All Time Best Wrench?

The Sneak
Profile picture for user The Sneak
Posts
171
Joined
2/24/2009
Location
USA
The Sneak 4/4/2020 6:54am
4/4/2020 6:54am
jackson storm wrote:
Steve Butler
He’s the guy who made Emig’s YZ125 fast IIRC
UpTiTe 4/4/2020 8:14am
4/4/2020 8:14am
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

2
TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 9:54am
4/4/2020 9:54am
Walter Kaaden. The father of all motorcycle tuners. Born 1919, Died 1996. I'd forgotten about him until coming across a post this morning with the member name "Kaaden's Theory". Whoever you are, you know your stuff and your mechanical history to be using that member name. Walter Kaaden's innovations, so many that were way ahead of everyone else, are still in use today. A giant, a genius and more. His story goes beyond his mechanical genius and includes politics and international intrigue. Ernst Degner (a road racer) defected from East Germany and brought Kaaden's secrets to Suzuki. The rest is history...
4
blockhead17
Profile picture for user blockhead17
Posts
2831
Joined
6/13/2018
Location
Tokyo, JP
blockhead17 4/4/2020 9:56am
4/4/2020 9:56am
The whole two two motorsports team was legendary!
1

The Shop

See All »
mattyhamz2 4/4/2020 10:03am
4/4/2020 10:03am
UpTiTe wrote:
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was...
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

Who did this?
mattyhamz2 4/4/2020 10:04am
4/4/2020 10:04am
Goose gets my vote.

Has anyone else worked with half as many big names as Goose and been successful with all of them?
1
crowe176
Profile picture for user crowe176
Posts
6613
Joined
9/8/2006
Location
Spring Lake, MI, USA
crowe176 4/4/2020 10:23am
4/4/2020 10:23am
Whoever kept stew and RC’s practice bikes maintained.
4
disbanded
Profile picture for user disbanded
Posts
6947
Joined
8/26/2007
Location
Evergreen, CO, USA
disbanded 4/4/2020 10:50am
4/4/2020 10:50am
My dad
8
GoonRider93 4/4/2020 10:52am
4/4/2020 10:52am
Mike Williamson deserves a mention (sorry if someone did already)
C.Worthy
Profile picture for user C.Worthy
Posts
1067
Joined
1/19/2012
Location
USA
C.Worthy 4/4/2020 11:00am
4/4/2020 11:00am
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who could oil the chain the best?

What about mechanics from past eras. The ones who had to drive the box vans from race to race, do the riders laundry, rebuild the bike, wash the box van, live out of the vans/hotels, and make sure everything was prepped come race day. No flying to and from the track, no semi driver, no new gear shipped for every race. The mechanics did it ALL. They have my vote
3
FWYT
Profile picture for user FWYT
Posts
3558
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA, USA
FWYT 4/4/2020 11:12am
4/4/2020 11:12am
disbanded wrote:
My dad
Yes!
4
TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 11:30am
4/4/2020 11:30am
C.Worthy wrote:
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who...
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who could oil the chain the best?

