03-03-18, 09:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-03-18, 09:38 AM by Falcon 269.)
... you know the rest of the saying ... and after much thought and consideration, I've decided to call a halt to my UK 'Ivanising' trips.
It was a difficult decision to make but finding time for them since quitting my day job has proved harder than when I was working 48 weeks of the year. Now that Lynn and I finally have the chance we hope to spend many months each year travelling extensively. With family visits to fit in around our motorhome adventures, suddenly there aren't that many spaces left on the calendar. It seems it's true what they say about being busier than ever in retirement.  Asking owners to travel to my work location during the UK winter months is a non-starter and the travel costs in the summer are too high for me to come over for just a handful of bikes. I don't like to admit it but I'm no longer up to doing 16 Full Monty installations in 4 days, with 600 miles in a rental car between venues. 
However, the most significant factor in my decision wasn't the age and condition of the mechanic but that of the bikes themselves. I still find it hard to believe that the last Gen 1 rolled off the line almost 13 years ago and most of the bikes I've worked on have been older than that. No matter how well they are maintained and cared for, corrosion and other age-related issues are appearing more regularly. I can only travel with a limited selection of tools and my biggest concern is that I might encounter a problem which I can't fix without more specialized kit. The last thing I would want is to have someone stranded having ridden many miles to get to my work venue. Thankfully that has never happened but the odds have increased to the point where I no longer feel it fair or sensible to take that risk. Since it's not feasible for me to do individual home visits or to set up a properly equipped workshop in the UK, it's clear that it's time for me to hang up my much-faded overalls.
I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has trusted me to work on their Fazer over the years, and a very special thank you to those who provided me with a workshop, sometimes a bed, delicious bacon butties and countless cups of tea and coffee on my travels. It was your hospitality and kindness that made these trips possible. Since doing my first Slip On kit installation in 2003, I've had the pleasure of meeting many hundreds of Foccers from all corners of the UK and it was a wonderful experience to see how one machine could bring folks together from every walk of life. Great times all round.
My heartfelt thanks to you all.
Mike
I think all your hard work has really been appreciated, I have not been ivanised but met people who have and they were really impressed with your skill.
Thanks. ( least I can stop saving up for it now ). :lol
Enjoy your travels.
Blimey, Mike, you must be on the verge of getting your telegram from Queenie and you've only just stopped working :eek
I haven't been on here for many years but a mate has just bought one and I recommended the website as a good source of info so thought I'd better check in and your post was the first thing I saw
Best wishes in your retirement wherever you go and a big thanks for doing both of my Fazer. I still have fond memories of the bikes even though I've defected to some Austrian brawn nowadays.
Cheers, Andy
Well what can I say Mike? I actually thought you would never retire. It's been a real pleasure to meet you, my trip to Spain was all the more rewarding having met up with you and Lynn. I hope you enjoy your travels and you keep in touch. Your knowledge of Fazers is almost unparalleled!!
All the best mate
Good luck in your travels Mike, it was a pleasure to meet such a knowledgeable and friendly guy.
I'm sure your wife will be looking forward to a holiday that does not include bike fiddling.
Your a ledged in the fazer world.
I do hope you find time to pop in now and then to give us your advice.
I still haven't fitted the front end yet, lots of factures have stopped that from happening least of which was a torn tendon in my arm.
It will happen and I look forward to my first ride out.
Good luck
Des
Mike you ivanised my brand new thou back in 2003 and I rather expect I was one of the first..(I think it was around Bristol area??) Since I returned to the fold a couple of years ago,I realised how much influence and knowledge you have as the Master of the Thou...
It's always difficult to draw a line under anything you enjoy,but you have earned the respect of all of us foccers old and new,well done
Many thanks for your ivanising skills mike, I had mine done by you last year and I still love the bike.
Wishing you all the very best in your future travels.
The end of a Fazering era!
I can only echo what has been said above: you are a legend in the gen 1 world, and many folks have much to thank you for, self included, so thank you I wonder how many bikes you gave the Ivan's treatment to over the years you have been doing it?
Best of luck with anything you do, and cheers!
