Not long ago, I reviewed Where Good Ideas Come From, a book about the many ways new ideas can spring up in all sorts of unexpected places. In it, the author touches on something practiced by many writers and thinkers back the 17th or 18th century, it was called commonplacing, or maintaining a “commonplace book.” In this era of the Internet, where everything you need to know is seemingly a few clicks away, you might think it’s out of date, but I would disagree.
The commonplace book, is generally a notebook of sorts where the owner writes down all manner of interesting or meaningful bits of knowledge he might encounter as he goes about his day. Some of us do this sort of thing, even today, because the simple act of jotting something down seems to plant the idea more securely in the brain, where it is easier to retrieve when needed and getting the idea in there, makes it more likely it will be available to freely mix and combine with new knowledge which might result in some new flash of insight.
Although the ideas entered can be from every field, they might also be more focused on one area of study, like Darwin’s notebooks, or in your own field of work. When you learn something new or figure something out, writing it down so you don’t have to go through the laborious effort of figuring it out the second time, makes the work easier over time, not only because you really do know more but because the facts give you a starting point when encountering another new problem.
You might do this already. When I was employed as a field engineer, working on medical equipment like CT scanners and nuclear cameras, I would often encounter the odd problem not referenced anywhere, those places where the troubleshooting flowchart ends with pointers to uncharted territory and labels like “this way be dragons!” Like the ancient mariners, if you sailed off in that direction anyway, you would eventually fix the problem and discover, instead of dragons, some new and valuable knowledge. I kept a notebook to record those hard won bits and it became a real lifesaver over time, those obscure adjustments, hand drawn references to show reassembly procedures, the essential sequence to follow so the whole repair wasn’t botched, it became my commonplace book for the CT engineer.
Today, with all sorts of digital help, you might be tempted to shortcut the process and take a photo with your cell phone instead of making the drawing, yes it’s nice but perhaps less likely to be burned into your brain and more easily lost when needed plus photos are filled with detail you don’t need. You might also just dictate a note on your iPhone instead of writing it down, handy, but again, less effort to learn it and maybe, irretrievably misplaced. Not good.
This whole train of thought started while I was reading Guzziology and thought of Johnson’s book about ideas because Guzziology is really a commonplace book for motorcycles. The book isn’t something you read from front to back, it’s not even a normal repair manual, the book is the result of many years of hands on experience where the author, Dave Richardson, jotted down what he learned along the way. It reminded me of my CT book, personal notes of information I knew I might need and didn’t want to painfully figure out every time. The factory manual might give you the steps, Dave’s book adds the warning, “but before you do that …” to keep you from nasty surprises. He even warns you of those things best not attempted because in those directions you really WILL find dragons, like trying to reassemble the 4 speed transmission on the old V7 and Ambassador.
Dave points out up front the book is based on the experience of trying to fill in the gaps in all of the Guzzi manuals he’s read while elbow deep in some repair, going beyond what’s easily found, it the kind of knowledge the average mechanic learns while messing up someone else’s bike. He also says he’s unaware of any other brand of motorcycle that has an equivalent book. There are many thousands of books with glossy photos, lots of factory repair manuals and company histories, but nothing quite like Guzziology.
If you don’t own a Guzzi, Guzziology isn’t really for you, while there’s some generally applicable information in it, for the most part, it’s all Guzzi, all the time. But this isn’t so much about that particular book, instead, it’s a nod to the act of recording what you learn in one place in a way that makes it usefully available for you in the future, perhaps for a specific use but also as a way of filling your mental cabinets with ingredients ready to bake into your future thinking and brainstorming.
I think Guzziology points to an opportunity for all of you who are equally knowledgeable and experienced in other brands, maybe someone should write a Harley, Honda or some other brand specific manual of the kind only possible to the greasy hands crowd. Maybe you?
Though I don’t have one at hand, it also reminds me of the extremely long running classic, “How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive” by John Muir. That book is more of a step by step manual, but it, too, is based on hard won, hands on experience while working on the early air cooled VW, which was the vehicle of choice for all of the hippies and flower children in the 60s. While rebelling against “the man,” sometimes you needed to replace your clutch. Too busy rebelling, they never learned how, a book like Muir’s got them through. Far out!
There are software programs that try to duplicate this kind of writing and expert systems that are supposed to digitize the knowledge of the most experienced and make it available to the novice, but I guess I come from the old school, simple is better, if you want to learn it, make the effort, besides it’s sometimes tough to write on your computer in the middle of a job while those greasy hand written notes can be priceless. I’ve always been a person who writes stuff down, maybe because I grew up before the PC was invented, but I highly recommend it.
If you do this all the time, the single notebook you gradually compile while getting through the tough problems will be far more than a simple reference or a pile of random notes, it also becomes an idea generator, it might even become the most valuable book you own.
WT says
Guzziology is a great source of information…..for sure. Another book similar is “The Modern Motorcycle Mechanic”. It’s for older bikes and the last edition was updated in the early 70’s….still a great reference.
woolyhead says
One of my major faults is not buying an empty warehouse and never getting rid of anything…..especially manuals and instructions. Alas we would all be better off methinks…….
dan says
That book’s going to come in handy when I build my ultimate 2nd bike a restored Guzzi with highlighted frame and engine and clean look!
todd says
Speaking of filling empty warehouses… Why would you want to remember all this “useful” information? I have enough to try to remember already.
