Author Topic: RatGuzzi aka JB **merged topics**  (Read 6602 times)

Offline Iron Cross Junction

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #60 on: October 14, 2021, 01:24:29 PM »

As many have already said, a shock.  :cry:

I only met JB once in "real life," when he joined a group ride at the Georgia campout 10 or so years ago.

I "knew" him better through his numerous posts here about his travels all over the U.S. on his Guzzis and in rentals overseas.

It was clear to me that he led a full life.  He was way too young to leave, and we are all less for his loss.

Kathi will keep JB, his family, and all whom he loved and who loved him in our prayers.

Bill


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Offline twowings

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #61 on: October 14, 2021, 02:14:19 PM »
One of a kind!

I hope they have internal combustion wherever you are now, JB  :thumb:
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Offline TOMB

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #62 on: October 14, 2021, 03:10:15 PM »
I would like to offer my condolences to Johns family and to the many Guzzi family members here who had the pleasure to meet John during his many Guzzi travels .

In my case John was traveling in Connecticut (2008 ?) and was coming down  a exit ramp in Stratford Ct. and went down and broke a front brake line and was looking for help . I contacted Iron Mike (yes that Iron Mike ) and informed him and see if he could assist, Mike worked in the area.

I get a call from Iron Mike that he was on his way and met up with him at his motel room, it was near the exit ramp.

Mike calls me to see if I had what was needed , It was a crap shoot as John was on his modified T with a EV engine ,well between Mike and myself  the parts were found but John needed to get back to Illinois , I picked John up the next day to get his flight home he sure was grateful for the effort.

The T was left at Iron Mikes house in Bridgeport Ct. and John drove his van back the following week to retrieve his bike and in the process, John bought a Convert from Mike stripped what he wanted and said keep it for yourself. "What a Guy".

Chuck Peterson was also involved so I'll say this we had a great time and John was more than happy.

I have some of the parts from the Convert bought from Mike on my Convert now and this weekend I'll do a sort of memorial ride in Johns memory with the parts  that John donated.

Again I offer my condolences to Johns family,  and to his Guzzi family here on this board.

TOMB

Tom Bailey
« Last Edit: October 14, 2021, 08:33:32 PM by TOMB »
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Offline Steve Cas

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #63 on: October 14, 2021, 03:25:36 PM »
Very sad.
Shared a few beers and wings with him while he was working at Sikorsky’s.  Interesting and fun guy to be with.
RIP

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #63 on: October 14, 2021, 03:25:36 PM »

Offline Luap McKeever

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #64 on: October 14, 2021, 04:58:16 PM »
Dang it. This stinks. Now I wish I'd have taken a photo when we had lunch in NWA not too awful long ago when he was in town. He made it a point to hand deliver a board donation and buy my lunch. Great guy that will be missed.

Take photos fellas. You just never know...

RIP JB
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Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #65 on: October 14, 2021, 05:15:35 PM »
Dang it. This stinks. Now I wish I'd have taken a photo when we had lunch in NWA not too awful long ago when he was in town. He made it a point to hand deliver a board donation and buy my lunch. Great guy that will be missed.

Take photos fellas. You just never know...

RIP JB



I got my picture of you buddy  :grin:
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Offline lucian

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #66 on: October 14, 2021, 05:27:40 PM »
 My condolences to his family and for all of you who knew John . He will be sadly missed from my little corner of  WG as his adventures and posts have always been inspirational . What a sad end to this riding season here.  I hope collectively we can come up with a way to honor his contributions here and keep his presence permanent on WG.  This sucks.

Offline John Ulrich

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #67 on: October 14, 2021, 05:33:01 PM »
 :gotpics:

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Offline Dirk_S

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #68 on: October 14, 2021, 05:45:41 PM »
A man with a legacy. Let us not forget the stories, and I hope his family and loved ones can heal with more smiles and frowns.
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Offline radguzzi

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #69 on: October 14, 2021, 05:58:40 PM »

JB was heading for a gig nearby and stopped in to say hello on a Sunday back in 2009...   I am saddened by his untimely passing, such a great fellow.

