There are basic principles, which will always be needed when fixed anything that is mechanical. First and foremost, take your time and pay attention to how parts are disassembled in order to put them back correctly. If you are unsure, take photos of the process or write down what you have done.
If you have seen any sort of modern repair manual or lack there of, many new products aren't made to last and are vastly inferior in parts quality, than older machines. My other huge gripe is the lack of mechanical aptitude in describing how to fix or reassemble the parts, within new repair manuals as they scrimp on the details. If you haven't noticed Youtube has become the best place to find out how to work on anything.
This is where a tome such as Modern Motorcycle Mechanics is flat out amazing. The book and the technology it is referring to are now considered vintage, but how J.B. Nicholson describes each item and how to properly maintain your motorcycle, is truly refreshing.
Much of his guidance within the book has been hard earned through years of wrenching and solid understanding of basic mechanical principles, when it comes to machinery operation. Knowledge of this caliber can be applied to all modern bikes as many of the new parts and design schemes still function, on the same basic principles. If you want to give a great gift to the rider in your family, this is indeed something they will enjoy.
Want a piece of motorcycle history, get your copy of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics
"Before Clymer and before Haynes service manuals, there was J.B. Nicholson and Modern Motorcycle Mechanics.
Nicholson, together with his brother Lawrence, opened Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1933. To this small city in the middle of the Canadian prairie they imported DOT, Calthorpe and Douglas motorcycles and by 1935 the brothers had transformed the business into a fledgling mail order parts supply house.
But it was a 25-year old J.B. (Bernie) Nicholson who published what could be considered one of the first comprehensive texts regarding the operation and maintenance of motorcycles of the day. In 1942 the first edition of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics was distributed widely. They sold the book themselves, and industry giants such as Johnson Motors bought books for resale in their showroom. Floyd Clymer himself ordered hundreds of copies for resale through his motoring catalogs.
Nicholson went on to revise his book six times, with editions appearing in 1945, 1948, 1953, 1965, 1969 and the final and seventh in 1974.
Over the years more than 100,000 copies of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics books have sold from Canada to England, India, South Africa, Australia and beyond.
Jam-packed with Nicholson’s clear and concise service and maintenance information and ever-handy clearance and settings charts for several different makes and models the Seventh Edition Reprint of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics is 766 pages – just like the original. The book covers everything from setting the timing on a single-cylinder Lucas magneto to rebuilding the engine of a Harley-Davidson 45”."
If you have seen any sort of modern repair manual or lack there of, many new products aren't made to last and are vastly inferior in parts quality, than older machines. My other huge gripe is the lack of mechanical aptitude in describing how to fix or reassemble the parts, within new repair manuals as they scrimp on the details. If you haven't noticed Youtube has become the best place to find out how to work on anything.
This is where a tome such as Modern Motorcycle Mechanics is flat out amazing. The book and the technology it is referring to are now considered vintage, but how J.B. Nicholson describes each item and how to properly maintain your motorcycle, is truly refreshing.
Much of his guidance within the book has been hard earned through years of wrenching and solid understanding of basic mechanical principles, when it comes to machinery operation. Knowledge of this caliber can be applied to all modern bikes as many of the new parts and design schemes still function, on the same basic principles. If you want to give a great gift to the rider in your family, this is indeed something they will enjoy.
Want a piece of motorcycle history, get your copy of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics
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| Crankcase Reassembly, as part of the Modern Motorcycle Mechanics book. |
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| Modern Motorcycle Mechanics, the first repair manuals created by someone who actually worked on bikes. |
Nicholson, together with his brother Lawrence, opened Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1933. To this small city in the middle of the Canadian prairie they imported DOT, Calthorpe and Douglas motorcycles and by 1935 the brothers had transformed the business into a fledgling mail order parts supply house.
But it was a 25-year old J.B. (Bernie) Nicholson who published what could be considered one of the first comprehensive texts regarding the operation and maintenance of motorcycles of the day. In 1942 the first edition of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics was distributed widely. They sold the book themselves, and industry giants such as Johnson Motors bought books for resale in their showroom. Floyd Clymer himself ordered hundreds of copies for resale through his motoring catalogs.
Nicholson went on to revise his book six times, with editions appearing in 1945, 1948, 1953, 1965, 1969 and the final and seventh in 1974.
Over the years more than 100,000 copies of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics books have sold from Canada to England, India, South Africa, Australia and beyond.
Jam-packed with Nicholson’s clear and concise service and maintenance information and ever-handy clearance and settings charts for several different makes and models the Seventh Edition Reprint of Modern Motorcycle Mechanics is 766 pages – just like the original. The book covers everything from setting the timing on a single-cylinder Lucas magneto to rebuilding the engine of a Harley-Davidson 45”."
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| Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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| Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
