Unless you are quite wealthy, DIY maintenance is an essential skill for a motorcyclist. Motorcycle labor rates are quite expensive ($80-120 per hour in the US) and motorcycles have much more frequent maintenance intervals compared to cars. Luckily, motorcycles are also generally simple to work on with basic hand tools, a few books and YouTube videos.
This doorstopper of a book is targeted towards the DIYer or aspiring professional mechanic. It covers every system of a modern motorcycle- both the how and the why of them. It uses an introductory level of explanation, such that anyone with a basic science and physics education can follow along. While it contains lots of specific information about Honda designs, most of the concepts and knowledge transfer to other makes and models. Notably, this goes into far more detail than virtually any other source you can find on internet forums and YouTube. (After reading through this, you'll start cringing at some of the stuff you read online!)
You can buy a copy from Helm's website. Revzilla Common Tread has a book review.
The Service Manual for your make, model and year of motorcycle includes diagrams, photos and specific procedures for any maintenance or repair. This is a separate book from your owner's manual- the owner's manual will only cover very basic procedures like changing a battery or checking engine oil, while the service manual will cover how to rebuild large systems of the bike.
Most manufacturers (OEMs) will publish an official service manual, either as a printed book or a digital copy as a DVD. Alternatively, Haynes and Clymer publish third-party manuals for many models, especially older and classic machines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGG0Hyy-3n0
A $500 basic toolkit suitable for most common maintenance procedures.
A $500 basic toolkit suitable for most common maintenance procedures.
Motorcycles use many lightweight yet soft metals such as aluminum and magnesium. Overtightening fasteners on these parts can lead to expensive damage. A torque wrench, when used correctly, limits the force applied to a fastener.
A short video with an overview of all of the systems of an old motorcycle.
A short video with an overview of all of the systems of an old motorcycle.
A see-through engine filmed in slow-motion showing how it turns fuel and air into power. Timestamped to the fun part.
A great explainer on internal combustion engines: https://ciechanow.ski/internal-combustion-engine/
A see-through carburetor filmed in slow motion showing how it mixes fuel and air together. Modern motorcycles use electronic fuel injection rather than carburetors to achieve the same result.
An explanation of how a constant-mesh sequential transmission works using a cutaway.
An explanation of how a constant-mesh sequential transmission works using a cutaway.