Rest In Peace kind sir.



Riding one of his late model engine Guzzis in an early frame...



And the modified tank, one of a long list of enlarged tanks that he was forever making to increase the fuel capacity and mileage on his Guzzis.   :grin:

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Offline Vince in Milwaukee

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #70 on: October 14, 2021, 06:07:21 PM »
Very sorry to hear that John has passed. Seen a posting on FB yesterday that he had hit  a deer. Was hoping for the best, but it wasn't to be. I first met JB in the late 80s, early 90s at the Wisconsin Guzzi Rally at Eagle Cave (?). Would bump in to him from time to time here in the midwest.  Got to see JB at Joe Walano's open house in North Chicago this past summer. His passing is a great loss to his family  friends, and the motorcycle community in general.
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Offline Luap McKeever

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #71 on: October 14, 2021, 07:02:40 PM »


I got my picture of you buddy  :grin:

That was a long time ago. I don't ride anywhere near that crazy anymore...oh wait. :evil:
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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #72 on: October 14, 2021, 07:11:50 PM »
JB was heading for a gig nearby and stopped in to say hello on a Sunday back in 2009...   I am saddened by his untimely passing, such a great fellow.

Rest In Peace kind sir.




As sad as it to read of someone passing away under those circumstances, that does look like a face that enjoyed life, made the most of it and passed it on.

R.I.P Mr B.

Offline TOMB

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #73 on: October 14, 2021, 08:41:39 PM »
As a side note:

John needed a early rear diff as the one he was using was not letting the computer function  correctly , so the rear diff in the picture is the one he purchased from me. It was from an Eldo.

The diff was geared lower so John tricked the computer by changing the rear diff.

The original diff on a T had the extended sump so it bolted up easily, Not sure what he took off but knowing how resourceful John was it fixed his problem

 

TOMB
Tom Bailey
« Last Edit: October 14, 2021, 10:39:58 PM by TOMB »
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Online John A

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #74 on: October 14, 2021, 09:12:40 PM »
Ten or more years ago I bought a wheel and some other stuff from John, he rode by and delivered it. Recently I’ve thought of him and was hoping he would stop by. No words.
John
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Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #75 on: October 14, 2021, 09:50:35 PM »
What a bummer, JB was my hero.
I never met him but we would exchange messages now and then.
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Offline mrverveus

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #76 on: October 14, 2021, 10:21:53 PM »
Sad news. I count myself lucky to have met him at a rally years ago and had a nice chat with him. Great guy. RIP John.
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Offline TOMB

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #77 on: October 14, 2021, 10:46:10 PM »
Since no one has asked---

If there is an obituary notice or family address available please post it here I would like to send a card.

Thanks

TOMB

Tom Bailey

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« Last Edit: October 14, 2021, 10:46:38 PM by TOMB »
TOMB

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Offline chuck peterson

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #78 on: October 15, 2021, 04:11:30 AM »
This is the saddest thing you will see today. https://i3g3v3x7.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FBOqiIIXEAEllRW-scaled.jpg Where ever John is now, I hope they have a good supply of Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce. Ride on, Ratguzzi!

Could we find that screen?
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Offline jacksonracingcomau

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #79 on: October 15, 2021, 04:28:50 AM »
A TRAGEDY , RIP JB
I never met the man but enjoyed his posts and bikes, I got the feeling he was one of the very few on the internet (as in real life) I could travel with, the parting line comes to mind of when intentions or  circumstances stipulate one of you deviates from the route, as has happened
See you there, mate
As I don’t have photos of him, the only appropriate one to post is my job of day, how to marry Nevada forks to a loopy (spacer in bottom yoke, tubular nut for the top one) If he hasn’t already done this I think he would’ve if the forks were a gift, as they were to me.



