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Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

dansmc.com

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Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#71

Post by refurb »

This is the biggest thing I missed moving to SF and not having a garage or even a driveway. In my prior place I had a garage and could do all my maintenance and repairs myself. Yes, it would probably be worthwhile having a mechanic do it, but there is something very zen about working on your own vehicles. Plus, you know it's done right.

I have done a few brake jobs on cars that parked on the street in SF, but that gets to be a pain in the butt. There are garages you can rent down in the South Bay which gives you access to a lift and a ton of tools (pneumatic tools too!), but I think most of them went under.

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#72

Post by westmeal »

jelliclesfarm wrote: post #50
h2odragon wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> professionals don't rely on brawn to perform repairs properly In point of fact I have recently had a mechanic lament to me that he was no longer strong enough to work on suspensions anymore. Professionally, time == money, and where something like a come-along pulling a torque wrench can work, it's not viable in the real world of a busy shop. At home, your own car, hobby, fine; but AFAIK that cost him his job. I've…

This is a feeling and I can’t prove it. Because I dont have a decent sized sample set, but when it comes to women..I think it’s not just brawn, but also our slightly different center of gravity. Many many years ago..when I was young and stupid, I decided that I was going to hike the Appalachian trail..end to end. And then I figured that I was smarter and that I will do it in parts. And then I gave myself yet another…

I'm a hobbyist but in my experience the Germans and Japanese have a clue about automotive design while American stuff is just a crapshoot. American engines are really not at all bad but the cars they are in were definitely not designed around the drivetrain. GM has some absolutely incredibad ideas on how to make a car serviceable that floors me everytime I pull one apart. Same thing with Ford if we are talking about vans with a transversely mounted engine. Even something as simple as changing plugs is an involved job. Let me put it this way... you might as well just drop the engine a bit in order to get some clearance. Why should you need to do this? I don't know fuck it just buy a new van. Rants aside, this thing just doesn't happen very often with imports. VW does a halfway decent job making sure you can repair your car in a driveway with hand tools. They always make sure you have clearance and doing swaps is really not awful, you just have to be careful because newer German cars have a fetish for plastic on parts that honestly have no business being plastic. Also make sure to get triple squares and hex sockets because they get a kick out of throwing them in for good measure. In addition, a lot of interior trim is overdesigned for no reason. I have no idea who they pay to do that. Modern BMWs and mercs are a shitfest and should be avoided if possible. Older BMWs and mercs were very nicely built though. I especially loved the W124s. Beautiful cars that ran forever and weren't overly complex. I've never actually worked on korean cars so I don't have an opinion on em. Toyotas are fucking excellent to work on. I think out of all the manufacturers they care the most about designing reliable and serviceable machines. Brand new models are unfortunately doing some silly shit, but that's mostly body work related. Honda's a close second followed by Nissan. For closing remarks if I had to pick cars to work on it'd be toyotas, mercedes and hondas but hey sometimes I can't pick what a friend of a friend brings to me you know what I mean?

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#75

Post by ChuckNorris89 »

geek_at wrote: post #63
jfoucher wrote: post #61

This is definitely the best site about motorcycle repair and maintenance I was able to find when resurrecting my old Honda. His style and instructions are clear and to the point, and he takes care to make sure you can do everything with regular tools, even going so far as to show you how to build special tools you might need for your bike. I actually downloaded the whole site with wget out of fear it might go missing…

also this website is now old enough to drink

In the US. In the EU this website could have started drinking a long time ago ;)

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#76

Post by kube-system »

dharmab wrote: post #39
kube-system wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well yeah, that's kind of his point. I think he's using the right words for his audience. People who already knew that there were multiple types of cruciform bits wouldn't need the article. For the people (Americans) who don't, they know them as phillips bits. Literally everyone in America calls them phillips bits, even most who are in the trades: > Don't be surprised, when you ask for a JIS screwdriver, if the "Expe…

In 2020, most people who wrench on Japanese bikes and cars know exactly what a JIS screwdriver is and buy the $11 one on Amazon.

I doubt that, based on the condition of all of the screws on Japanese bikes I’ve owned. Either way, only a couple percent of people in the US even own a Japanese motorcycle. A fraction of that work on them, and a fraction of them use the right tools.

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#77

Post by chronolitus »

inquirerofsorts wrote: post #32
annoyingnoob wrote: post #6

I like the site and it looks like it has lots of useful information. The evangelism is uncomfortable for me, does not pertain to motorcycle repair.

> evangelism Bizarre take, it's one sentence at the top of his page of motorcycle knowledge. The average HN comment wanks on with more far useless fluff in an attempt to look smart. Is it really that hard to accept other people holding different views? And does it really warrant a comment about how it makes you feel uncomfortable despite all the work that has been freely provided for your benefit? I'm a stout atheist…

lesson 7:

http://www.dansmc.com/bible1.htm

I don't really mind, it adds a personal touch to his website and he seems like a fantastic guy. To play devil's advocate, it might be that in secular cultures its a little unusual to mix things like this. Like if youtube cooking guides had a 2 minute segment on muslim religion. Not horrible, just not the norm everywhere.

(it would never have occurred to me to write an "atheist motorcycle guide" until now: "bike won't start, what could be the reasons? 1. Spark plugs are fouled 2. Battery's empty 3. God is dead")

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#78

Post by MrsPeaches »

geek_at wrote: post #63
jfoucher wrote: post #61

This is definitely the best site about motorcycle repair and maintenance I was able to find when resurrecting my old Honda. His style and instructions are clear and to the point, and he takes care to make sure you can do everything with regular tools, even going so far as to show you how to build special tools you might need for your bike. I actually downloaded the whole site with wget out of fear it might go missing…

also this website is now old enough to drink

I read that differntly to I how it think it was intended and it reminded me of this Hitchhicker's Guide classic:

Ford - “It's unpleasantly like being drunk." Arthur- "What's so unpleasant about being drunk?" Ford - "You ask a glass of water.”

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#79

Post by toyg »

geek_at wrote: post #63
jfoucher wrote: post #61

This is definitely the best site about motorcycle repair and maintenance I was able to find when resurrecting my old Honda. His style and instructions are clear and to the point, and he takes care to make sure you can do everything with regular tools, even going so far as to show you how to build special tools you might need for your bike. I actually downloaded the whole site with wget out of fear it might go missing…

also this website is now old enough to drink

Old internet is best internet.

Re: Dan's online motorcycle repair course (1999-2020)

#80

Post by ada1981 »

This is an awesome site.

It’s also reminding me of one of my best friends who builds custom choppers.

He was just in a gnarly motor bike accident and is lucky to be alive.

Fused spine, deformed body, lost a finger.

Still walking somehow but can’t work and is worried he may never be able to again.

Just to say, motorcycles are a lot like skydiving. If you are around them enough either you or someone close to you gets in a serious accident.

Make sure to take time to get proper training, life / health insurance, plan your estate / will, etc. to make sure if something happens you have security in place.

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