My Introduction, and Ramblings

[ducatimike]

I wanted to introduce myself to the Ducati Community. Some may know of me as I have been on here almost from the start of .ms. (thanks much to Scott). I was a sponser but then let it lapse when it changed ownership, but have now decided to advertise again.

My name is Mike Guidera, and I started EMS almost 6 years ago. I have been into motorcycles all my life. Bought my first bike (a Vespa) when I was 14 yrs old. and have owned Norton's, BMW's, a slew of dirt bikes, and now Ducatis. In the old days, you bought a bike and pretty much kept it running yourself. The dealer was there for parts, but most kids didnt have much money and would keep the bike running one way or the other. Of course most bikes back then were notorious for breaking down, and we never bought new bikes, so I became pretty good at keeping bikes running. I fell in love with the old british brand of Norton and bought a Commando and then after college bought a factory Norton road racer that I used to race at Sears Point (now Infineon, and Laguna Seca). Just local club racing (AFM) as I wasnt that good but had alot of fun. There is a physical law about owning a Norton. For every minute you enjoy riding it, you will spend the same time fixing it. It shakes so much that screws and bolts rattle off the thing constantly. But when it runs it really is a nice bike to ride. And in all the years I owned them, I was never stranded, not once.

EMS was started with the mission of providing parts for Ducatis for the do-it-yourself mechanic. I bought my first Ducati (a monster about 8 years ago). I went to do the valve adjustment and needed to change every shim in the motor and had trouble getting them, so I started the business making shim kits. I have two degrees in Engineering and have worked in the medical field for over 25 years. I have worked developing products (mainly orthopedic implants and cardiovascular pumps). So designing shims for Ducatis was a fairly straight forward endeavor. I have now a full line of products to assist the home mechanic. I know that wrenching is not for everyone, but I also know that many do enjoy it. My products right now are aimed at the valve adjustment process for all Ducatis.

If you go to my website on the FAQ section, I have alot of information about the products. I talk about the shim design and performance. There are downloadable calc sheets for calculating shim sizes and pictures of various elements dealing with valve adjustment.

In about 2 weeks I am going to devote my energies full time to growing the business. I am available to answer questions and may even host a question answer session on my forum in the future.

If you have any questions please call me or email me to discuss. A lot of my business is with independent shops and I can custom make shim kits to fit whatever needs you have. Of course individual shims are also available.

Am looking forward to doing business with many of you.

Sincerely
Mike Guidera
EMS