SERVICE
MOTORCYCLE MANUALS
Required Reading
An owner’s manual is included with every motorcycle like two wheels and a tank. But what good
are motorcycle manuals in this day and age?
Motorradfahrer took a close look at twelve
manuals.
Text: Jürgen Schons
Photos: Tina Güldenring
It’s finally here, the new machine. You’ve picked it up
from the dealer, mounted the
license plate, and now you’re
ready to go. Ready to go?
Not quite. As with any machine, it is recommended
that you first read the instruction manual. Of course all
motorcycles have essentially
the same basic body, but the
cockpits of modern sport machines and the increasing
proliferation of electronic assistants alone mean there’s
no getting around a thorough
study of the bike’s manual.
What’s more, an accurate,
easily understandable manual with unambiguous instructions, valid information,
and correct translations is
part of a motorcycle’s implied
warranty.
We have reviewed the operating manuals from twelve
manufacturers precisely for
these aspects – informational content, understandability, and translations. All of the
manuals have one thing in
common: the ample coverage they give to the basic
principles of motorcycle riding (changing gears, braking, the proper attire), as
well as how to store the machine for long periods. In the
overall picture, the KTM and
BMW manuals are way
ahead of the pack. Since
they are written directly at the
corporate headquarters, they
do not need to be translated
– something that always
brings with it the potential for
errors. The Austrians’ RC8
manual in particular is a
standard-setter:
simple language, clear presentation, logical layout, explanations of a multitude of
maintenance tasks, and descriptive pictures – just the
way a manual should be.
Also good to satisfactory are
the manuals from the Japanese manufacturers, and
from Harley-Davidson and
Triumph. However, the Triumph and Kawasaki manuals are missing instructions
for removing and installing
the wheels and removing/installing the fairing. Surprisingly, the manuals from the
Far-Eastern producers, which
are usually created entirely in
Japan, are written in easy-tounderstand German with few
errors.
The Italian manuals – a
conflicting impression
The Italians’ manuals leave
behind a conflicting impression. Ducati, for example, demonstrates a good deal of
competence in its choice of
words, but the manual has a
gaping lack of maintenance
instructions. And any manufacturer that asks its customers to come in to the shop
to have the chain tensioned
either assumes they have a
very weak grasp of the technical side of things or risks
being labeled as a swindler.
The Aprilia and Moto Guzzi
manuals include expressions
that simply make no sense
(for example, “Mapping se-
lection is active even when
the engine is running, but
only when the engine is running.” and “The suspension
must result soft.”). Added to
this is the fact that the inclusion of several languages
has made these manuals
quite voluminous, a criticism
that applies equally to
Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati,
and MV Agusta. For the last
company, however, that
hardly matters, since the manual for the F4 1000 offers
little in the way of information
anyway. Instead, spelling and
grammar mistakes abound,
while technical data and
maintenance instructions are
glaringly absent. Not only is
the implied warranty breached in this case, but in the
final analysis, the MV manual
simply leaves behind a bitter
aftertaste: How can they
work so hard to build these
motorcycles and then do
such a terrible job on the
operating manuals that go
with them?
BMW
Model: S 1000 RR
Dimensions/Weight: 176
pages, 15 x 10.5 cm, 135 g
Language: G
Fig.: Photorealistic drawings,
good
Break-in instructions: Yes, extensive
Keyword index: Yes
Maintenance schedule: No
Wiring diagram: No
Troubleshooting: Yes
Wording: Good, error-free,
easy-to-understand sentences
Layout: Three-column; good,
clear presentation
Technical data: Absolutely
complete, incl. tightening torques for screws
Explanation of spring/shock
absorber adjustment: Good,
practical tips for different applicationsMaintenance tasks: Inspection of fluid levels, brake
pads; installation/removal of
side fairing; clutch-clearance
adjustment; chain tensioning,
removal and installation of
wheels and battery; jump-starting; replacement of bulbs and
fuses
Noteworthy features: Extremely thorough description of
the electronic assistants and
their functions. Detailed explanation of how to prepare the
motorcycle for use on the racing circuit.
Verdict: Well-done manual –
you can definitely tell that
BMW employs its own technical writer who works together
closely with the development
team. Accuracy is ensured by
no fewer than two proofreading passes.
KTM
Model: RC8
Dimensions/Weight: 234
pages, 21 x 15 cm, 370 g
Language: G
Fig.: Photos and drawings,
very good
Break-in instructions: Yes
Keyword index: Yes
Maintenance schedule: Yes
Wiring diagram: No
Troubleshooting: Yes, very extensive
Wording: Very good with
short, easily understood sentences
Layout: Sufficiently large font,
but only a single, hence very
wide, column per page
Technical data: Unbelievably
comprehensive, incl. fluid capacities and tightening torques
for every screw
Explanation of spring/shock
absorber adjustment: Extremely thorough with many practical tips
Maintenance tasks: Nearly all
Noteworthy features: 100
pages alone for maintenance
and adjustments on the suspension and engine. The many
features of the cockpit are also
beautifully explained in an
easy-to-follow manner.
Conclusion: Exemplary motorcycle manual that nearly attains
the level of a workshop manual.