VS Debate- Debate is seen by the narrator as an action done with the goal of “winning”. Dialectic is an action that is out to seek new knowledge. This is a more organic and authentic manner of thinking because it lets the mind wonder as opposed to defending it’s views.

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pirsig – 02/19/25

Chapter 15 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 15 Content: John and Sylvia go separate ways. Narrator and Chris visit the University he used to work at, nostalgia ensues. A fellow teacher is disappointed he no longer teaches, she doesn’t know how to talk to him since he has changed. Talking about his experience as a professor, Sarah first asked him about quality. Solution of quality appears as a supersaturated solution aka seed crystal which has become a mass.

Chapter 16 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 16 Content: Narrator and Chris go on a hike, which he likens to his philosophical journey. Quality is at odds with the University system. Later removes grades in his classes as an experiment. A student did like the idea whereas F students like the removal.

Chapter 17 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 17 Content: Allegory about climbing the mountain which is a metaphor for quality. Story of the moose. Chris is becoming troublesome. Having trouble defining quality and trying to understand it. Ask students to try to define quality, in pursuit of better ideas. Quality cannot be defined and does it exist? Students are able to distinguish between good essays and bad therefore it must exist. Principle of Art tries to define art ultimately is unsuccessful, is an emotional response born? Ideas that you teach in rhetoric….. Some of those ideas are legitimate, reasons for rules exist. 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pirsig – 02/24/25

In Class Discussion/Demonstration: On precision machines it is good to use torque wrenches to ensure the hardware is tight enough to hold the machine together but keeps the hardware from breaking due to the use of too much force. In high gear the clutch basket has a 1:1 ratio with the engine sprocket. In lower gears the clutch basket turns faster than the engine sprocket. When you release the clutch it moves a rod through the center of the clutch basket that releases the springs inside the clutch basket allowing the inner chain to move with the clutch basket without slipping. The clutch basket contains three friction plates. When you slowly let the clutch out the friction plates no longer slip and move with the clutch basket to spin the back wheel.

Chapter 18 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 18 Content: Pirsig continues to talk about quality and how it cannot be defined. Continued to climb the mountain with Chris and talked about ego-climbing vs selfless-climbing. Selfless climbing is when you don’t expect anything for what you are doing while ego-climbing comes from wanting to gain a personal feeling of accomplishment. Odd interactions between Pirsig and Chris as they are struggling up the mountain. Pirsig comes to the conclusion that quality exists. The world is unable to function without quality and would become “square” as we would require nothing other than the basics. Pirsig appears afraid that Chris is growing up to be the same way that Phaedrus was with mental health problems. Claim that a definition is a theory of a subject and others will try to pick through your theory and disprove it.

Chapter 19 Discussion – No Motorcycle References 

Chapter 19 Content: Pirsig talks about a glass door from his dream which was separating him and Chris which represents a physical and emotional barrier between the two. He can see a version of Phaedrus in Chris which scares him some. A dilemma about quality is raised about if it exists in the object or in the observer. Is quality something that can be measured or is it “just what you like”? Pirsig places quality above both the object and the observer in a way that he can leave the term undefined. The two finally reach the summit of the mountain. 

Zen and the Art of Motor Maintenance by Robert Maynard Pirsig – 02/26/25

In Class Discussion/Demonstration: We have a two pole magnet with two magnetic coils, one on each end. As the magnet passes the current increases in the coil and decreases as it leaves. The lights attached to each coil only flash when there is an iron core inside of the coil. This explains how the alternator is used to keep the battery charged while the engine is running.

Chapter 20 Discussion – No Motorcycle References

Chapter 20 Content: Pirsig and Chris are still on their hike up the mountain and Chris begins to ask about if the mountains ever crumble when they begin talking about a rockslide that killed 19 people. Pirsig has a flash of fear that he doesn’t want to go crazy since he keeps learning more and more about his past as they climb higher up the mountain. Pirsig also talks about quality in the sense of the past, present, and future. He comes to the conclusion that quality is the source of everything but he defines it in a way that his critics would accept.

Chapter 21 Discussion – No Motorcycle References

Chapter 21 Content: Chris is initially unhappy as they choose to begin their descent but starts becoming friendlier as they hike down and begins to carry more. Pirsig brings up the three ideas of art, religion, and science and relates them to romantic, classic, and quality.

Chapter 22 Discussion – No Motorcycle References

Chapter 22 Content: Pirsig discusses the difference between Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry. He also uses Poincare’s view of the world to argue that the best theory is the theory with the simplest facts and easiest application.  Pirsig says, “When you live in the shadow of insanity, the appearance of another mind that thinks and talks as yours does is something close to a blessed event. Like Robinson Crusoe’s discovery of footprints on the sand,” which can be seen as an insight into Phaedrus’s decline into insanity similar to Crusoe’s. Pirsig still believed that the pointless question from the school needed to be answered somehow but contradictorily thinks Poincare’s question about Euclidean vs non-Euclidean geometry was a pointless question.

