Now I don‘t need in depth information at the level of a trained mechanic or anything, but I just wondered how I could learn enough to get by, i.e. parts of a motorcycle, the principles of how they work etc.thanks anyway
There are two outstanding books you can find at your local library, bookstore, or order online. If your local library doesn't have them, give them the ISBN numbers and they'll get it for you. For basic stuff check out: Motorcycles - Fundamentals, Service, Repair by Bruce Johns, David Edmundson and Robert Scharff copyright 1999 ISBN 1-56637-479-0 LoC catalog card 98-23297 Chapter titles for this book include Fuel Systems, Ignition Systems, Brakes, Frame and Suspension Systems, etc. For really advanced physics and geometry of motorcycles check out: Motorcycle Design and Technology by Gaetano Cocco copyright 2004 ISBN 0-7603-1990-1 Chapter titles in this book include Equilibrium of Forces Acting on a Motorcycle in Straight Line Motion, Motorcycle Vibration Modes, How Traction and Braking Forces are Transmitted within the Motorcycle System, etc. Both books have lots of pictures to illustrate, although the first book is easy to read, the second book requires a reasonable amount of intelligence to understand. The first book will teach you how to do basic troubleshooting and keep you from looking like some of the idiots that use this forum, and the second book will explain things like how high speed wobble happens or how a stunt rider makes use of the balance point when doing wheelies. Don't use Yahoo Answers to learn about fixing a bike. Most of the folks that answer questions here don't know diddly, even when they claim to be bike mechanic for 35 years or had the same bike with the same problem. And don't look at the Top Contributor banners as a sign of intelligent life, either. Top Contributor doesn't mean you know what you're talking about, it means that you've answered a lot of questions (regardless of whether or not you know what you're talking about) and you've earned a nice handful of points over the last week or two. And a thumbs up for the two answers before mine.
Well do you have a privately run motorcycle repair facility near you? Perhaps you could talk to the owner and or mechanics. Maybe watch what they are doing and ask questions. Basically motorcycles are not that complicated as vehicles go, and have realitively few parts as compared to cars/light trucks. The books mentioned above are good, but go more indepth than you probably want to get into. The simple side of it is-if you understand a all the parts on a bicycle the brakes, the bearings the axles the tires/tubes. steering mechanism then you understand most of the fundamentals of a motorcycles frame (originally motorcycles got their name because people stuck engines in bike frames and it became a motor-driven-cycle or motorcycle for short. The trick comes in with engines and fuel systems. Suspension-forks and shocks are not complicated, basically springs with oil or gas contained within a cylinder type devise that allows for control over rebound. All 4 stroke engines -whether car or motorcycle operate on the same principle and all 2 stroke engines operate on their principle. Carbs are pretty simple, as is fuel injection, both are systems designed to deliver a combustable fuel supply to the engine. If there is anything I can do, email me and I will answer specific questions
Some people understand mechanics naturally and others don't. If you want to learn mechanics that is a good choice, a super glide is simple. Most newer motorcycles are very high tech which makes repairing more challenging however they don't need a mechanic to operate. I bought my Suzuki in 2004 and I have only changed tires,oil, chain and sprockets. Most people would not recommend a Harley as a first bike. You need a small cheap, used bike to learn on.
