Well-organized, easy on the layperson's eyes but without talking down to us either. "The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance" is divided up into sections and subsections that make it both an interesting cover-to-cover read but also very easy to use as a fast reference when repairing on the fly, taking the "Teach a man to fish" over the "Give a man a fish" approach. If all you want to know is how to change a spark plug you can probably find a faster how-to online. If you want to know how to change the spark plug AND just what the spark plug is doing, why and how and what happens when it's not doing it right, this is the book you're looking for.

My '03 Kawasaki Vulcan isn't a toy, it's a tool; my only mode of transportation in this poor economy averaging 2,000 miles per month. And if I can't afford a car I certainly can't afford a conventional motorcycle mechanic looking to squeeze my wallet for what isn't there. So when my work-out-of-the-backyard mechanic isn't available or my work takes me away from him for a few months, I want to be able to do a fair amount of maintenance and repairs myself. Or at least know what I'm talking about when I do go to the conventional mechanic. Especially being female, it's still a challenge for some mechanics to see women as anything but walking, gullible, bags of money.

This book has been my first giant leap into that realm. For all the varied motorcycles and configurations out there, Zimmerman gives a solid, most-common overview. More importantly, he does a fantastic job explaining to the layperson just how the various components work. This way, when I have a weird power loss happening under specific weather conditions, I'm not just looking at a laundry list of possible suspects in my owner's manual (or the appendix of this book). I can also go back through paragraphs and sidebars about just what the engine needs, analyzing for myself what the symptom tells me the engine isn't getting, and from there, I'm better equipped to diagnose the likely problem(s) myself than just blindly "Try replacing A, B, or C."

For any biker out there, male or female, looking to be a little less dependent on your local Super Acme Made Of Money MegaMotorsports service shop, for those looking to better maintain your bike (and trust me, the key to hitting 130,000 miles is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance), and for those who want to learn in plain English just what makes your dream machine tick, "The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance" will be your new best friend!

In addition to Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well and a shop manual, I consider this book to be a must buy for any rider. Taken as a supplement to a shop manual, this book's mix of generalized how-to and how-it-works demystify a lot of the "installation is the reverse of these steps" and "Turn this screw for reasons we will never explain" instructions in the shop manual. This manual is really the difference between just following steps and actually understanding why you're doing what you're doing. Zimmerman is a great, engaging writer too which makes the book a real pleasure to read.

The book is a detailed overview of motorcycle repairs. Well written and easy enough to go through - a few more diagrams or photos may have helped but then it would be too easy!

This book is by far the best I've ever seen and better than I hoped for. It explains with color pictures how things work and why along with tips for getting the job done. Although this book is great for beginners it is also good for intermediately skilled do it your self folks with its in depth explanations.

Writing a book on a subject like this, with tens of makes and hundreds of models on the market, is a balancing task. Mr. Zimmermann has made it remarkably well.
His examples are very carefully chosen, he always explains the basic principles, and he writes in such a relaxed manner, that you feel "at home" regardless of the make and mode of your own bike.
A very good complement to the service manual of your own bike - this with this book you are not stuck even if the quality of your manual is only tolerable.

This book in combination with the user manual for my bike are great. This bike explains everything for everyone. It is written for the not so mechanically inclined and tells you why and how things work on your bike. Great investment for those that are tired of paying excessive repair bills. Definately worth the price, not to mention it is a good read.

If you are able to do basic maintenance to lawn mowers and automobiles, then this guide is a definate plus to understanding the fundamental workings of motorcycles. You will still need an owners manual for your specific bike (for manufacturer recomendations, IDing replacement parts, etc.) but this Essential Guide is a big plus for helping to diagnose problems and a good guideline for "how to" kind of jobs before you actually get your hands greasy. It is written in a casual, easy to understand language, that explains not just how to do something, but why you need to do it, and how it effects the overall function of your bike.

As a novice in motorcycles but with skills to do household repairs, I was very interested in learning more about motorcycle internals and repair. Th1s book taught me both - from how a 4-stroke engine works to the internals of a carburetor. I taught me how to repair, tune, and upkeep my motorcycle, in a clear, easy to read book.

Now, it is my favorite bedtime book and I keep re-reading a few pages every night.
Can't recommend it highly enough, it's that good.

I found this book both an enjoyable read and a very useful "manual". I have just passed my Motorcycle test and did not really know enough about the mechanical side of it all. This book really helped by taking it right down to the basics in a clear, and above all, enjoyable way.
I have loved sitting out on the warm evenings "playing" with my bike and gaining an understanding for things that until now would have just confused me!
It is a real proud feeling when you sort something out for yourself. And an even greater feeling to then ride off into a day with nothing but you and your bike....