Week 9- Monday, March 31 (Posted by Ava) 

Monday 3/31

Recap:

Troubleshooting Group 

• Shortened the chain by removing a link on the gray bike. They used a dremel to smooth it out, then simply popped it out of place
• The dremel broke (plastic coupling), now the inner connector does not run in accordance with the motor 
• They 3D printed a new piece to repair the dremel 
• Spent rest of class fixing up the back wheel which is wobbly 
  • Tried to deflate it, pump it, etc to fix this issue but they have yet to find a solution 

Mechanical  Group

• Replaced the handle bars for the red bike, but still working on assembling the pieces together because the U-bolt had snapped 
• Throttle mechanism was not able to turn, even though it was clamped to the handlebar, which resulted in the U-bolt snapping 

Assembly Group 

• Used power drill to get rust off of parts and clean pieces for majority of lab time
• Worked on rear wheel brake assembly 

Electrical 

• Replaced battery in the blue bike but bike still isn’t starting 
• Working on carburetor to fix issue 
  • Put hand over intake of carburetor, his hand was getting wet with gasoline, which implies the suction from the engine is springing gasoline up from the carburetor 
  • This revealed that the is a fuel problem, not a spark problem 

Engine Group 

• Sand blasted the engine case to remove grime 
• Prepared to put the engine together by gathering and cleaning pieces 

**** Met with Professor Ferris, an expert in combustion to understand how engines work. This was one of the key objectives of this course we identified in the first week of class. 

Questions for Prof. Ferris: 

• What are the general factors that determine how much a piston gets pushed down each time fuel gets injected? (Want to learn about the pressure in the engine and the variables that affect it) 
• What does energy flow in the engine look like? 
• What is the efficiency of an internal combustion engine and how do you improve it? And what factors affect efficiency? 
• What are the trends in market place design? 
• What efforts are being made in terms of fuel and sustainability? 
• What are the pros and cons of two stroke versus four stroke engines?

Wednesday 4/2

Recap:

Troubleshooting Group 

• Fixed the dremel again 

Mechanical Group

• Had to sandblast the fenders/mud guards 
• Sand blasting machine was having difficulties; spent majority of lab time troubleshooting it 

Electrical Group 

• Switched out carburetors for cleaner pieces
• Got bike to finally start, but there are still timing issues 

Assembly Group 

• Cleaned brake pieces with metal wire brushes to get rid of rust
• Fixed rear wheel because it was flipped 
• Sanded  plaster-like material off of the fenders, used a hammer to get rid of dents 

Engine Group 

• Filed excess welding off of engine case- poorly welded prior ; used a file to do so 
• Tried to file the aluminium; sprayed material on top so it would not harm the aluminum 
• Polished the engine case 

Shop Class as Soulcraft Reading Notes: 

Chapter 2: 

• Difference in modern manuals- not people getting stupid, just a change in speciality 
• Separation of activity and process: 
  • Factory line allows skilled workers to be replaced with managers, so they can pay employees less
  • Top managers are trying to compile labor practices and attempting to reframe them 
• Centralization of information , workers who do not need to know skills 
  • Other experts no longer have to know information 
  • Diminish production of any experienced field worker 
• Knowledge is becoming concentrated in a small elite 
• Could this book be outdated? Is trade work now a more realistic option- no college education debt? 
• Moving discretion away from professionals- degradation of white collar work 
• Creativity is built through submission and practice
  • Must learn necessary skills before you can be creative
• Economics today is dependent on creativity 
• Not bashing college
  • Says to be serious if that is the route one wants; still suggests taking up a trade 
  • Choose a profession where you can use your mind, take ownership in your work and exercise creativity 

Chapter 3: 

• Increased reliance on technology- how does this impact humanity and mechanics? 
• Connection to John and Sylvia 
• Our experience of agency- to be a master of your stuff also entails being mastered by it 
• You might feel more free to try things, but because everything is automated you might be controlled too 
  • Are we controlling the technology or is it controlling us? 
  • Interesting cycle 

US is not a manufacturing economy; for this reason, we get the privilege of not having to see/deal with the waste 

• • Bolivia T-Shirts examples 
• Everything is temporary now in our society- materials used 
• Being poor is so expensive : poor man has to keep investing his income in cheaper quality products, while rich man has the disposable income to afford long-lasting quality 
  • More about quantity > quality in our currency economy and society
• Students shared stories about times they personally replaced/repaired something
  • Sense of attachment felt to this and the pride in doing so