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55 of 56 found the following review helpful:
 indeed "essential" reading Jun 14, 2005
By ebie hawl
wow where do i begin. first off im a student at mmi (motorcycle mechanics institute)which has campuses in both phoenix and orlando. i bought this book to supplement my education and honestly it was a great purchase. its very easy to read and understand the first time through whether or not you have previous motorcycle knowledge of which i had none or you are experienced in mechanics. the theory section is an absolute must and just as thorough as the notes i received at mmi. the photos are great much better than youd find in your average factory manual and if you have no mechanical experience forget about trying to read one of those. factory manuals are written for "seasoned" techs. mark zimmermans book is written for both the average joe biker or someone with plenty of experience. he even takes the time to put in tips such as "what to do when you strip a bolt", "how to torque a bolt" and much more. overall im very impressed i have yet to find a section that i felt was inadequate. other books i have found dance around the subjects and dont give you the information you need. this book hits the nail on the head everytime.....thanks mark
29 of 29 found the following review helpful:
contagious enthusiasm Feb 25, 2006
By L. Richey
I've had no real initiative to understand how motors work until recently purchasing a bike. Part of this is born out of wanting to avoid overpaying local service people for work that truly may not be done well or completely. This book does a wonderful job at laying out the theories and the practicalities of every subdivision of motorcycle mechanics, w/ extremely helpful multi-color pictures everywhere, including many step by step photos.
I was able to change out my brake lines after I read the chapter on braking- I actually understood hydraulic brakes, and successfully did a job in an afternoon w/ hand tools that would've cost me hundreds.
The author's enthusiasm is contagious, and I'm finding that this book is part of a growing impulse to spend as much time as possible with my toolbox and my Ducati. Highly recommended for the novice or the expert!
39 of 41 found the following review helpful:
Great book for the DIY wannabe! Jun 05, 2005
By Bruce F. Wilken
"HAYABRUSA"
This book was well thought out and goes through a logical procession of maintenance/repair items. Some typo/grammatical errors dispersed throughout the book, but not enough to lead the reader astray. What I thought best were some of the items covered that I never would have thought of as needing maintenance, much less being VERY important (ie., steering head bearings) - and I have been riding for nearly 30 years! This book almost makes you WANT to get dirty and dive into repairing your bike. Even if you don't do your own maintenance, this book alerts you to issues that should be addressed by your mechanic, and allows you to be a much smarter motorcycle 'consumer'.
23 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 Could do better Mar 09, 2004
By Robert Holmes
While the author clearly knows what he is talking about he isn't great at making things clear, especially to the total beginner like myself.Diagrams and pictures are dotted haphazardly around the book, often 2-3 pages before or after the paragraphs they are meant to illustrate. Some terms are used but not explained and there are several mistakes that even the most cursory of proofreads would have uncovered. Especially the 'how to' section on replacing sprockets; when letting you know what tools would be required it said 'all the tools for replacing a chain' plus a few others. Of course the section on replacing the chain was omitted! This isn't as big a problem as it would seem as you can figure out how to do this most basic of maintenance tasks from the 'replacing sprockets' section, but it smacks of carelessness. On the whole it provided me with lots of useful info and the 'how to' sections are well-illustrated and, for the most part, clear and easily understood. It will provide you with an understanding of how all the sections of your bike work and slot together. However I have read clearer descriptions on the internet of how some of the sections work (namely the engine and gear box) and I'm sure there are other books out there which will be of more benefit to the beginner in that respect. Also it provides you with plenty of general 'how to' sections but again I'm sure that these must be covered in other books, possibly without the use of so much jargon (or at least with explanations for it). In conclusion I find it useful and I'm unlikely to buy another general maintenance book to replace it, however if I were given the choice again I would choose some other manual.
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
Essential for new riders, helpfull for experienced ones. Jun 06, 2005
By Wes Souza
"Ride Safely"
I found this book to be very informational and practical. The information contained in this book can be easily understood at first reading. There is no need to have a mechanical degree in order to understand how the parts work, or how to maintain them. (On a side note: The author was even kind enough to reply to my email question...thus, I very highly recommend this book). Thanks Mr. Mark Zimmerman.
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