Out of interest, what bike is your haynes manual for...?

Honda vfr400r and rvr400r 89-98. why?

xivlia wrote:i do. ive always had it. but some of the things arent actually on it..

such as?

lke properly installing rearsets... properly installing gaskets.. best techqniques etc etc.

I'm pretty sure the Haynes manual mentions the installation of gaskets when doing jobs.

If the Haynes manual mentioned every job that only requires a tiny bit of common sense, it would be thousands of pages long. It would have to go into detail about how to take the sockets out of the carry case, then to connect them to the ratchet, and then how to fit the socket to the head of the bolt. In my opinion, the Haynes manual already going into too much detail for a heap of things, and then doesn't specify things where it's needed. For example, removing the larger bearing from the input shaft.

Seriously, use your brain. Installing rear sets is a matter of removing a few bolts and then fitting the new rear sets with the bolts. Gaskets, well seriously, if you can't change an exhaust gasket, maybe mechanical tasks aren't quite for you, and you would be better off taking the bike to a mechanic for anything that needs doing.

Jashdown wrote:If the Haynes manual mentioned every job that only requires a tiny bit of common sense, it would be thousands of pages long. It would have to go into detail about how to take the sockets out of the carry case, then to connect them to the ratchet, and then how to fit the socket to the head of the bolt. In my opinion, the Haynes manual already going into too much detail for a heap of things, and then doesn't specify things where it's needed. For example, removing the larger bearing from the input shaft.

Seriously, use your brain. Installing rear sets is a matter of removing a few bolts and then fitting the new rear sets with the bolts. Gaskets, well seriously, if you can't change an exhaust gasket, maybe mechanical tasks aren't quite for you, and you would be better off taking the bike to a mechanic for anything that needs doing.

A bit harsh, perhaps? We all have to start somewhere and it can be daunting the first time you do anything mechanical. Lots of people on here have been spannering since they were kids; I hardly ever raised a wrench in anger until I was 25.

I agree on the Haynes though, they're often not detailed enough on the things where I'd really like them to be. And the black and white photos are sometimes pretty useless at showing things properly.

get the microfiche and honda manual too, available for download off the good old internet.. if you can't put things together with all 3 of them then it's time to let somone else do it.

yeah i know. but as i said. ive been taking things on and off at the same time. all teh bolts and shit got mixed up.. so i cant remember which bolts where going where. you se my point Jashdown? . even though im not that good at mechanical things. im pretty impressed with what ive done so far...all ive got left is 2 rear gaskets and that retarted rearset. and im getting the mechanic to fix them up for me as i cannot be bothered lol!

The Haynes manual isn't even required, except for the more complicated things like engine removal and disassembly/reassembly.. Hell I never even opened it until I need to take the rear cylinder head off.

Probably a bit easier in my situation since my dad has always serviced/repaired our cars, so naturally I started doing it too. Meh, some people learn certain things faster/slower than others.

By all means, try everything yourself, but if you're not 100% confident in your abilities, don't do it. And if something does go wrong, or you start to get frustrated, it's time to have a break and calm down, or hand the job over to someone else. I'm a tight arse and I don't like paying mechanics to do things that I know I can do myself, especially when I can buy some tools with the money I save on paying them labour. Every man likes new tools :D