PDA

View Full Version : book about basic m/cycle maintenance

will
04-01-05, 09:30 AM
as a complete newbie to the world of motorcycling, i know very little about basic motorcycle maintenance.

can anyone recommend a good book which covers the subject :?:

Many thanks

Will.
Kate
04-01-05, 10:00 AM
Sounds like me!

Something like a 'An idiots guide to motorbikes' would be nice :P
will
04-01-05, 10:09 AM
yeah kate, one of those dummies guides would be perfect :lol:

i just checked haynes website - they don't do a manual for the newer SVs as far as i can tell. that would have been perfect.

Will.
Viney
04-01-05, 10:12 AM
Basic maintence should be covered on the owners manual. This shoudl cover basic maintnence scedules, like daily, weekly and monthly checks. Along with service schedules, tourque settings, tyre pressures(for OEM tyres) adjustments and things like that.

A haynes would be a bad idea if you are a mechanical novice, as i do think they 'gloss' over stuff and make thing seem simple than they really are, and the never tell you what to do when things go wrong.
BillyC
04-01-05, 10:12 AM
Will & Kate,

c'mon, you really don't need this... the basics of what you'd need to know you could fit in a leaflet!

You're both members of this forum, and the knowledge here probably comes with someone lending a hand too! :roll: :shock:

Don't be shy, if you have a question, no matter how mundane, post it, and see what others do. Or ask one of us at the Soho or SELKent events. :lol:

In a nutshell... keep your bike clean whenever possible, your chain well lubed, and keep everything nicely covered in WD40 - except for the braking surfaces :oops:
BillyC
04-01-05, 10:14 AM
You can download all the K3 service manuals from the main site - worth doing, and browsing through - will tell you all about which bits of your bike do what! :lol:
Jdubya
04-01-05, 11:34 AM
You can download all the K3 service manuals from the main site - worth doing, and browsing through - will tell you all about which bits of your bike do what! :lol:

What about the K4? :? :oops:
BillyC
04-01-05, 11:37 AM
What about the K4? :? :oops:

Who would want one of them? The back-end's funny!


In terms of mechanics, and all the things you'd need to know, it's identical! The only differences really, are the rear subframe and electrics assembly, and the radiator connects slightly differently on the right hand side.
helen
04-01-05, 11:47 AM
Aw, don't worry about that maintenance stuff. all i ever do is put petrol in mine, plus the odd casual chain spray. Gets me to Sainsbury's and selkent well enough!
SV650Samji
04-01-05, 03:44 PM
Try "Motorcycle Maintenance TechBook" by Haynes

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BookFeature_MotorcycleMaintenanceTechBookView?lang Id=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001
Iansv
04-01-05, 03:58 PM
meow...

http://www.kuroi.org/mel/meow.jpg
Iansv
04-01-05, 04:03 PM
Me Neither.... I pay Vinyl or a garage to do do it :D
Aurora
04-01-05, 04:10 PM
Try "Motorcycle Maintenance TechBook" by Haynes

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BookFeature_MotorcycleMaintenanceTechBookView?lang Id=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001

But is this book any good for a real technical numpty????

At the moment all I do is ride the bike, I find conveniently parked up just off our drive, full of petrol and clean. I go out on the ride and leave it just off the drive, usually with not a lot of petrol left in it. It always ends up back in the garage nice and clean and full of petrol.

It is lovely to have a petrol/cleaning/putting away fairy. BUT I really must learn how to do it all myself.

someone said something about having to put oil on the chain??? How??? Why???

As I said a complete technical/mechanical numpty.

p.s. I don't do nuffink to the car either, really spoilt me
Flamin_Squirrel
04-01-05, 04:31 PM
Someone said something about having to put oil on the chain??? How??? Why???

As I said a complete technical/mechanical numpty.

Oil will reduce friction, and therefore wear of the chain, making it (and the sprockets) last longer :)
Iansv
04-01-05, 04:33 PM
now you'll have to explian friction and wear :lol: :lol:
BillyC
04-01-05, 04:36 PM
Friction is like a punch to the face...

Wear is what happens when you get too much friction! ;)
Aurora
04-01-05, 04:41 PM
sort of understand friction and wear. Will have to get hubby to show me what it is that he does in the garage :lol:
chazzyb
04-01-05, 05:52 PM
sort of understand friction and wear. Will have to get hubby to show me what it is that he does in the garage :lol:

What? See his collection of magazines? :P
SV650Samji
04-01-05, 09:48 PM
The book is mentioned in Feb issue of RIDE mag.:
This is RIDE's comments:"Even if you use it just once, it'll be worth shelling out for. Colour pictures make it more user-friendly than your average manual".


There is another "BASIC" book on haynes web site worth taking a look at :

Motorcycle Basics TechBook (2nd Edition)

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=17991&langId=-1.