Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
 great overview and how to for motorcycle enthusiasts November 11, 2009
Cobasa (New Orleans, LA)
clearly written, the author gives a great big-picture view of how different motorcycle systems work, which system your bike probably uses, and how to maintain or tweak them. i feel much more confident with my knowledge of how my bike works and how to work on my bike myself. he details work enough to let readers have an idea of what they may be getting into with any particular job so they know whether or not they're up to it or if it's something that should be taken in (to the shop) for. this book has already saved me lots of money and given me a better understanding of my bike -- i'd recommend it to anyone on two wheels.
Great for any layman to work on his motorycle September 18, 2009
T. Morrison (San Francisco)
This book isn't going to turn you into a master motorcycle mechanic. You want that, go to school for it. That said, this book is a must have if you want to do your own maintenance work on your motorcycle thus saving you money from not having to pay labor to a repair shop. Pair this book with the maintenance manual for your specific motorcycle and you're in business. The only thing I was kinda comfortable doing was changing my oil. After reading this book I've gained confidence to do so much more. I realized my belt was too tight so I was able to remove the back wheel, adjust my belt put the back wheel back on, make sure it was level, change brake pads and brake fluid, replace my front pulley, change radiator fluid, take apart the front end to install risers and re-run all the wires to the handlebars, etc. There's not much I'm not comfortable doing. I credit this book to giving me the confidence to do the work myself and save cash. Now my motorcycle is customized by me and maintained by me making it truly "my ride."
Great book for first time riders! June 26, 2009
Meghan Krupka (MA, USA)
I bought this book for my boyfriend who just bought a motorcycle. He said so far it has been very useful and it reads pretty easily and clearly, though he said the technical parts take some extra concentration. I'd guess you would have to be slightly familiar with automotive mechanics for this book to be the most useful. Still 5 stars though because it provides a lot of helpful information to a wide audience.
Buy the Book March 8, 2009
John Samson (USA)
If you're looking for your first book on Motorcycle Maintenance - grab this one. I've referred to mine often and it has definitly paid for itself within a few months.
Not just Do-It-Yourself, but Understand-It-Yourself. September 19, 2008
Mary Wood (Arizona, or New Mexico, or somewhere thereabouts.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Well-organized, easy on the layperson's eyes but without talking down to us either. "The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance" is divided up into sections and subsections that make it both an interesting cover-to-cover read but also very easy to use as a fast reference when repairing on the fly, taking the "Teach a man to fish" over the "Give a man a fish" approach. If all you want to know is how to change a spark plug you can probably find a faster how-to online. If you want to know how to change the spark plug AND just what the spark plug is doing, why and how and what happens when it's not doing it right, this is the book you're looking for.
My '03 Kawasaki Vulcan isn't a toy, it's a tool; my only mode of transportation in this poor economy averaging 2,000 miles per month. And if I can't afford a car I certainly can't afford a conventional motorcycle mechanic looking to squeeze my wallet for what isn't there. So when my work-out-of-the-backyard mechanic isn't available or my work takes me away from him for a few months, I want to be able to do a fair amount of maintenance and repairs myself. Or at least know what I'm talking about when I do go to the conventional mechanic. Especially being female, it's still a challenge for some mechanics to see women as anything but walking, gullible, bags of money.
This book has been my first giant leap into that realm. For all the varied motorcycles and configurations out there, Zimmerman gives a solid, most-common overview. More importantly, he does a fantastic job explaining to the layperson just how the various components work. This way, when I have a weird power loss happening under specific weather conditions, I'm not just looking at a laundry list of possible suspects in my owner's manual (or the appendix of this book). I can also go back through paragraphs and sidebars about just what the engine needs, analyzing for myself what the symptom tells me the engine isn't getting, and from there, I'm better equipped to diagnose the likely problem(s) myself than just blindly "Try replacing A, B, or C."
For any biker out there, male or female, looking to be a little less dependent on your local Super Acme Made Of Money MegaMotorsports service shop, for those looking to better maintain your bike (and trust me, the key to hitting 130,000 miles is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance), and for those who want to learn in plain English just what makes your dream machine tick, "The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance" will be your new best friend!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
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