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Author Topic: NYC maintenance class??  (Read 9387 times)
memper
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« on: August 04, 2012, 05:29:11 PM »

I heard there was a course taught by Armen Amirian at John Jay college as well as at Queens college. I can't find any info about it nor can I find any contact info for Armen. Anyone got any leads or info?
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« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2012, 06:46:55 AM »

Hello,
You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in attending the Fall Know How Motorcycle Maintenance Workshop.

Please read through carefully.

The dates are as follows:
Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm 10/6, 10/13, 10/20 & 10/27
Sundays 10am-5pm 10/16, 10/23 & 10/30


To hold a spot in the class fill out the form below and email it back to me.
To complete registration, make a check out to Works Engineering for $395
Mail it to
Chad Strohmayer
302 Bedford Avenue
#254
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Once payment is received and check clears you are guaranteed a spot in the class.
Class fills up very quickly so don’t delay.
 
 
Thank You,
Chad Strohmayer
 
**** You will need to have a suitable shop manual for the class. factory, Clymer, Haynes; Chilton.
NOTE:
Do not wait until last minute to get a manual if you don't already own one.
If you go the electronic route and purchase it on pdf remember that it is necessary to have the manual with you for all classes and workshop dates. Either print it out [which could cost more than buying a manual] or bring your laptop. We are not responsible for any damage that occurs to your laptop at the workshops. Remember, this is a hands on class so your hands will be greasy, probably not the best scenario for operating a laptop but students have done this in the past....
 
Armen will go over all other materials you will need during the first lecture.
 
Complete the following and email it back to me so we can get the registration started...
 
First Name :
Last Name :
Motorcycle you plan on bringing to the workshop:
 
Address: 
Street:     
Apt/Box: 
City:   
State:         
Zip:
Email Address:
Home Phone :
Cell Phone :
Work Phone:
Emergency Contact Name:
Emergency Contact Number :
Relationship to you:   


THE KNOWHOW WORKSHOP
            MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE CLASS
             
As it stands now (the class has evolved much over the years), the class is 26 hours long. There are four, two-hour weeknight classroom sessions (eight hours total) in which I blather on about how engines, electrics and other bike parts work. The remaining 18 hours are split into three, six hour (with an hour for lunch) Sunday tune-up sessions, with myself and the talented and patient Chad Strohmayer offering much mechanical and some spiritual guidance.
Students do not have to own a bike. The bikes are not necessary for the classroom sessions, but should be brought in for the tune-up sessions.
Absolutely no experience is necessary- in fact less is better as much advice bikies get seems to be wrong (no matter how well intentioned).
Students will be provided with a shopping list of parts to buy (oils, filters, etc) and must purchase a shop manual.
NO TOOLS ARE REQUIRED- We provide the tools. In the tune-up sessions the students will progress at their own rate. They will be offered a long list of potential tasks, with the goal being that they perform the equivalent of a major service (tune-up) on their bikes. All brands, sizes and models of bikes are welcome, as are riders of all experience levels.
The weekday classroom sessions are in Manhattan. The Sunday tune-up sessions are held at Works Engineering in Williamsburg Brooklyn.
In a perfect world, the classes would run three times a year, (spring,  summer, and fall) but sometimes the world is not so perfect.

Cost is $395 (no reg fee). Class size is limited.

(Such a deal!)
Contact Chad to register. chadR90s@yahoo.com


Fall 2011 Session:
Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm 10/6, 10/13, 10/23 & 10/27
Sundays 10am-5pm 10/16, 10/23 & 10/30

 
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any further questions.
Armen Amirian rugerii@yahoo.com
Thanks!


Over the years the classes have been held at The New School, CUNY/City Tech College in Brooklyn, John Jay/CUNY, Trama's Auto School  in Queens, Queens College, The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center and probably a few places I forgot. Usually the name Knowhow Workshop was mentioned somewhere along in the course description, as that was the name of the school I started with. I give all that background in case someone mentions to you that they took a class way back when somewhere or other. As far as I know, these classes have been the only ones offered with any regularity for the last 32 years (ohmygod am I that old?).
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« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2012, 11:27:32 AM »

BTW, the dates/prices were for 2011 not this coming fall.
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« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2012, 08:04:32 AM »

awesome. thanks armen. email sent...
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« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2012, 05:30:07 AM »

awesome. thanks armen. email sent...

I am not armen...or chad.
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« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2012, 08:50:35 AM »

For the cost and the amount of training, thats a great bargin for a total noob who wants to get the right information. NEver met the guy, but if hes a good teacher, thats a hell of a price!
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« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2012, 11:46:45 AM »

For the cost and the amount of training, thats a great bargin for a total noob who wants to get the right information. NEver met the guy, but if hes a good teacher, thats a hell of a price!