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Offline Stretch

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #80 on: October 15, 2021, 05:08:58 AM »
My condolences to his family and friends.

Sounds like he was a great guy.

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Offline grebmrof

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #81 on: October 15, 2021, 05:22:43 AM »
Our paths crossed at Mid-Ohio Vintage Days many many years ago, he melted into the crowd and was gone before we knew it.  Very sad to hear, my condolences to his family and friends.
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Offline twodogs

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #82 on: October 15, 2021, 06:00:07 AM »
Condolences to his family, so sad to hear.
RIP JB
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Offline Texas Turnip

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #83 on: October 15, 2021, 06:27:49 AM »
He lived life to the fullest!. JB and I go back decades with him being at my place many times and me at his in Wonder Lake, IL
It would take a day to tell of some of JB's life. Here are a few.

1. Some cringed when he bragged about buying his half helmet at a yard sale for $10.
2. I'm at his home in Wonder Lake when at 8AM he starts putting in new piston etc on an old bike. "Tex dig around in the gravel drive way and see if you can find another valve cover screw."  I found one. He torqued the heads down without a torque wrench as he said he had his arm calibrated. Two hours and the bike is running.
3. An impressive ride is when he went to Pikes Peak (but the road was closed) in Jan. Temps in the teens on his way back to Wonder Lake.
4. We are at a red light with both of our Guzzis showing well over 100K. He said both bikes sure idle good with out blipping the throttle.
5. Two months ago he is here at the Oleo Ranch on his old bike. Another welcome visit and he left only to call me twenty minutes later that his bike broke down. I went out on a barely used road and picked him up. He put the bike on my old trailer and just layed it over on its side. We came back to my house and I dropped the trailer and bike and then took him 100 miles to Plano where he had his Jeep and trailer
He slightly irritated me when we stopped for gas and he beat me to the pump with his credit card.(You don't pay me for helping you out.) He came out the next day with the Jeep and trailer for the Guzzi. I never thought that would be the last time I'd see him.

I could go on and on about things we did. RIP
Tex

Would someone please post an address for his daughter or the family so I can send a sympathy card.

Offline radguzzi

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #84 on: October 15, 2021, 07:18:44 AM »

If there is an obituary notice or family address available please post it here I would like to send a card.




He lived life to the fullest!.

Would someone please post an address for his daughter or the family so I can send a sympathy card.


Please do.  I would like to let John's family know that he had true friends that we will miss him.   
Rob



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Offline motogoro

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John Boettcher Visitation
« Reply #85 on: October 15, 2021, 08:56:37 AM »
From Joe Walano this morning

"According to John's daughter's post, visitation will be at Justen Funeral home in McHenry on Sunday October 24th from 1 to 3. She is also planning a celebration of life at a later date."

as of 8:48 UTC-5 there was no obituary listed on the Justen Funeral Home website. 
I will post it when I see it
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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #86 on: October 15, 2021, 09:21:14 AM »
Looks like cards and such can be sent to the family

Family of John Boettcher
Care Of: Justen Funeral Home
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Offline guzzisteve

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #87 on: October 15, 2021, 09:41:59 AM »
He'll be missed, one cool cat.   " You can pry his dead cold hands off the bars now!"    He went out like he thought he would.

I helped him get going on the Guzzi thing, he really took off with it which doesn't happen often. That was around 97, last saw him at Riders Hill around 2012. He had no idea I worked there, was a good meet-up.
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Offline Nick

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB
« Reply #88 on: October 15, 2021, 10:00:17 AM »
Rest In Peace JB  :bike-037:

Offline rjamesohio

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Re: RatGuzzi aka JB **merged topics**
« Reply #89 on: October 15, 2021, 12:10:02 PM »
Well - I knew John and we had exchanged parts over the years. He was always pleasant and was a great asset to the Guzzi community.

His Facebook page chronicles his recent trip for work to Poland. some great photos, and it seems surreal to read posts from John just a few days old and now he is gone.

RIP John.

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