Hi Mike, It was a real pleasure to watch you work and listen to your words of wisdom when you came to Ivanise my bike. It's a shame that others will miss out on the opportunity to watch you work but I'm sure you will still be on hand on the forums to share your wisdom. I was wandering if there would be any merit in you getting a couple of sets of carbs / rubbers / air filter housings so you could provide a postal service where folks would send you their bits and you could send them out the Ivanised bits on receipt? Faced with this option or messing with the bits myself I would be happier to remove and send you the bits that needed modding knowing that the work would be to the highest standard and turnaround would be down to postage. Just a thought.
Likewise Mike, I can only echo the thoughts and heartfelt appreciation of those that have posted above.
You have “Full Monty’d two of my three Gen 1’s over the years. The third, which I still own, you upgraded from the “Slip on”, down in Saltash a year or two back.
It is a testament to both the original design of the bike and your skills, advice and that of others on this forum, that it remains in my garage after nearly six years. This is by far the longest I have ever owned one bike.
I wish you the best of luck and happiness in your future retirement travels.
Regards Allan
Like so many others, you "full-montied" my Fazer a few years ago and it hasn't missed a beat since, plus you supplied the rear-sets that make it even comfier! I shall miss seeing the "I'll be over..." posts from you and all the "It's a different bike since Mike Ivanised it" posts from all those you've helped out.
Enjoy your travels!
Thanks everyone for very kind words and good wishes.
Andy, great to see you back here ... but Queenie-gram? Cheeky sod ... :rollin
Yes, cl1ve2004, it all began in my garage in Bristol back in 2003. I got my first Slip On kit from a friend in Florida and it took me 5 hours to fit it! Then our dear mate, Polar Bear - sadly now absent here - persuaded me to help him fit one to his bike and another Yahoo forum member joined that session in Brum. As I recall, I fitted the kits, they helped with the tea and bacon butties. I still have the pin vise that PB gave me that day.
SG Motorsports had started importing Ivan's products at that time (still the sole UK/EU agent) and more Yahoo group guys asked me about fitting the kit. I recall I spent most weekends through spring and summer 2003 'Ivanising' in my garage, not out riding. Kept the mileage down on my bike, though.
Luke (Devilsyam) was one of the first ten owners during the Bristol sessions and I've since done dozens more at his place in the city. Thanks, mate ... you've been an inspiration to us all with your many Fazer mods and 'how to' guides. :thumbup
When we moved to Spain in 2004, I thought that would be the end of it but it turns out it was only just the beginning ...
Thanks everyone for very kind words and good wishes.
Andy, great to see you back here ... but Queenie-gram? Cheeky sod ... :rollin
Yes, cl1ve2004, it all began in my garage in Bristol back in 2003. I got my first Slip On kit from a friend in Florida and it took me 5 hours to fit it! Then our dear mate, Polar Bear - sadly now absent here - persuaded me to help him fit one to his bike and another Yahoo forum member joined that session in Brum. As I recall, I fitted the kits, they helped with the tea and bacon butties. I still have the pin vise that PB gave me that day - it's seen some service since.
SG Motorsports had started importing Ivan's products at that time (still the sole UK/EU agent) and more Yahoo group guys asked me about fitting the kit. I recall I spent most weekends through spring and summer 2003 'Ivanising' in my garage, not out riding. Kept the mileage down on my bike, though.
Luke (Devilsyam) was one of the first ten owners during the Bristol sessions and I've since done dozens more at his place in the city. Thanks, mate ... you've been an inspiration to us all with your many Fazer mods and 'how to' guides. :thumbup
When we moved to Spain in 2004, I thought that would be the end of it but it turns out it was only just the beginning ...
Mike,
I'd just like to wish you all the very best in your retirement and upcoming motorhome adventures. You performed your Ivanising magic on my bike at your pals house at Goffs Oak, almost two years ago. Your knowledge, thoroughness and very friendly nature will always be remembered.
There will no doubt be a number of un-ivanised foccers lamenting your retirement, so glad I'm not one of them :lol .
All the very best of luck and happiness.
Pete.
P.S. The Ohlins is still doing the business all be it with a chunkier spring in it.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(03-03-18, 05:29 PM)Falcon 269 link Wrote: Thanks everyone for very kind words and good wishes.
