wirewrkr is not well

[Gimmeslack]

WOW... somehow missed this.

Even for a lurker like me, he was a well known inmate and I recall his posts always being of interest.

Godspeed brother!!!

[Tin Bender]

Below is the note I forwarded to Beemer Boneyard and their reply regarding Bob's passing. Thought you might be interested.....

Hi Dan,
Thanks for the info. Really sad to hear about Robert. I appreciate the contact info for Ken. It is on our list of things to do to get a new supplier for the clutch tools so I will contact Ken. Thanks again.
Mike

Sent from my iPad

On Dec 15, 2012, at 12:26 PM, "Dan Learned" <danlll@cox.net> wrote:

Dear Beemer Boneyard,

It is a sad day for the BMW community which affects all of us Roundel riders and your company as well I believe. I learned of this while pursuing the parts needed for a clutch spline lube and clutch replacement for my ‘04’ R1150RT. Searching for the needed a clutch alignment/pilot tool I first tried R B Racing with no luck, then you of course but yours have been out of stock for sometime.

Close inspection of the BMW alignment tool images on your pages and on Bob Vliets “Wire Werkes” ‘Cool Tools and Gadgets’ page led me to believe that he is the one producing the alignment tools for you. Went directly to his site to order via a phone call that was not returned, Tried several more calls, emails and a personal email found on the ADV site, all unanswered. I was losing my patience and running out of time looking for a tool needed in less than a week.

Yesterday, while perusing the ADV “Old’s Cool”/Airhead forum I read that Bob has been in the hospital with severe cancer. Jumping forward I read that Bob passed away just last month from liver cancer. He has been a long time contributor to the BMW community with knowledge, wisdom and wit. He is and will be sorely missed. For more, see link.. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=836748

Not all is lost though for those needing BMW tools. I found another machinist, Ken Lively that is making clutch service tools and says he is willing to make others. He already has a 2 Valve K series valve adjuster available, is looking to expand his business. Since he does not advertise currently he asked me to spread the word to others needing BMW service tools. With Beemer Boneyard being the largest purveyor of all things BMW, I first thought of you.

He can work off of samples or any dimensions given. Currently images of the tools are found here on Flickr..http://www.flickr.com/photos/41449418@N08/sets/72157632081388219/ Attached is an image of the pilot tool he just finished for me.

If you are interested in another BMW tool maker, Ken can be reached at polepenhollow@yahoo.com

I have no association or interest with Ken’s business other than a desperate BMW rider looking for help.

Sincerely,
Dan Learned
Escondido, Ca.
BMWOA # 132458

[disston]

We were all told some time ago that Robert's Business was being sold or at least taken up by somebody that would continue his services and providing the contacts he had developed. Does somebody know if this is still in the works and when might we see things like Wirewrkr tools available again. Or is the community going to pick up his projects piecemeal? I need a center stand repair kit now.

Somebody might write. There are people here better than I to make inquiries, I think.

[hardwaregrrl]

Originally Posted by disston

We were all told some time ago that Robert's Business was being sold or at least taken up by somebody that would continue his services and providing the contacts he had developed. Does somebody know if this is still in the works and when might we see things like Wirewrkr tools available again. Or is the community going to pick up his projects piecemeal? I need a center stand repair kit now.

Somebody might write. There are people here better than I to make inquiries, I think.

I believe I heard his daughter was going to take the reigns....it will just take some time I'm sure to grasp even a fraction of his knowledge. I hope it works out for everyone involved in the end.

[danedg]

Katie mentioned that wirewrkr arranged to have someone take over a part of what he was doing.
Haven't heard whom that might be....

[Houseoffubar]

Selfish prick!
I hope Robert is real proud of himself, what with the quandary he has left us in!

The WireWrkr is dead.........Long live the WireWrkr!

[walkingbear]

I have talked to Alita and she led me to believe San Jose will be taking over part of the business and buying his inventory. Could be wrong. I will be visiting with her mid January.