Contrary to how you suggest, I do like using a camera to remember nominal things for me. I can take a picture of a problem or a solution and immediately forget about it. Besides, the images don’t mysteriously change after a few years like the ones in my head do.
Maybe I’m not much of a writer. I’ve never kept a journal except the one I labored over in high school creative writing class. The stuff I enjoy, I remember forever. The other stuff I’d rather forget.
-todd
Tinman says
The brain is a muscle, it needs to be exercised and trained like any other. The Info Era we are living in is reducing our ability to think, just filling heads with info on how to operate electronic gizmos… Anyone out there remember Issac Azimozs short story about the maveric who reinvented mathmatics ?? After centurys of electronic gizmos replaced the thought process involved in working out a math problem.. Issac wrote the story in the 70s, when pocket calculators were just getting popular, what would this visionary think now ??
bob wark says
I have both Muir’s Vdub book and Guzziology and i could not agree more. These books define ‘user friendly’ and are must have for anyone who works on said iron.
Al says
The only problem I have when trying to find that particular information I had written down a couple of years ago is to find THAT ONE exercise book out of a 100…
Al says
…and then to find that specific info on 72 pages…
ZREXER says
I,ve been restoring a 1980 Guzzi Lemans, and I have documented the entire teardown and restoration with photos kept on a computer in the shop. Its nice to walk over and pull up a file with photos and see what part goes where, but it takes time to go through a lot of photos so I have written notes and sketches plus a shop manual. Even with all these resources there are times I stand there scratching my head!
joe says
Guzziology is a good idea.I worked on a fleet of 850’s and developed more short cut’s,modifications and special tool’s for repairing the many problems.None of which got a mention in the workshop manual or from dealer outlets.I just wish I would have had the time to jot them all down.
smithmotorwheel says
All the great ones kept journals. I’ve got a half-azzed one myself. I have to say that after I read an entry from years (even months) ago, it’s like a taking a drug…because at the time I wrote it, I was full of inspiration. I take digital photos as well and they are very useful. But, there’s nothing like re-living that “a-ha” moment that I’ve kept in my journal.
RYCA says
There’s definitely no substitute for taking notes and making drawings by hand in the shop. But, like he says in “Where Good Ideas Come From”, the process mostly contributes to the “slow hunch” instead of the glamorous flash of insight we all hope for while creating something new.
Mule says
I always draw lots of pictures of ideas or solutions. I keep them in one place, but in no particular order. Sometimes, they are pictures of soultions where I haven’t experienced the problem yet. I also write lots of notes in manuals or copy a page and highlight important things like all the hardware torque specs or crank to cam alignment. Anything to make it easier next time.
I think I’m going write a journal called “Harley-ology” on all the ways I think Harley should run their business! 🙂
Peter says
I need something like that for my Honda 50 Cub. There are a hundred little fixes that make servicing, repairing and restoring these little rockets easier, and it would be great to have them all written down! Guzziology has something of a cult following, and with good reason. But my Honda CB1300 just never needs fixing…
fast eddie says
I replaced the card file catalog cabinet [Library] with a station for a computer teminal.
[top five in the U.S. university]. When I asked the professer , Won’t you be needing all the contenations on the dewey decimal cards? He said that’s a grate idea. Imagine,
a m/c dude telling a professer with a Dr degree in enginering a grate idea. Mule, you can keep all the notes you want Harley Davidson listens to knowone, that’s why they know nothing.
I wish that I could spell then when I go back to read my precious notes I would know what they mean.
Greybeard says
Owning a V11 Sport I can readily understand why such a publication would be of tremendous value for both old and new models, even at the $100 a copy I saw.
When I consider the solutions Guzzi chose for what really shouldn’t have been big questions I wonder what did the world do to piss Guzzi off?
I use the excuse that I got suckered in because I’m half Italian, don’t know about the rest of you.
joe says
Unfortunatly most of the top bike mechanics where,and are so flat out repairing and modifying they had no time to write in a journal.
Mike says
Retired Aerospace QA Inspector. Yes, I’m half crazy but am getting better. All inspectors and most assembly people had notebooks with all kinds of tribal knowledge. As you take something apart, have a photocopy of the shop manual pages to make notes on. This way the original shop manual does not get soaked in gear lube. Take photos, make diagrams, label wires….etc. Your extra work in documenting the “thing” will be rewarded.
Russell Lawson says
I met the author of “Guzziology” over 40 years ago. Grew up with him during high school and had fun running his old Honda 90 in a vacant lot near where we both lived. In my humble opinion he is a brilliant and very caring, down to earth man. He is as good at the clarinet, as a dog lover, as he is a writer. Since I first met him I was impressed by him. He has a passion for learning and passing on that knowledge to others.
Dave has met several famous people and gone to Italy by way of his exceptional work at his Guzzi dealership in Seattle and his book. I am very pleased to read these positive comments here and proud to add mine to them. I have worked on British cars for almost as long as Dave has worked around his Guzzi’s. I wish I had the drive to have written down those experiences that will be forever lost.
The “commonplace book” for the common man, from a VERY un-common author! Thanks Dave