What about mechanics from past eras. The ones who had to drive the box vans from race to race, do the riders laundry, rebuild the bike, wash the box van, live out of the vans/hotels, and make sure everything was prepped come race day. No flying to and from the track, no semi driver, no new gear shipped for every race. The mechanics did it ALL. They have my vote
I agree with you completely. The early 70's, it was totally different. No money, 1000+ mile drives between races in a clapped out van. Patch the bike together with whatever you had, hoping you did well enough to get a few bucks to get to the next race. Back then, our sport was fueled by passion, not money. How about DiStefano in '74... just a kid out on the national circuit, by himself, with a CZ 400. No mechanic. True stories about using the coat hangers from motel rooms as welding rod to fix his cracked frames. No rest between motos, he had to get his bike ready for the next one. Finished 2nd in the 500 national championship. There were lots of guys on the circuit back the, chasing the dream. An awesome book to read while we're in this isolation thing is the biography of Dick Mann by Joe Scalzo. When asked what he did for a living, Mann said "I'm an itinerant motorcycle racer". Sing it Bruce: GLORY DAYS!
3
bvm111
Profile picture for user bvm111
Posts
10129
Joined
7/1/2008
Location
Las Vegas, NV, USA
bvm111 4/4/2020 11:35am
4/4/2020 11:35am
My craftsman have never let me down!
Sprew
Profile picture for user Sprew
Posts
435
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
Sprew 4/4/2020 11:35am
4/4/2020 11:35am
UpTiTe wrote:
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was...
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., & Walter Kadden is off track. The op said “mechanic”. I think you are confusing an engineer or a technician with a mechanic. I have the highest esteem for the guys who could weld a frame with a coat hanger or solder a pilot jet. But sending a rider to the line with confidence it will hold together for 30 + 2 is the job of a mechanic 👨‍🔧.
If that pro downhill mountain bike dude forgot to tighten a head bolt, seat an air filter, or spaced out on some zip ties, there would be no championships.
1
racin mason
Profile picture for user racin mason
Posts
884
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Long Beach, WA, USA
racin mason 4/4/2020 11:41am
4/4/2020 11:41am
disbanded wrote:
My dad
My dad was a fantastic mechanic.In the early 70s your dads mechanical ability was more important than the size of his wallet. My old man straightened,and welded frames,bored cylinders, trued cranks and every thing else He even machined parts on his lathe and on a friends mill.There was nothing he couldnt fix .
7
Motodave15
Profile picture for user Motodave15
Posts
4252
Joined
8/7/2010
Location
Temple City, CA, USA
Motodave15 4/4/2020 11:45am
4/4/2020 11:45am
C.Worthy wrote:
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who...
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who could oil the chain the best?

What about mechanics from past eras. The ones who had to drive the box vans from race to race, do the riders laundry, rebuild the bike, wash the box van, live out of the vans/hotels, and make sure everything was prepped come race day. No flying to and from the track, no semi driver, no new gear shipped for every race. The mechanics did it ALL. They have my vote
My criteria, when i made the post was just general.. didn't put much thought in the parameters.

But i do wish we could get more of there stories how something broke/modified/rigged something up to function... Or even made changes that were so good, that later factory bikes came standard with it etc.
TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 11:46am
4/4/2020 11:46am
UpTiTe wrote:
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was...
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

Sprew wrote:
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., &...
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., & Walter Kadden is off track. The op said “mechanic”. I think you are confusing an engineer or a technician with a mechanic. I have the highest esteem for the guys who could weld a frame with a coat hanger or solder a pilot jet. But sending a rider to the line with confidence it will hold together for 30 + 2 is the job of a mechanic 👨‍🔧.
If that pro downhill mountain bike dude forgot to tighten a head bolt, seat an air filter, or spaced out on some zip ties, there would be no championships.
No axe grinding, really! Back then, the engineers were hands on, spinning wrenches at the track too. And, if the rider/mechanic (DiStefano etc) forgot to tighten a bolt, it might be a career ending crash. Not to take anything away from those in this era, honestly. But there were pressures back then that guys now don't have to deal with.
1
TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 11:59am
4/4/2020 11:59am
disbanded wrote:
My dad
racin mason wrote:
My dad was a fantastic mechanic.In the early 70s your dads mechanical ability was more important than the size of his wallet. My old man straightened,and...
My dad was a fantastic mechanic.In the early 70s your dads mechanical ability was more important than the size of his wallet. My old man straightened,and welded frames,bored cylinders, trued cranks and every thing else He even machined parts on his lathe and on a friends mill.There was nothing he couldnt fix .
Dude... you nailed it. Here's to all the dad's out there, past and present.
4

Pit Row

See All »
UpTiTe 4/4/2020 12:04pm
4/4/2020 12:04pm
UpTiTe wrote:
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was...
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

Sprew wrote:
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., &...
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., & Walter Kadden is off track. The op said “mechanic”. I think you are confusing an engineer or a technician with a mechanic. I have the highest esteem for the guys who could weld a frame with a coat hanger or solder a pilot jet. But sending a rider to the line with confidence it will hold together for 30 + 2 is the job of a mechanic 👨‍🔧.
If that pro downhill mountain bike dude forgot to tighten a head bolt, seat an air filter, or spaced out on some zip ties, there would be no championships.
Jon R and Don Jones were both mechanics. Jon R was a mechanic for years before moving to the shop.

