Harley-Davidson workshop manuals: where to get the information

There are occasions in which we cannot directly access our passion: roll by motorcycle or perform maintenance and mechanical operations. But, this does not mean that we cannot continue enjoying what we like and take the opportunity to consolidate and expand our knowledge.

Today, there are many resources, both in physical (paper) and electronic support that allow us to obtain information on characteristics, maintenance, spare parts, etc. It must also be taken into account that every time brands are being more transparent when facilitating access to technical information to the general public and, together with internet databases, forums, social networks and others, it is usually relatively simple (and economical) find what we need.

Types of information

When we want to obtain some information about our motorcycle, depending on the characteristics of such information, we must use certain resources:

• User Manual: It is the “instruction book” that is generally delivered with the vehicle, in it you will find detailed information on the operation, operation and basic maintenance. Important to make the most of the functionalities of your machine.

• Official Workshop Manual: It includes all maintenance, disassembly, diagnosis, repair and assembly operations related to the models to which said manual refers. It is the one used by professionals, the most complete, but sometimes a bit "complicated" for fans. This manual is considered the most important tool of any workshop. Sometimes it contains so much information that is structured in volumes, usually one dedicated to mechanics and another dedicated to electrical and electronic diagnosis.

• Alternative workshop manuals: They are generally produced by specialized publishers in the motor world, such as Clymer, Haynes, Motorbooks ... These manuals are oriented to amateur amateur, are usually quite complete and include many photographs and explanations. They are not as complete as the professional manuals, but they cover practically all of the operations that you can perform on your motorcycle in a more “friendly” way.

• Wake -up manuals: Formerly called microfiche, in these books you can find each of the components of the vehicle (from a complete wheel to the smallest screw), next to its location and reference. They are fundamental when identifying spare parts. Today they are practically used mostly in electronic format.

• Updates and Service Bulletins: Brands usually publish short documents with specific problems and updates of procedures that complement the workshop manuals. These documents specify the latest updates, so it is convenient to read them. They are not easy to find, since they are generally addressed only to brand professionals.

Another technical literature (in English, of Course)

We live in the era of information also in our sector, which implies that we have at our disposal a huge amount of literature, courses, tutorials, etc. through which to learn and advance our knowledge. The problem is that quality information is usually in English, so we better feel comfortable with its terminology. Anyway, think that it is much easier to understand a technical publication if you know what you are talking about, than to maintain a casual conversation with an English -speaking.

The good news is that, one of the best books to start in motorcycle mechanics is written in Spanish: I mean, of course, “motorcycles”, by Arias Paz, a professor of the Army Engineers. If yours is mechanics, you have to read it.

From here, we have to resort to editorials such as Motorbooks (with a multitude of interesting titles), Haynes (whose publications are used as textbooks in technical training schools worldwide), S-A Design (published by the High performance books and competition of the famous Yunick Smokey), etc.

Online resources

Next, I give you an example of resources that you can find on the network, oriented to the Harley-Davidson brand, although you can find similar for any other brand:

• Workshop books: In Harley-Davidson Sip You can access the workshop books and all official resources as if you were a dealership, in exchange for a modest price, which you can pay per hour, days, months or annually.
• Still: The Ronnies American Distributor Website It is the most famous when finding the updated reference of the piece you need, as it uses the official brand program.
• Tutorials and training: There are many quality resources to learn, such as the YouTube channel of the high -performance articles manufacturer S&S Cycle or those of Kevin Cameron. Of course, you can also see the technical videos of California Motorcycles.

Remember that books are the most important tool when facing repairs and diagnosis of your motorcycle. They will save you time, money and expand your abilities and skills.

Frank Burguera

#mecanicaharley