want to understand engines!!

[SAMMYE]

Hi as some of you probably know I have bought my first bike I want to understand as much about engines and how bikes work as possible does anyone have any pointers on how I can get started in this any suggestions of books/sites to get me started???

[SAMMYE]

p.s currently I understand nothing about them apart from the very obvious!!

[A Yerbury]

I had one yrs ago, full of "this is a 2 stroke, this is a 4 stroke" type information, any good bookshop is worth trying. and as the monst is a simple engine its all pretty much as the books say.

[NattyBoy]

Ill probably get slated for this, but Haynes do a basic motorcycle mechanics book, which is quite good for beginners. Have a sniff around on ebay as a few come up on there

Cheers!
Nat

[SAMMYE]

Thanks Fella's

[SAMMYE]

By the way does this also sort of explain the working of an engine and what different parts do in a followable way?? I really need to get down to basics but Im a determined so and so!! hopefully will become an engine genius and will be able to help others out one day

[NattyBoy]

The Haynes one is pretty basic..just the thing your looking for I think..may be worth getting a secondhand monster/ss haynes manual too..although your bike is the later fuel injected type, this will also give you an outline of the basics, and give you some history into the bike..just dont trust it all the time when doing jobs..they can be a litle 'vague'. These are also always knocking about on ebay and can be had pretty cheap..

Nat

[SAMMYE]

Cheers Nat

[Pedro]

Ill probably get slated for this, but Haynes do a basic motorcycle mechanics book, which is quite good for beginners. Have a sniff around on ebay as a few come up on there

Cheers!
Nat

About time you read something like this!! Where do you want a copy sent?

Understanding bikes is actually more complicated than just bolting on shiney things to new S4R's!

:D

Ped

[slob]

suck, squeeze, bang, blow.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0028642589/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_1/026-3244237-3238806
or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/185960515X/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_1/026-3244237-3238806

[Paranoid Dave]

Reading is one thing, doing the practical is much better and more fun. Go to a breakers and see if you can get hold of an old, knackered, dead as a dodo engine, pay them to take it off their hands type thing. I got an old 1960's matchless G2 engine in poor condition. Spent a few days in the shead taking it apart and suddenly all the things you hear about make perfect sense.

[spacemonkey]

Exactly what my cousin did. His first bike was a completely knackered Honda CB100N which had obviously never been serviced. He learnt so much fixing that bike every week, as every ride ended in a push home, that he managed a complete rebuild and mega tune up on his Renault 5 GT Turbo. Best way to learn... Don't know where he learnt how to make a grey fur lining for his interior though. Looks almost factory fitted....

[A Yerbury]

is that the 80s styled thing with the huge vents on the side? dont see many about these days. my wee brother has been trying to max power his bloody clio. kids eh. He has got as far as a halfords gear knob, some "race pedals" and he loves "backtoblack".....then he gets stoned and listens to some black man shouty music. bless.

[slob]

"backtoblack", excellent stuff, used to use it on the bottom of my snowboard on a dry slope...makes you 'go like stink' 'til it all rubs off suddenly causing the world to go sky-ground-sky-ground-sky-ground

[LeMarsu]

where is a little intersting page Shaking forces of twin engines:

http://www.mecc.unipd.it/~cos/DINAMOTO/twin%20motors/twin.html
you would love the maths part.

[DesmoDog]

"backtoblack", excellent stuff,


Is that the opposite to what Micheal Jackson used?

[DesmoDog]

p.s currently I understand nothing about them apart from the very obvious!!

Sammye,

You might also see what's going on at your local tech college - Mine has a basic maint and care course that you can follow up with something like NVQ in motorcycle mechanics. The one up our way is pretty heavily subscribed to though so I haven't got on yet.

P Dave's advice I like though - going to have to get myself to a breakers. The idea of spending £30 to fix an engine makes more sense than spending £150 to fix the one i've just spent my savings on.. great books too Rob - I think Amazon are going to do ok this week. ;)

[SAMMYE]

Just purchased the haynes manual from Amazon and gonna go out and get an engine from the breakers at some point!! wasnt sure about the complete idiots guide. It didnt seem to get a good write up! something about it being for american riders!?!

[DesmoDog]

Oooooh - Don't let Dave in the US see that! But I know what it means ;-D

[slob]

Sorry about 'the idiot's guide' thing Sammye, I just couldn't help myself. Gimme a shout if you get stuck I used to work as a motorcycle mechanic(many years ago) and I'm just the other side of the Dartford tunnel.

[SAMMYE]

Ha ha no worries Slob found it quite funny!!!................... (git) ;)

[A Yerbury]

haha sky -ground...when I first learnt to ski (1980) the skis didnt detach (metal tipped rossignols) sky - metal spikey thing - ground -sky-etc the german brats on the lift found it hilarious. I now favour the board..
Alex

[slob]

...when I first learnt to ski (1980) the skis didnt detach
much harder to snap your ankles with both feet strapped to the same plank

[A Yerbury]

yup, looks cooler to! although I did knock myself out once, which felt strangely euphoric...