My point is that a great rider will make an average mechanic look great.
1
Rick Amatuzio 4/4/2020 12:27pm
4/4/2020 12:27pm
I would think cliff white doesn’t have much competition. He was the best
2
FWYT
Profile picture for user FWYT
Posts
3558
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA, USA
FWYT 4/4/2020 12:32pm
4/4/2020 12:32pm
Motodave15 wrote:
My criteria, when i made the post was just general.. didn't put much thought in the parameters. But i do wish we could get more of...
My criteria, when i made the post was just general.. didn't put much thought in the parameters.

But i do wish we could get more of there stories how something broke/modified/rigged something up to function... Or even made changes that were so good, that later factory bikes came standard with it etc.
"But i do wish we could get more of there stories how something broke/modified/rigged something up to function... Or even made changes that were so good, that later factory bikes came standard with it etc."

That would be an awesome thread.
crowe176
Profile picture for user crowe176
Posts
6613
Joined
9/8/2006
Location
Spring Lake, MI, USA
crowe176 4/4/2020 12:38pm
4/4/2020 12:38pm
Skip Norfolk would be my first vote. Berlut would be my second.. Both those guys are who I would want in my ear.
Glen
Profile picture for user Glen
Posts
273
Joined
11/26/2010
Location
Rockaway, NJ, USA
Glen 4/4/2020 12:43pm
4/4/2020 12:43pm
Ryan625 wrote:
Jeremy Albriecht and Mike Gosselar are the only two that really come to mind. J-Bone because he kept Stew's 125 running almost flawlessly. I think one...
Jeremy Albriecht and Mike Gosselar are the only two that really come to mind.

J-Bone because he kept Stew's 125 running almost flawlessly. I think one mechanical DNF at most?
Goose - Kept RC's bikes running through multiple perfect seasons.
I'm sure I'm wrong, but I thought it was Chad Watts who was RC's wrench for the '02 season, and Goose came on for the '04 season?
1
UpTiTe 4/4/2020 12:54pm
4/4/2020 12:54pm
Ryan625 wrote:
Jeremy Albriecht and Mike Gosselar are the only two that really come to mind. J-Bone because he kept Stew's 125 running almost flawlessly. I think one...
Jeremy Albriecht and Mike Gosselar are the only two that really come to mind.

J-Bone because he kept Stew's 125 running almost flawlessly. I think one mechanical DNF at most?
Goose - Kept RC's bikes running through multiple perfect seasons.
Glen wrote:
I'm sure I'm wrong, but I thought it was Chad Watts who was RC's wrench for the '02 season, and Goose came on for the '04...
I'm sure I'm wrong, but I thought it was Chad Watts who was RC's wrench for the '02 season, and Goose came on for the '04 season?
Chad was with him through 2003. Chad was with him for 6 and a half seasons but the guy who was there for 4 seasons gets all the cred.
Sprew
Profile picture for user Sprew
Posts
435
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
Sprew 4/4/2020 12:54pm
4/4/2020 12:54pm
UpTiTe wrote:
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was...
My opinion, if a rider fired his current mechanic after several championships because of alcoholism, doesn’t mean the guy who was the parts manager that was lucky enough to replace him is the greatest mechanic.

The best mechanics of all time are guys like Jon R, Jim Felt, Brian Lunnis or Bill Buchka. Those guys could make a bike faster, make them handle better, build parts and fix broken parts.

Very few of those guys left, Ian, Tony Berluti and Kyle Defoe are the modern guys that fit that mode.

Championships don’t define how great the mechanic is, McGrath won several with a pro Downhill mountain bike racer.

Sprew wrote:
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., &...
Wow 😳. A bit of axe grinding in that response. Some very good names mentioned but the inclusion of people like Don Jones, Jon R., & Walter Kadden is off track. The op said “mechanic”. I think you are confusing an engineer or a technician with a mechanic. I have the highest esteem for the guys who could weld a frame with a coat hanger or solder a pilot jet. But sending a rider to the line with confidence it will hold together for 30 + 2 is the job of a mechanic 👨‍🔧.
If that pro downhill mountain bike dude forgot to tighten a head bolt, seat an air filter, or spaced out on some zip ties, there would be no championships.
UpTiTe wrote:
Jon R and Don Jones were both mechanics. Jon R was a mechanic for years before moving to the shop. My point is that a great...
Jon R and Don Jones were both mechanics. Jon R was a mechanic for years before moving to the shop.

My point is that a great rider will make an average mechanic look great.
Your point....is accurate. Just don’t want to belittle anyone’s efforts, position, or background.

Let’s hear more about the contribution of Dads.
TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 12:57pm
4/4/2020 12:57pm
C.Worthy wrote:
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who...
What's everyones criteria for judging? Are people going off of the success of the rider they wrenched for? How well they could tune a bike? Who could oil the chain the best?

What about mechanics from past eras. The ones who had to drive the box vans from race to race, do the riders laundry, rebuild the bike, wash the box van, live out of the vans/hotels, and make sure everything was prepped come race day. No flying to and from the track, no semi driver, no new gear shipped for every race. The mechanics did it ALL. They have my vote
Motodave15 wrote:
My criteria, when i made the post was just general.. didn't put much thought in the parameters. But i do wish we could get more of...
My criteria, when i made the post was just general.. didn't put much thought in the parameters.

But i do wish we could get more of there stories how something broke/modified/rigged something up to function... Or even made changes that were so good, that later factory bikes came standard with it etc.
First, thank you Motodave15 for a great topic. Since I enjoyed wrenching on my bikes almost as much as racing them, this is really cool. Your thought about innovations that showed up at the track and everyone copied, well, in the '70s that happened all the time. If you were there, you know what I'm talking about. How about lengthened front brake arms on Maicos to get a little more leverage. Cut up pieces of innertubes around the carb to a little hook you put on the barrel to stop fuel frothing in the floatbowl from vibration. Rigging up a floating rear brake. All the different ways to move up/lay down your shocks and then gusseting to keep everything from breaking. All the ways everyone tried to keep rear shocks from overheating, including reservoirs with dry ice. Drilling and grinding and lengthening fork damper rods (there weren't any suspension shops yet) Lots of crazy, great improvements, but I don't have the names to attach to them. Look forward to hearing more about them.
5
wildbill
Profile picture for user wildbill
Posts
4382
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Christmas Valley, OR, USA
wildbill 4/4/2020 1:03pm
4/4/2020 1:03pm
TeeJay54 wrote:
Harry Klemm. What he did with Rex Staten's CZ for the '75 Carlsbad USGP astonished everyone. Took a 250lb anvil of a bike and made it...
Harry Klemm. What he did with Rex Staten's CZ for the '75 Carlsbad USGP astonished everyone. Took a 250lb anvil of a bike and made it into a rocketship. If not for a busted motor mount, Staten would have won that race, which for an American privateer on a production bike would have been thought impossible. Here's a link to the story:

http://www.klemmvintage.com/usgp1975.htm

It was different back in the late 60's to mid 70's. We were in unknown territory. Bikes and moto-technology were changing almost weekly. Innovation along with good old Yankee ingenuity was essential. Those of you that were there know what I'm saying here. Not to take anything away from those that came later, they were all incredible. But my vote goes to all the guys that blazed the trail when there was no roadmap.
Incredible read. Thanks for sharing.
BobbyM
Profile picture for user BobbyM
Posts
21437
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
USA
BobbyM 4/4/2020 1:05pm
4/4/2020 1:05pm
Tony Berluti... Thread over.
1
wildbill
Profile picture for user wildbill
Posts
4382
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Christmas Valley, OR, USA
wildbill 4/4/2020 1:09pm
4/4/2020 1:09pm

TeeJay54
Profile picture for user TeeJay54
Posts
41
Joined
3/28/2020
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA
TeeJay54 4/4/2020 1:09pm
4/4/2020 1:09pm
BobbyM wrote:
Tony Berluti... Thread over.
Is he related to Alan Berluti, former NorCal fast guy?

Post a reply to: All Time Best Wrench?