Total Motorcycle Community Forums

The problem is I know almost as much about motorcycle repair as I do about Zen.

First problem. I'm not what I would consider mechanically inclined where it comes to machines. Now computers are another matter, but if it has a motor I'm at sea. Second problem is I don't have a garage, so I'm probably not going to be doing any major repairs or maintenance in the parking lot of my apartment.

So what should I be able to do on my own, and how can I learn to identify potential problems? Is there a course on motorcycle maintenance for the mechanically inept? Or maybe a Motorcycle Maintenance for Dummies book, they have one for everything else...

Any pointers in the right direction towards competent riderhood are appreciated.

Tex

Get yourself a service manual and make generous use of the garage forum here.

Motorcycle repair, while not overly easy, is simpler and easier than car repair, doesn't take much space, and no matter what you're doing it never looks like you're dismantling a vehicle in the parking lot. I do most of the work on my bike right on the sidewalk in front of the apartment (it's the second floor of what used to be a single family house).

You'll be changing spark plugs, air filters, oil, batteries, maybe some fuses, that kinda thing. Depends on the bike of course.

If you can handle building a computer you can handle almost everything you'd have to do with the bike.

jonnythan wrote:If you can handle building a computer you can handle almost everything you'd have to do with the bike.

I'll reinforce this point. I am a computer weenie by day and do all my wrenching on my cars and bikes myself. It's really not that tough, if you can put together a computer you can wrench on a bike.

As another computer person on the board, I can say doing at least basic maintenance on a vehicle is as easy as building a computer. I found the following link in my internet browsing: http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm
It is an online motorcycle repair course. Not sure how good it is since I don't have my bike yet, but it might give some useful information.