Looking for a DIY Manual

I am planning to buy my own motorcycle in a few months and I have the Bajaj 200 NS, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V or Suzuki Gixxer SF in mind. I intend to work on my bike at home as far as possible, starting off with simple things such as changing oil after which I intend to move on to the more complicated stuff.

I am in need of a good repair manual for the same. I have come across Haynes DIY Repair Manuals, which are very good and offer many practical tips to the do-it- yourself mechanic. These even contain instructions about how to devise a tool for a particular job. Sadly, these manuals deal only with high-end bikes and not Indian motorcycles. I want to know if similar manuals for Indian motorcycles are available in the market or if I have to rely only on those provided by the manufacturers.

Sriyan Dass, by e-mail

Although it is heartening to learn about your do-it-yourself enthusiasm, we won’t really recommend it; especially if you are not aware of how things work. In case you work on your bike and something goes wrong because of that, it might annul your warranty and also the insurance of the bike. We suggest that you learn how to service your bike first from a qualified mechanic and then try your hand on an old bike. As for the service manuals, sadly, no such manuals are available for Indian motorcycles as yet.