Advice on beginning motorcycle repair: As mentioned in my earlier question, I spent approximately $1500 on?

Question

repairing my 1985 700cc Honda Magna. It was in bad condition (previous owner(s) did a poor job of taking care of everything but the shiny gas tank) and I'm not very mechanically inclined so I let my local Honda moto dealer take care of it. Now I'm broke, its wintertime in Rochester, NY, and I purchased a Clymer manual for my Honda Magna. I read over the manual specifically looking at the clutch, tuneup, and recently the forks.

A lot of the repair and tuneup procedures look pretty difficult to someone like me who has no experience dealing with mechanical things (I'm a 21/m/NY college student studying Finance), and I don't want to mess with things (like some websites suggest) if there's a chance that I'll break/damage or not put something together right.

In summary, should I A) enroll in a motorcycle repair course after college? B) Hang out at local biker bars and try to befriend older men (no pun intended) who know how to repair their bikes? C) Mess with my bike and pray.

Answer 1

Some people are naturally mechanically inclined, inexperienced maybe but they have the ability. Other people could go to school, have an old pro teach them hands on and they'd still never master it.

I remember your earlier one about the forks, for the time being don't worry about them. If you don't like the oil misting up things, cut a strip of foam rubber or a strip of cloth, slip th erubber fork tube covers upward and put the cloth or foam in the space and replace the covers. That will catch any oil that gets by. When they run too low on oil, you'll know because it you push down on the handlebars, the fork will spring up and down like a pogo stick. If it doesn't, you still have adequate oil.

The others have given good advice and I know there's books out there for "dummies" (no offense intended) on every subject known to man. Try to find one, especially one that will go into general detail about what goes on inside your bike. The secret to finding a problem and fixing it is to know the principle behind it's operation. The best way to figure out how an engine operates is to find an old lawnmower engine and take it apart. They're pretty crude compared to other engines, but the principles are the same.

Start on simple things and as you progress, you'll gain confidence. Here's a good example of confidence. Last year I removed the engine from my Kawasaki 1000 and replaced it with a newer, different model engine. I had to build rubber mounted motor mounts, get the engine in exactly the right position because it was shaft drive, build a muffler system and so on. I had the bike totally apart, the only thing I didn't separate was the swingarm from the frame. I had the new engine totally torn down to replace the crankshaft. I got it together, fired it up and 10 days later I took off on a 3000 mile trip and it ran flawlessly. I'm not bragging but rather showing what self confidence in my mechanical abilities allows me to do. In addition, the bike is 28 years old and dealers don't carry any parts, so if I screwed up, I was in big trouble. Good luck and hang in there. If you need any advice or have questions, email me and I'll be glad to help. One last thing, be careful of people who give you a quick, short answer to a mechanical question. I've found they're usually wrong.

Answer 2

If your going to own a bike you need to learn how to wrench it. Or have the money to pay a stealer (I mean dealer) every time it needs something.

Just start out slow with small repairs and work your way up to larger ones. That way you will find the level at which you are comfortable with. Also, by starting small if you do get into trouble it won't cost much to fix whatever you did.

Start out with things like oil and filter change, battery change, replacing cables and hoses. Then move your way up to brakes, taking the wheels off (when it's time for new tires), valve adjustments etc.

Here's some tips:
1.Take your time, follow the clymers manual
2. LABEL EVERYTHING you take off the bike so you remember where it goes when it's time to put it back on
3. Pay attention when you take something off so you'll remember how it goes back on.
4. If you get frustrated, back away for a little while and come back.
5. Find a good forum specific to your bike. You can learn a lot by visiting and the people on there have been through whatever it is you may have a problem with.

Answer 3

actually you need to do several things. First, study the service manual for your bike, clymers is OK but not as good as the factory manual. Start working on the easy things. Oil and filter changes, tranny fluid etc. Then work on simple things like changing out the plug(s) changing a tire. Ease into things, don't get in over your head. Talk to others, watch them do repairs and maintenance on their bike. Befriend a good mechaninc and ask to watch while he works on bikes. Take it to a pro for the technical things. Mostly, it is just exposure and gaining experience that will help. Yes, you can take a course at some vocational colleges on motorcycles,snow mobiles etc if you have the time. Ask questions, find a tech site online to ask questions. After 41 years of riding, I still find a few things that I can't do and have it done. But I have saved a ton of money, and gained a lot of enjoyment thru the years working on my own bikes.
Ride safe

Answer 4

Everyone seems to have given you good answers.I just wanted to mention that good tools are very important.It is very frustrating to work on a bike if you don't have the proper tools.I do all my own wrenching and enjoy it.I have a friend of mine do all my machining.Good Luck.

Answer 5

if you have never had dirty hands dont touch it pay someone or you will justcost yourself money in repairs sure it looks easy wait until your up to your elbows in oil and dirt and you will wish you never started trust me i know through experience lol

Answer 6

Have a look at this site, it may help you out.
http://www.dansmc.com/MC_repaircourse.htm