Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I really want to be able to do almost any type of maintenance or repair on my motorcycle, perhaps some things in theory. I am comfortable using tools, but I honestly do not know anything about full maintenance of a motorcycle. Changing the oil would be easy enough, but there are other things that are much more involved. I came across a site that sells the actual factory service manuals for most models out there, such as this one which is applicable to my bike http://www.repairmanual.com/motorcycles ... 8101/13762

Now, I'm wondering how useful would one of those be for someone like me who has no experience working on a bike? For instance, a Haynes manual might come with several illustrations for many tasks, but what about the service manual? Since a service manual is used by mechanics themselves, I'd assume they're made for someone with obvious bike repairing experience and not advisable for my skill level. I could buy it and see for myself, but I don't want to risk throwing away 60 bucks. The haynes manual for my bike goes to 2004 and not 2006 like my model, but I would imagine there is probably not too much changes, but again I don't know.

There are certain parts I am going to start purchasing, one of which is a decent torque wrench, but my main concern is getting all the information I need, primarily through books that can guide me along so I can build my repairing confidence. Please help guide me to guide myself!

That manual should be the very first thing you buy fir the bike. Or any bike for that matter. No matter who you are.

Buy it.

The factory shop manual is the first thing I get when I buy a bike. Lots of illustrations too. If I can find an aftermarket manual I will often get that also. Sometimes they show things in a different way that makes it easier to understand.
Honda has a Common Service Manual. It explains a lot of odds and ends that the other manuals take for granted and is not model specific. Hard to find sometimes. Some Honda dealers don't seem to know or want to admit it exists. With a little digging it can be found.
I am definitely not a mechanic but do most of my own maintainance. With shop rates being what they are the manuals pay for themselves after one or two uses.

On a side note, I put the pages from the manuals in plastic sheet protectors and then in a loose leaf binder. That way the pages stay clean when you use them with dirty hands.

Yep, get a manual. Then when you decide you need to do something you can refer to the manual and see if it's something you can handle.
There is a ton of stuff you can do yourself.
And let me tell you there's only one thing better than Riding (well there's actually one other "thing" but I won't go into that here), that's the feeling you get when you trouble shoot a problem (even if you have to pick someone else brain, that's called using all available resources) and then "fix" it yourself!

Happy Wrenching!!!