Does Anyone Read The Owners Manual ?
Discussion
I've been buying a few bikes recently
A 990SM yesterday, short / light owner and I see the preload is wound 45mm down (std is 12mm) I ask him if he's adjusted the suspension - "no I don't like to mess with things" he has a fully equipped garage and the suspension settings are in the manual - rebound and compression were way off too
He has spent £700+ on farkles but he can barely touch the floor and the suspension hardly moves
A F650GS last week "are the tyre pressures ok ?" I ask before a test ride "Yes"
I get around 300m before the red triangle flashes madly and the tyre pressures are displayed on the dash, I go back
"The TPMS, disagrees with you"
"It hasn't got that"
"Look it's there on the dash"
"Oh, I didn't know what that was"
He'd owned it 3 years and covered 15k !
Guess where the answer was, as to what the flashing triangle means... FFS !
Am I the only man who reads the owners manual ?
A 990SM yesterday, short / light owner and I see the preload is wound 45mm down (std is 12mm) I ask him if he's adjusted the suspension - "no I don't like to mess with things" he has a fully equipped garage and the suspension settings are in the manual - rebound and compression were way off too
He has spent £700+ on farkles but he can barely touch the floor and the suspension hardly moves
A F650GS last week "are the tyre pressures ok ?" I ask before a test ride "Yes"
I get around 300m before the red triangle flashes madly and the tyre pressures are displayed on the dash, I go back
"The TPMS, disagrees with you"
"It hasn't got that"
"Look it's there on the dash"
"Oh, I didn't know what that was"
He'd owned it 3 years and covered 15k !
Guess where the answer was, as to what the flashing triangle means... FFS !
Am I the only man who reads the owners manual ?
KTMsm said:
I've been buying a few bikes recently
A 990SM yesterday, short / light owner and I see the preload is wound 45mm down (std is 12mm) I ask him if he's adjusted the suspension - "no I don't like to mess with things" he has a fully equipped garage and the suspension settings are in the manual - rebound and compression were way off too
He has spent £700+ on farkles but he can barely touch the floor and the suspension hardly moves
A F650GS last week "are the tyre pressures ok ?" I ask before a test ride "Yes"
I get around 300m before the red triangle flashes madly and the tyre pressures are displayed on the dash, I go back
"The TPMS, disagrees with you"
"It hasn't got that"
"Look it's there on the dash"
"Oh, I didn't know what that was"
He'd owned it 3 years and covered 15k !
Guess where the answer was, as to what the flashing triangle means... FFS !
Am I the only man who reads the owners manual ?
I'm sure you have lots of time to digest the manual while getting your mangina waxed and bleached A 990SM yesterday, short / light owner and I see the preload is wound 45mm down (std is 12mm) I ask him if he's adjusted the suspension - "no I don't like to mess with things" he has a fully equipped garage and the suspension settings are in the manual - rebound and compression were way off too
He has spent £700+ on farkles but he can barely touch the floor and the suspension hardly moves
A F650GS last week "are the tyre pressures ok ?" I ask before a test ride "Yes"
I get around 300m before the red triangle flashes madly and the tyre pressures are displayed on the dash, I go back
"The TPMS, disagrees with you"
"It hasn't got that"
"Look it's there on the dash"
"Oh, I didn't know what that was"
He'd owned it 3 years and covered 15k !
Guess where the answer was, as to what the flashing triangle means... FFS !
Am I the only man who reads the owners manual ?
the cueball said:
Of course I read the manual, how else would I know that I’m no longer trusted to adjust the chain myself it’s now a dealer only option!
WTF's that on?I never read them but do occasionally use them as reference for things like what spec oil I need, however usually that info's easier to find online than digging out the manual.
I buy a new bike every 2 or 3 years. I read the reviews, watch YouTube videos, look up extras from the likes of Evotech Performance etc & take test rides whenever possible. Sometimes I even look up advice on PH(!!!!)
Time between placing deposit for bike & taking delivery is usually a couple of weeks; I always take this time to download the relevant manual & read it cover to cover. Sad but true & probably not very manly, but I just love manuals!!
Time between placing deposit for bike & taking delivery is usually a couple of weeks; I always take this time to download the relevant manual & read it cover to cover. Sad but true & probably not very manly, but I just love manuals!!
Edited by Biker 1 on Monday 21st June 15:39
I do, it's part of the new bike thing. Well, I read some of it. I usually end up throwing the towel in when it gives the US lawyer advice not to ride flat out in adverse weather into trees etc. Still, there are useful bits for modern bikes about how the over-complex dash works, or how the ****ing indicator will insist on cancelling as you approach the junction if you insist on indicating in good time on bigger junctions.
FSEngineer said:
I'm a bit of a sad git, I download the owners manual and read it before I even pick up/take delivery of a bike 
Seems like I'm very much in the minority so I'll see myself out...
I see you are an engineer, so we are like brothers Seems like I'm very much in the minority so I'll see myself out...
I also read the manual. It’s only other, lesser, clueless freaks that don’t. We are the normal ones.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff