A rider since 1969 who for a decade logged over 25,000 miles a year, and a Registered Honda Technician, as well as a trained Yamaha, Suzuki, and Harley-Davidson tech, with some 33 years in the motorcycle service industry, my professional tenure began in the early 1970s, when I began initial training at Los Angeles Trade Technical College under industry greats Pat Owens and Joe Minton. Pat was once the factory Triumph race tuner for Gene Romero, as well as the "patron saint" of Trade Tech's once-famous Associate Degree Motorcycle Repair Program. Joe, a onetime L.A. area Honda tech (and member of the infamous Griffith Park Backside Sliders) and later factory Honda employee, and still later Motorcyclist then Rider magazine tech editor, and later yet renowned Harley magazine tech writer, is currently the technical guy at Mikuni American's L.A. office. After completion of Trade-Tech's two-year program, I worked for a number of Honda dealers throughout Southern California, busy metro shops, most of them, where each experienced tech worked on six or more bikes a day. Most of these machines were multis, including, later, the CBX. I also apprenticed on Nortons and Triumphs, Kawasakis, Yamahas and Suzukis in the early days, and I paid my dues at both franchise and aftermarket Harley-Davidson shops, and custom/speed shops as well. In one of the specialty shops, I built Harley clones and serviced GSXR-engined mini sprint cars. While still in my twenties, I was fortunate enough to be employed as a Warranty Analyst by Honda's corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, and I later had my own independent motorcycle suspension and electrical specialty shop in L.A.. Recently, I was with Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, for five years as an instructor, and afterward for four years as the company's Curriculum Developer where I developed the school's curriculum, and pioneered electronic training, while having responsibility for all 4000+ hours of instruction. I am presently employed by another of the "big five" OEMs in their training dept. and very happy doing that.