[greentreephrog]

"Even with "our sucky search engine" there maybe some way to search using the UserID (92584) for all of his 4300 posts."

Bill,

If something has told you there are 4300 posts, then we can say that there is, somewhere on the BB, a tool that can find all the relevant posts. Perhaps one of the Mods can advise how that may be used to achieve what you are after, although I suspect that collating so many posts into a coherent, sequential and useful 'story' would be a massive task requiring considerable editorial skills. Of course, this is not to say that it is not worth doing - I suspect it probably is, and would be willing to offer what help I can. Knowledge such as this should be preserved, and its preservation and utility is enhanced by a careful 'project' of the type you seem to be suggesting.

I have never know Robert, being a latecomer to this forum, but appreciate that his knowledge is best preserved. Perhaps it is one of his greatest memorials, certainly one which will persist. It is sad when a person's knowledge dies with them.

Peter H

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by greentreephrog

If something has told you there are 4300 posts, then we can say that there is, somewhere on the BB, a tool that can find all the relevant posts. Perhaps one of the Mods can advise how that may be used to achieve what you are after...

Have at it:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/searc...rchid=21725450

[bmweuro]

Had a long talk today with Robert's daughter regarding his bikes and parts. Not an easy conversation.

[Cordless]

Originally Posted by bmweuro

Had a long talk today with Robert's daughter regarding his bikes and parts. Not an easy conversation.

How is she doing?

How are you doing with all this?

What is happening to his still living legacy of bikes and parts?

[bmweuro]

Originally Posted by Cordless

How is she doing?

How are you doing with all this?

What is happening to his still living legacy of bikes and parts?

Thank you for asking. This is still very hard for both of us. I think about him everyday and regularly replay an old voice mail just to hear him. They say time heals all...The bikes and parts are being sold off in one big lot. There are 4 BMW in various states and a lot of parts in tubs and boxes.

[JonnyCash]

The seat I have on my /5, I got from him a long, long time ago. He had replaced the cover and done it up nicely, and I swapped something with him for it. The cover is now getting a bit rough, and the foam is quite disintegrated. I want to fix it, but, queer as it is, I want to leave it alone.

[BeemerShop]

Got back a few weeks ago from Robert's house in the desert where I videotaped his inventory and helped Alita identify and evaluate everything. We put it on You Tube but quickly removed it since a buyer for the parts emerged. There is one very cool item remaining, the wonderful tool box that Robert built. This is a very unique extremely well built item, please PM me if there is any interest. It is one of a kind. Here's the video of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxSJoa_RvAY

The Wire Werkes inventory, drawings and tooling for the reproduction vintage wiring harnesses is still being marketed and there is some interest from a company back east, everything else is gone.

This was my second visit there since Robert passed (BTW he did not go by "Bob" and disliked that name, he was Robert or Rob, he would probably like for me to point that out) and I could see how easily Robert blended into the Joshua Tree community. Robert could fix anything. The stories I heard from his family and local friends were very heart warming.

Robert would visit the local restaurant known as Crossroads Café nearly every day. One day while sitting at the counter having lunch he heard the blender in the kitchen making a horrible noise. He took the blender from the owner, took it to his home shop, took it apart, replaced the bearings, cleaned and lubed it and took it back to the restaurant. This was just Robert being Robert. There were other similar stories. I met the restaurant owner and some of their staff at Robert's memorial gathering. It seems Robert was well loved in every community that had the good fortune of knowing him. The Crossroads Café has renamed Robert's favorite soup the "Robert's Chicken Cilantro Soup". I have a picture of it on my FB page if anyone is interested. If ever traveling in Joshua Tree, stop in at the Crossroads Café and say that Robert sent you. Then have a bowl of his favorite soup:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...r&notif_t=like

Ted Porter

[hardwaregrrl]

Thanks Ted. Very neat story. I wish I had met him and had a story to share. If others do....I suggest you post it here.

Oh, and that tool box is really awesome.