(Part 2) Best motorcycle repair & performance books according to redditors
We found 64 Reddit comments discussing the best motorcycle repair & performance books. We ranked the 36 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
You really need to read a book to get your answers. Not a trivial few lines.
Recommend
Rich or lean mixtures are not optimal. Fuel burns for most power at exactly 14.7:1 air:fuel.
HP = (RPM * T) / 5252, so you get more HP with more torque, or more RPM.
This guy, watch this guy
Space does not permit all the tips I've learned by reading this, this, this, this, and this.
But, briefly:
Don't just soak the whole deal... tear it down and rebuild with new gaskets, seals, and other replaceable parts.
If you don't know much about your bike, get a good DIY manual. It will walk you step by step through everything on it.
http://www.jpcycles.com/1996-honda-shadow-vt1100c/haynes/repair-manuals
http://www.amazon.com/Honda-Shadow-Owners-Workshop-Manual/dp/1563923130
This takes forever to load but if you want a free copy of it, save as a PDF on your computer: http://www.motorussia.ru/docs/217-honda-vt1100-shadow-85-98-haynes-service-manual-eng.pdf
4-11 is where carb removal starts.
We're just trying to spread the gospel and deliver the good news.
Salvation awaits, brother.
If you haven't already, get the Clymer manual. I can't seem to find a Honda Service Manual, so this one will probably have to do.
Bike Bandit seems to have a good availability of parts for your carb. The gasket set looks cheap, as that's the most likely thing that'll need replacing first. Give the whole assembly a good cleaning and inspection.
Check for cracks and tolerances in both brakes and the chain, any looseness in the steering and wheel bearings, and pitting on the travel area of the fork tubes. Put some new fork oil in if the seals are ok (probably not, but who knows?).
Check for corrosion on electrical contacts (especially grounds) and sand them clean as required. Use dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion.
There is a much bigger list of possibilities, but that's part of the fun of owning an older bike. You get to know it like the back of your hand and will feel ever so satisfied when you fix something and it actually works. The more complex the bike, the more rare this is in my situation.
Just get it running and stopping properly and ride the shit out of it, you stupid lucky bastard.
Yeah that wasn't too clear, huh. Here's the bend where it's more mild where it goes behind the right headlight mount and working apparently, and here's where it's sharp and not working. It could also be the angle of the fitting on the handlebar - where it's not working the fitting is angled in, and where it is working the fitting is angled out.
This is the only pic I have, sorry for potato quality. I'd take one now but it's all wrapped in plastic since I'm preparing to make a fiberglass seat pan for it! Since that picture I've cut the back off and welded a tail hoop on. It is really obscure, I had no idea until I started buying parts for it. Apparently it's a GS750E and GS750L combined, though there seem to be parts unique to the T like the brake master cylinder. Here's the resources I've been using:
A note, in case you haven't run into it yet: You'll see in the schematics there's different versions for Z and D - that's the year code, Z is for 1982 and D is for 83.
This is pretty fun: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cycle-World-Total-Motorcycling-Manual/dp/1616286075/ in case, for example, you ever need to know how to strap a pig onto a motorbike.
This makes me so happy LOL!
People need to buy more of these so they make more for us :).
If you're talking vintage this is a must have
I found an online download manual for my 440. Looked for a 400 and found this but when I downloaded it, it only listed the kz500. Probably close to identical bikes but not completely sure.
More traditionally, Haynes has a 400/440 manual you can buy on amazon.
For mechanics, I actually got lucky and work with a lot of bike guys. One turned me on to this little shop ran by 1 guy and an assistant. Went there and he told me stories of the 400, 3 different 440s, and the 500 he owned in the past. He basically could work on my bike with his eyes closes. Ask around and look up some lesser known shops. I have also found that factory sales/mechanic shops tend not to touch older bikes like these.
You are looking for part #24 on this fiche: http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1981-suzuki-gs450l/o/m21417#sch263854
While you are at it, I would replace the clutch cable, and all of the screws/bolts holding that in and in the area. I hope you have good metric tools, or be prepared to buy some new wrenches!
Here is the Clymer book for your bike, it is truly an invaluable resource.
http://www.amazon.com/Suzuki-GS400-450-Twins-Chain-1977-1987/dp/0892872373/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413214095&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=clymer+81+gs450
If you have more questions, head on over to www.gsresources.com , that is a great forum for these bikes. There you will find a member by the name of bikecliff, he has a great website/guide for these bikes, located at http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/
I have used his guides for everything I have done on my bike and it hasn't led me wrong yet. It is always better to do your own work!!
I am also moderator of a small subreddit called /r/Suzuki_gs . we would love to have you over there!
Where are you located?
I'd start by getting a [shop manual] (http://www.amazon.com/Clymer-Yamaha-XV535-1100-Virago-1981-2003/dp/0892879076/ref=sr_1_1) and signing up for an account at www.viragotechforum.com. YouTube is also full of how-to videos demonstrating anything specific you're likely to encounter.
My biggest single piece of advice is to make sure everything you're working with is stock. If your friend still has the stock carbs, get them and install those, not the single. Every reference you're going to find assumes stock parts; if you're trying to tune the bike to something custom, those references are going to be much less useful. I speak from experience here. I didn't realize the exhaust on my '82 Virago wasn't stock (newbie mechanic too, obviously) and spent way too long trying to diagnose a lean condition in the carbs, and wondering why all the advice I was getting was wrong. As soon as I put on a stock exhaust system, all those problems went away.
Lastly, check out the starter motor and gears. Early Viragos were notorious for their terrible starter design. Yamaha redesigned the system in the mid-80s sometime, but I can't remember exactly when. If your 1984 has the original design, you should check the idler gears for worn teeth.
I had to dig around for it, but finally found someone's interpretation of Gary J's rain riding chapter from his second book.
This is a decent FAQ about riding in the rain.
For a little more than what you spent you could get this and learn to do all kinds of crap to your bike. Some easy stuff you should learn to do to save money on bike maintenance. 1) chain maintenance 2) replace air filter 3) replace battery 4) remove wheels (when it come time to get new tires its always cheaper to just take in the wheels instead of the whole bike. 5) oil and oil filter changes (after you're comfortable with all that other stuff this is easy too). This will save you cash so you can buy more bikes :D
http://www.repairmanual.com/product/used-1978-1982-honda-cx500-factory-service-manual-u6141505/
Also try ebay for a Haynes manual, Clymer makes one, but I prefer the Haynes, if it's available...
Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/Honda-V-twins-Haynes-Repair-Manuals/dp/1850101574
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Honda-V-twins-Haynes-Repair-Manual+CX+GL+500&LH_BIN=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X1978-1986+Honda+CX500+GL500+CX+GL+500+650+Silverwing+HAYNES+REPAIR+MANUAL.TRS0&_nkw=1978-1986+Honda+CX500+GL500+CX+GL+500+650+Silverwing+HAYNES+REPAIR+MANUAL&_sacat=0
Seriously, if you go to the library, they can order it in if it's not on the shelf... and you can read all about it. I like having my own.
Good luck. That other rider is right, the forums are great.
(1977 stock naked Goldwing Gl1000)
No dude, scooters are cool, and actually I wave to them...but this is a scooter, not a motorcycle.
The actual difference is in the way the engine is mounted and power transmitted.
I recommend this book if you want to know more:
http://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Technology-Handbook-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760319901