Newbie question about the Owner's Manual

[Dee Duble Yuh]

It's some kind of practical joke, isn't it? I can't have the real manual, surely. Apart from the myriad spelling and grammatical errors, check this out:

Page 20
"The coolant temperature gauge shows coolant temperature... When the segment C goes on, the engine is warm enough for the motorcycle to be ridden."

Does that mean I shouldn't ride it until the first blob (C) appears? That's quite a lot of idling. Maybe the next bit explains it.

Page 71
"...it is very important to take a few moments before each ride to... check...
1. Engine oil level..."

So I've got to do this at least twice every day:

Page 41
"1. Start the engine and let it idle for 3-5 minutes...
2. Stop the engine and hold the motorcycle in an upright position ...
3. After 2-3 minutes, check that the oil level is between the upper and lower level marks in the inspection window."

That should take up to 10 minutes every time I ride! What irritates me is that Honda are placing an unreasonable burden on the owners. Obviously no-one does all that every time they ride, and even when we do check the oil, we'll find short-cuts. However, in theory, such short-cuts invalidate our warranties. Heads they win, tails we loose.

Or maybe I got a version of the manual intended for issue only on 1st April?[/b]

[Chad]

isnt it the same with all manuals , if at first they dont baffle you with science, they will blitzcrege you with bull**** :lol: :lol:

[YEN_POWELL]

Don't forget to get a witness statement each time you check the oil level, preferably a witness with a calibrated stopwatch.

[Taz]

isnt it the same with all manuals , if at first they dont baffle you with science, they will blitzcrege you with bull**** :lol: :lol:
I found it the same with my @ binder/manual. I mean, if you went by everything they said you'd take about 30 mins before you even set off! You'd also be too scared to breath on the bike, which I get the feeling the ex-owner did. He came across as if he followed the manual by the letter, no matter how petty the instructions.

[africajim]

My taking on this is they're covering themselves for all sorts of rider. People who use their bike daily might check them once a week or so, but the people who leave their bike laid up for periods of time would have to go through these checks every time!
I certainly wouldn't ride my bike after a four month lay up without checking the basics like water, oil, wind in tyres! There's bound to be someone out there who's changed brake pads, driven along the road and tried to stop? Ok, maybe it's just me who's silly enough to not pump out the cylinders! It's a scarey experience!
I've met all kind of riders, halfway through a run the bike heat seizes, why? Well, no oil/water! Others who find the bike a bit squirmy after a lay up, put it down to not being ridden for a while, find the tyres are flat! A slack chain was the end of a biker locally a couple of years ago.
I personally think common sense plays a big part. Everyone's seen the guys with guns on tv turning round with no consideration for others whether it's loaded or not? A bike is much the same, it is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.
I wash my bike once a week in the summer and do basic checks then. I feel I'm a proficient enough rider to tell by the end of my driveway if there's anything dodgy about the bike.
Varadero doesn't use oil between services, nor water. My brake pads are almost due renewal though. Tyres? Well, I change them every 8000 miles any way which is about four months so condition's usually ok, just need to check the pressures now and again.
Just my opinion folks! I'm sure everyone has their own ideas, for everyone else there's the owners manual!