Best way to learn about how bikes work?

[ShaunClemo]

What is the best way to learn about how bikes work ect is it to just buy cheap bike and rip it apart? Try to rebuild it ect.

[duhawkz]

Mostly yeah, just grab a service manual and decent tool kit and get stuck in.

You might be able to find some kind of college course that teaches bike maintenance but there not that common.
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[Boydy]

Yeah just having a go at stuff and getting stuck in is a great way.
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NSR 125

[DrDonnyBrago]

Buying a bike to do up when you don't know anything about them is the expensive way of doing it. Doing a course is also unfeasibly expensive if all you want to do is keep your own bike working.

IMO the best way of doing it is to read as much as you can AND to own a bike that you service/repair yourself using guides, manuals and by asking others.

The workshop section of BCF is great for specific problems, there is a hayne's how motorcycles work type text book that a few on here recommend and there is also plenty of free stuff to read:

Have a read of this:

https://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm

If you can ignore the god bothering bullshit and americanisms it is actually really quite good .


Halfords are currently doing the 150 piece socket/spanner set for £100 too, a really good buy for that money. Most of BCF (me included) seems to own one of these kits :

https://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_173083_langId_-1_categoryId_255215

[ShaunClemo]

Thanks guys. There is a cbr for sale for 500 cos it needs work doing on it. I was thinking of buying it doing it up and see how it goes. Could be rather expensive way of learning though I do agree.

[DrDonnyBrago]

[_Iain_]

Ideal project bike is a c90.

So fucking simple to work on, get one for about £200, strip it get the holes welded up, rattle tin spray job and back together. Sell it on for around £300. Parts cost next to nothing.

Not cool, but good projects and easy to sell on!

Dont knock the mini moto though for a first crack. Get a broken one for £20 off ebay, strip it and put it back together again.
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[Dazbo666]

-Cheap project/donor bike
-A Haynes manual
-Half decent range of tools
-An unhealthy amount of time seaching ebay / breakers yards etc

...oh, and deeep pockets


It's a great learning experience though!!
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[MyCarVsYourHe...]

Youtube howto's are a good start, also ebay a bike and it should list all the parts for that bike so you can do your research, you'll learn what things are called and what they do, and searching tons of bike problem forums in the problem/answer section.