10 Best Motorcycle Maintenance Books

If you are a true motorcycle enthusiast, you must possess knowledge of motorcycles, their parts, how they work, and how to repair and maintain them. Nowadays, there are several ways of learning a new skill. Nowadays, the most popular way to learn a new skill is through videos and online tutorials. However, the best source of seeking knowledge is still books. If you cannot attend motorcycle maintenance workshops or enroll in basic maintenance courses, several books can help you learn everything about motorcycles to become an expert mechanic. Read this article to learn about the 10 best motorcycle maintenance books.

Motorcycles: Fundamentals, Service, Repair is a technical book for students interested in automobiles, especially motorcycles. It also includes information on scooters, side-by-side vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles. This book covers relevant information that can be applied to every make and model. This book is a complete encyclopedia on motorcycles, including instructions on the maintenance, repair, operation, and construction of a motorcycle. It was published recently in December 2022 and contains everything related to modern-day motorcycle problems. This book has content on everything, from classic motorcycle designs to advanced modern-day technologies, including ABS, fuel injection systems, cruise control features, emission control, and electronic ignition.

How to Troubleshoot, Repair, and Modify Motorcycle Electrical Systems contains everything related to electrical technologies used in motorcycles and how to troubleshoot and repair them. If you are a novice rider whose motorcycle’s electrical system is experiencing problems, the first thing you should do is take your motorcycle to a dealership or a mechanic. However, this book can teach you how to fix any mechanical issues yourself and save a lot of time and money. The time you put into reading this book and learning new skills can help you better maintain and extend the lifespan of the electrical system. This book is not only useful for fixing motorcycles as the general electrical system examples can also help you fix other electronics.

The author, Tracy Martin, made sure to cover every troubleshooting and repairing procedure for the electrical system and its components using images and diagrams. This book is suited for both beginners and experts as it contains step-to-step guides on how to fix specific electrical issues, including unscrewing nuts and bolts, removing parts, and reinstalling.

If you want to get better at maintaining and repairing your motorcycle or if you want to start learning the basics of motorcycle operation, Chilton’s Motorcycle Repair Manual by Alan F. Turner is an ideal book to read. There is a whole section at the end of the book explaining general information and concepts to help novice riders before they start learning the complex operations in each chapter. There is plenty to learn even in the general information section for beginners, including how to read spark plugs, how to adjust a motorcycle chain and cables, decarbonization, and lubricating motorcycle parts. The chapter on engine rebuilding includes information on the inspection, repair, and maintenance of the seals, bearings, camshafts, valves, pistons, and cylinders.

The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman is a comprehensive and easy-to-read book for motorcyclists. This book is for all types of riders who want to learn how motorcycles work and how to fix specific mechanical issues. It contains several infographics for beginners to help make it easier for them to understand concepts. You will find it easy to maintain your motorcycle at home if you read this book thoroughly. This book applies to almost all makes and models, making it a useful motorcycle handbook for all skill levels.

The Dirtbike Experience: Repairs, Maintenance, and Performance by John Pinnell is one of the few notable books for dirt bike riders. Dirt bike riding has become popular, especially in the United States, in the past few years, causing an increase in the demand for dirt bikes. Dirt bikes suffer more wear and tear due to operating on unpaved roads, requiring frequent repairs and maintenance cycles. This handy repair and maintenance manual can help you figure out how to solve mechanical issues with your dirt bike without the help of a mechanic. It includes the collective knowledge of trained dirt bike riders and mechanics and includes illustrations that help you better understand the repair process. If you are looking to buy a secondhand dirt bike, set up a workshop at home, or learn dirt bike riding tips, give this book a read.

Sid Young is an engineer who included his knowledge and experience in building and restoring old Japanese motorcycles in this guide. Motorcycle customization has become a popular trend worldwide and working on old Japanese motorcycles is the perfect way to learn how to restore a motorcycle. Motorcycle customization is a broad field that requires learning several skills. You have to be the jack of all trades if you want to restore a motorcycle that looks and performs well. Different tasks required in motorcycle customization include disassembling, inspecting, repairing, painting, improving, assembling, and much more. If you want to learn every step of how to restore a classic Japanese motorcycle and transform it into a scrambler, a café racer, or a chopper, this book should help.

John Haynes has written several books to help riders maintain their motorcycles. Haynes has covered almost every vehicle, including trucks, SUVs, and cars. Motorcycle Basics Techbook by John Haynes contains infographics of almost every procedure, explaining every step to make it easy for riders to learn how to maintain their motorcycles. The troubleshooting section helps riders better understand how to troubleshoot and identify issues with a motorcycle. This book also lists precautionary steps, warnings, notes, and tools required for every procedure.

Riding a motorcycle can give riders a sense of freedom and help relieve stress. However, it does not last long as soon as you have to visit a mechanic for maintenance and repair. It is stressful to visit a mechanic if your motorcycle has even a minor issue. How to Repair Your Motorcycle by Charles Everitt explains every basic maintenance procedure in various steps to make it easier for riders to understand. This book contains 50 easy-to-perform DIY projects to help riders keep their motorcycles in working condition. The various motorcycle systems are explained in detail with the help of illustrations. The content covered in this book can help you become a better rider and ensure your motorcycle lasts longer.

Modern motorcycles are very different from classic motorcycles. Carburetors have been replaced by fuel injectors, the kickstart system is replaced by an electric starter, and much more. Modern motorcycles are expected to release less toxic gases into the environment and consume less fuel than older motorcycles. Advanced technology makes modern motorcycles more complex, requiring more complex processes to apply repairs and maintenance. How Your Motorcycle Works by Peter Henshaw focuses on educating motorcycle enthusiasts on how modern motorcycles work. This book covers only modern motorcycles and the latest technologies installed, including ABS, traction control, transmissions, and fuel injection systems.

How to Build a Motorcycle is a complete package, full of information and self-explanatory infographics to help teach the basics of motorcycle customization. As the title suggests, it is a nut-and-bolt guide for both experts and beginners interested in building a custom motorcycle. This book even helps you choose the right motorcycle base and your current skill level. Gilbert Adiis a renowned motorcycle artist who has worked for several reputable clients, including Nike, Sideburn Magazine, Wired Magazine, and Harley Davidson. His illustrations helped make this book more colorful to read. Meanwhile, Inman Gary, the author, includes information about his own experiences in every section of this book.

Modern motorcycles are expensive to maintain and repair. If you want to save money, learn how to repair and maintain your motorcycle. This will help you learn new skills and can help you earn money by providing services to other motorcycle riders. The motorcycle maintenance books mentioned in this article can help you learn how a motorcycle works and the role of different motorcycle parts. With this knowledge, you will be able to restore and customize a motorcycle.

You can find various aftermarket parts available at Viking Bags that can help you customize your motorcycle. There are several high-quality luggage bags to help increase your motorcycle’s storage capacity, including saddlebags, motorcycle trunk bags, sissy bar bags, and tank bags. You can also install sissy bars, backrests, crash bars, and fairings to improve your motorcycle’s performance.