Armen is better than good and you might make back what you spent during that class..  Yep, he knows about Ducs too!
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« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2012, 01:03:30 PM »

FYI - Current price is $525 (I just signed up).  I will post my thoughts when completed for any future noob that's looking to take it next time it's offered; but if everything I hear about Armen is true, should be a great experience.  In any case, I'm excited to finally learn about my bike. 
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« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2012, 09:05:46 PM »

I just finished up Armen's motorcycle maintenance course and wanted to provide a summary for someone looking to take it in the future.  First, let me start off by saying that it was well worth the $525 I paid.  I'm not foreign to tools (I used to work for Taylor building guitar bodies) but other than oil changes on my car had no real mechanical knowledge/experience.  So that's my baseline.  When I got my license and bought my bike I had the hope of learning to do basic-to-moderate maintenance, leaving the the advanced things for a good workshop.  I'd say that this got me enough knowledge and experience that I can do (even did) the basic and am now confident enough with myself, manuals, and forums like this to do the moderate stuff.  So goal accomplished.

Below is a summary of format and content.  Armen is a colorful guy who knows all bikes.  He reminds me of Click 'n Clack from the NPR program "Car Talk"---that is to say humorous, off-beat, and with a ton of obscure knowledge.

Format is four 2-hr night classes where Armen talks about how engines work, electric systems function, knowing your tools and fluids, a little about suspension, and generally dispelling myths about bikes and maintenance.  Mostly high level stuff but enough to provide a foundation for understanding what you're doing on the weekend when you work on your bike.  

Weekend classes are three 8-hrs days.  He provides all tools; you provide fluids and any parts.  You work all day and both Armen and a helper are around to provide guidance.  Every once and awhile Armen calls everyone over to show how something is done or show something peculiar to a specific model bike that someone is working on.

Things that I did:
- Removed rear wheel and check parts.  Cleaned, reassembled, and checked chain tension.  My chain had seen better days so I ordered a new one and two classes later we put the new chain on.
- Oil change
- Fluid change for controls (i.e. bleed brakes, clutch)
- Replaced spark plugs
- I had clip-ons that I had been wanting to install so we did that
- My bike came with an Ohlins rear shock that was mounted on the side frame such that if I took a low side fall, I'd smash the shock reservoir.  Armen helped me figure out a place to put in inside the frame that required installing the crankcase vent mod.
- Check and tighten belts

Other people with other bikes did the same basic things (fluid change, chain check, etc.) but also things specific to their situation.  We had a few Ducs, plus a new BMW, two 70s jap bikes, and a BMW /2 that was beautiful.  I learned about flushing carbs, trouble shooting electrical systems, and changing fork oil (on Ducs it's a bit of a project, so I didn't have the time to do on my bike but saw it done on the older, bottom drain style bikes).  Some of the class checked value clearance and made adjustments, but I never quite made it there.

The benefit of taking a class with folks owning a variety of bikes with various ages and conditions is that you get to see what good and bad parts actually look like---e.g. one bike had a terribly worn sprocket, one (mine) a stretched and worn chain, one old honda had an worn tire that was the wrong size for the wheel and severely cracked, etc.  Each of these provided teaching points and also gave us a visual of what something looks like when it needs replacing.

All in all, definitely worth it and I recommend to any maintenance noob.  Now bring on the engine rebuild! cheeky


« Last Edit: November 19, 2012, 09:09:00 PM by 1.21GW » Logged

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« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2012, 11:13:10 AM »

awesome write-up, thanks
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« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2012, 12:53:37 PM »

Nice!  Glad you enjoyed it!
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« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2013, 03:57:18 PM »

Sorry to bring up an older post, but just was curious if these classes would be offered this spring/summer at all?  I'd love to learn how to properly maintain my bike seeing as it's my first and would like to be more hands on with it.  Is there a website at all?  Thanks for any info anyone can share, and thanks for the write up!  Definitely am interested thanks to that! 
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« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2013, 04:39:45 AM »

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any further questions.
Armen Amirian rugerii@yahoo.com
Thanks!

Yes, Armen has been offering it 2 or 3 times a year for decades.  I think the spring one already happened, but you can email him and ask to be put on the list for whenever the next is.
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« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2013, 10:34:30 AM »

FWIW - I just email Armen to see when the next date is.
Let me know if anyone is interested in joining me!
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« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2013, 12:03:39 PM »

Got reply:
Spring course dates [2014] are still TBD.
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