Just started riding 1.5 yrs. ago, and I wanted to do some basic maintenance on my bike. Zimmerman's book is easy to read and follow; I was able to change my oil, drain and refill the coolant, change the driveshaft oil, and most importantly, save some money. I would recommend it for anyone who knows nothing about bikes and has a desire to tinker.

Shipment arrived on time. I am very happy with my purchase.

If you are a motorcycle rider but an idiot mechanic like me, this is the book for you. I needed to bleed my front brakes but did not know how. I really felt that I could do it and not pay the cycle shop tons of money. With this book by my side I did it in 30 mins. The book paid for it self with this one repair job, that I completed. Total expense for the parts I bought to bleed the brakes.....50c for a plastic tube.

After reading only a couple of chapters, I can see that this is an invaluable guidebook to have if one is planning to attempt any basic maintenance on one's motorcycle. It is even helpful to learn these things if one deals with a mechanic/shop, since professionals are so much easier to negotiate with if one has a handle on what is being discussed in the way of repairs. The author has a good sense of humor, and the sometimes dry details are sprinkled with quips that motorcyclists will appreciate.

Want to do your own motorcycle maintenance? This book is a good companion to your shop manual. If you are maintaining a Moto Guzzi you're in luck, the author uses a Moto Guzzi in this book and by the sounds of it he really likes them.

Just when you thought that you knew how to keep your bike in top shape, this book comes along, and lets you know otherwise. It is a well-written, common sense approach to keeping your ride in top shape.

Good book and worth getting, but you really need to get a shop manual to do any real maintenance... The book gives a good overview of different mechanical systems, and general maintaince procedures. It is a good read and I have reread it several times.

I am new to the bike world and I was able to understand the book, Yay. Also the book is fun to read. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about motorcycle

Being an absolute beginner when it comes to motor maintenance this is a very good overview on how things actually work. Can be to detailed for a beginner like me but will with out a doubt come in handy when it comes to maintaining my future first bike!!

This book is excellent! I love the technical details included throughout the book. Being a mechanical engineering student, that's what caught my interest most. Mark allows you to not only maintain your bike, by provides the knowledge on WHY you are doing what you are and HOW its truly helping your bike run better. He doesn't skip over details, and he writes the book from starting point.

Bottom line: Mark is a great guy. I've emailed him multiple times and received replies everytime. He treats you like a friend and enjoys helping others. He even assisted me in buying my first road bike by providing his opinion when I asked for it. Awesome book! Awesome author! Thanks a million Mark.

p.s. The riding is going great!

I found this book to be a very good beginners book on motorcycle maintenance. If you know little to nothing about how to care for your bike, or if you are interested in riding, you'll get a great idea on how much maintenance it will take to keep your machine running smoothly. The book has great "How To" sections and pictures, and defines things in easy to understand terms. If you already know how engines and other systems work in vehicles, pick up your motorcycle specific Service Manual instead, as you'll find yourself reading things you already know. If you have both this book and your service manual you and your motorcycle should be happy for a very long time.

I've had no real initiative to understand how motors work until recently purchasing a bike. Part of this is born out of wanting to avoid overpaying local service people for work that truly may not be done well or completely. This book does a wonderful job at laying out the theories and the practicalities of every subdivision of motorcycle mechanics, w/ extremely helpful multi-color pictures everywhere, including many step by step photos.

I was able to change out my brake lines after I read the chapter on braking- I actually understood hydraulic brakes, and successfully did a job in an afternoon w/ hand tools that would've cost me hundreds.

The author's enthusiasm is contagious, and I'm finding that this book is part of a growing impulse to spend as much time as possible with my toolbox and my Ducati. Highly recommended for the novice or the expert!

wow where do i begin. first off im a student at mmi (motorcycle mechanics institute)which has campuses in both phoenix and orlando. i bought this book to supplement my education and honestly it was a great purchase. its very easy to read and understand the first time through whether or not you have previous motorcycle knowledge of which i had none or you are experienced in mechanics. the theory section is an absolute must and just as thorough as the notes i received at mmi. the photos are great much better than youd find in your average factory manual and if you have no mechanical experience forget about trying to read one of those. factory manuals are written for "seasoned" techs. mark zimmermans book is written for both the average joe biker or someone with plenty of experience. he even takes the time to put in tips such as "what to do when you strip a bolt", "how to torque a bolt" and much more. overall im very impressed i have yet to find a section that i felt was inadequate. other books i have found dance around the subjects and dont give you the information you need. this book hits the nail on the head everytime.....thanks mark

I found this book to be very informational and practical. The information contained in this book can be easily understood at first reading. There is no need to have a mechanical degree in order to understand how the parts work, or how to maintain them. (On a side note: The author was even kind enough to reply to my email question...thus, I very highly recommend this book). Thanks Mr. Mark Zimmerman.