Andy, great to see you back here ... but Queenie-gram? Cheeky sod ... :rollin
When we moved to Spain in 2004, I thought that would be the end of it but it turns out it was only just the beginning ...
Sorry - couldn't resist it
You still in Spain? I've been back in the UK 10 years now and if I had room in the garage I'd have another Gen 1 to keep the KTM company - but I'd make sure it had already had your handiwork over it. Enjoy the motorhome - even better with a small trail bike strapped to the back for those itches that need to be scratched 
(03-03-18, 01:29 PM)PieEater link Wrote: Hi Mike, It was a real pleasure to watch you work and listen to your words of wisdom when you came to Ivanise my bike. It's a shame that others will miss out on the opportunity to watch you work but I'm sure you will still be on hand on the forums to share your wisdom. I was wandering if there would be any merit in you getting a couple of sets of carbs / rubbers / air filter housings so you could provide a postal service where folks would send you their bits and you could send them out the Ivanised bits on receipt? Faced with this option or messing with the bits myself I would be happier to remove and send you the bits that needed modding knowing that the work would be to the highest standard and turnaround would be down to postage. Just a thought.
Thanks, mate. Don't know about words of wisdom but it was fun to chat with everyone while I was working.
I've considered the exchange parts idea in the past but discounted it for a few reasons. The first is the shipping costs to/from Spain would be quite high. Second, I've found that DIY owners have had as many problems with removing/refitting the carbs as with doing the mods to the internals.
Leading on from this, anything they do incorrectly in refitting the carbs could cause issues which have now't to do with mods I've done but which I would feel obligated to try and resolve from a distance. Not easy, especially as older Thous are now showing up with ignition-related misfires that present as carb faults.
Maybe I should try recording a few videos for Youtube ...
(04-03-18, 09:36 AM)Falcon 269 link Wrote: [quote author=PieEater link=topic=23825.msg276271#msg276271 date=1520080146]
Hi Mike, It was a real pleasure to watch you work and listen to your words of wisdom when you came to Ivanise my bike. It's a shame that others will miss out on the opportunity to watch you work but I'm sure you will still be on hand on the forums to share your wisdom. I was wandering if there would be any merit in you getting a couple of sets of carbs / rubbers / air filter housings so you could provide a postal service where folks would send you their bits and you could send them out the Ivanised bits on receipt? Faced with this option or messing with the bits myself I would be happier to remove and send you the bits that needed modding knowing that the work would be to the highest standard and turnaround would be down to postage. Just a thought.
Thanks, mate. Don't know about words of wisdom but it was fun to chat with everyone while I was working.
I've considered the exchange parts idea in the past but discounted it for a few reasons. The first is the shipping costs to/from Spain would be quite high. Second, I've found that DIY owners have had as many problems with removing/refitting the carbs as with doing the mods to the internals.
Leading on from this, anything they do incorrectly in refitting the carbs could cause issues which have now't to do with mods I've done but which I would feel obligated to try and resolve from a distance. Not easy, especially as older Thous are now showing up with ignition-related misfires that present as carb faults.
Maybe I should try recording a few videos for Youtube ...
[/quote]
Hi Mike, hope you will enjoy your retirement, I was considering ivanising my bike, a series of YouTube videos would be a Fantastic legacy and be of infinite help to many people. Could take a lot off effort though.
If you had a campground near your house in Spain, maybe a group would be prepared to have a whizz down to visit you. Resulting in a faster whizz home :lol .
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
04-03-18, 12:27 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-03-18, 02:09 PM by tex.)
Ahh mike what a shame , end of a era, you did both my fazer and they ran like clockwork, also your brilliant r1 fork conversion guide ,enjoy your retirement but please stay on the forum.
the night i was born, lord the moon stood a fire red., my poor mother her crying,
she said the gypsy was right, and she fell right dead
No fear of me disappearing off the forum - well, I hope not anyway. :lol
I've already had a couple of owners ask about coming down to the Costa Blanca for a visit to my workshop here. Retiring isn't as easy as I thought it might be.
I will look at the video idea some time, possibly later in the summer if a standard bike does happen to make it into my den.
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