This book was well thought out and goes through a logical procession of maintenance/repair items. Some typo/grammatical errors dispersed throughout the book, but not enough to lead the reader astray. What I thought best were some of the items covered that I never would have thought of as needing maintenance, much less being VERY important (ie., steering head bearings) - and I have been riding for nearly 30 years! This book almost makes you WANT to get dirty and dive into repairing your bike. Even if you don't do your own maintenance, this book alerts you to issues that should be addressed by your mechanic, and allows you to be a much smarter motorcycle 'consumer'.

As a writer of an Internet advice column for women motorcyclists (VTwin Mama), The Essential Guide for Motorcycle Maintenance is my new bike Bible! Now I can answer technical questions with confidence (noting the sourece of course) and point people in the right direction. Along the way I'm picking up tips for my bike as well. This is a must have book for anyone who rides . . . the more you know about how a bike works, the better chance you have out the road when things go wrong!

The "Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance"
illustrates just how motorcycles work and what you can
do to come to terms with, and troubleshoot most
mechanical gremlins. A must have for the new
motorcyclist and Saturday afternoon mechanic.

A practical common sense approach to motorcycle maintenance. Mr. Zimmerman has covered all important areas and added more than a few esoteric comments that make for a fast and informative read. If I had only one book in my two wheel referance library it would be this very essential maintenance guide.

I must say that I was disappointed at the misleading title of this book. I thought that it was more about maintenance issues, but instead it tries to cover the basics of "how a motorcycle works". I can think of MUCH better books on this topic, such as Kevin Cameron's "Sportbike Performance Handbook", which despite its title, really is more about motorcycle technology. Another great book on the topic would be Gaetano Cocco's "Motorcycle Design and Technology".

The maintenance sections in this book suffer from being squeezed into the margins, with fairly small photographs, so that it is sometimes difficult to see what the author is really talking about. Of course, one cannot really fault this book alone, since most books on mechanics appear to suffer this fault.

Bottom line: It's mostly about "how a bike works", and there are much better books out there on that subject. Too bad it doesn't cover maintenance in greater detail.

This book is absolutely awesome! Zimmerman has a nice, easy to read style of writing. His explanations are clear and concise, with great diagrams. Best of all, he doesn't take himself to seriously. He goes to great lengths to make it all seem so easy. I'd recommend this book to anyone that wants to understand how every aspect of a motorcycle works,want's to perform their own manitenance, or at very least wants to understand why the dealer is charging them so much for the repairs. In my opinion this one is top shelf.

This book tells it all. From the first chapter on the basics of the internal combustion engine all the way through the details of brake systems and suspensions. Mr. Zimmerman's knowledge of his field is apparent in the way he presents the infornmation on each topic. Illustrations and diagrams are very inforative and easily understood.
I'm also giving the book to my 14 year old son so he can get a good base of knowledge to work on his own bikes.
Great job!

I've been riding for several years but really don't do much of my own work. I was looking for something that would fill in the gaps. I saw a review of this book in Motorcyclist Magazine and they rated it very highly. I think it's a great book,the technical explanations are clear and concise while the diagrams and photos fill in the gaps. I also liked the way the author "holds your hand" in the do it yourself sections. After reading through it I also have a much better understanding of how my bike works. All in all I'd rate this one as a must have for novice mechanics

While the author clearly knows what he is talking about he isn't great at making things clear, especially to the total beginner like myself.

Diagrams and pictures are dotted haphazardly around the book, often 2-3 pages before or after the paragraphs they are meant to illustrate. Some terms are used but not explained and there are several mistakes that even the most cursory of proofreads would have uncovered. Especially the 'how to' section on replacing sprockets; when letting you know what tools would be required it said 'all the tools for replacing a chain' plus a few others. Of course the section on replacing the chain was omitted! This isn't as big a problem as it would seem as you can figure out how to do this most basic of maintenance tasks from the 'replacing sprockets' section, but it smacks of carelessness.

On the whole it provided me with lots of useful info and the 'how to' sections are well-illustrated and, for the most part, clear and easily understood. It will provide you with an understanding of how all the sections of your bike work and slot together. However I have read clearer descriptions on the internet of how some of the sections work (namely the engine and gear box) and I'm sure there are other books out there which will be of more benefit to the beginner in that respect. Also it provides you with plenty of general 'how to' sections but again I'm sure that these must be covered in other books, possibly without the use of so much jargon (or at least with explanations for it).

In conclusion I find it useful and I'm unlikely to buy another general maintenance book to replace it, however if I were given the choice again I would choose some other manual.