Haynes Manuals

Advantages: Save you loads!
Disadvantages: Can be hard to understand.

...Do you own a boat, car, motorcycle, plane, husband, baby, bicycle, house, or commercial vehicle? Then you need a Haynes manual. Haynes manuals have been around for 30+ years, and have provided help for mechanics and car owners alike for that time, with relatively simple step-by-step instructions on what you’re trying to do. No matter what car or bike you own, Haynes are sure to stock a manual for it. The other manuals Haynes do (Boat, Plane etc.) are slightly more scarce, but you may get lucky! Unfortunately, the car I own (Daihatsu Hijet) doesn’t have a Haynes manual for it, but this is a rare exception. The newer Haynes manuals have numbers stating how hard the job you’re trying to do is. 1 is an easy job, say doing an oil change; and 5 is a hard job, say removing your big ends. To be honest, if you don...

o_morris 01.10.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Haynes Workshop Manuals

HAYNES - manual of just about everything . . .

Advantages: Clear instructions on how to strip most things.
Disadvantages: Can be a little limited, vague pictures, pictograms needed.

...The HAYNES series of manual have been with us for many years now, we have all used them. At one time they covered just cars, but now their repetoire includes caravans, decorating, washing machines, computers, bikes, and even racing engines. In fact they have one now covering "MAN - All models, shapes, sizes and colours. 120,000 BC to present day" It is number 3931 if you don't believe me! The books are produced by Haynes publishing in Yeovil, Somerset, and have been around for just over forty years now. They are still in the familiar hardback versions, which have wipe clean covers. The format has always been easy to follow, and the manuals contain both a contents page, and an index. The black and white photographs make it a lot easier to find the location and position of components. Personally I think...

smudgeybabes 17.12.2006 (22.05.2007) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Haynes Workshop Manuals

Haynes Manuals - not just for Motors...

Advantages: Save a fortune on repairs/servicing.
Disadvantages: Pictures could be clearer

...father wasn't too pleased either because now my banger was stuck on bricks in his garage. He took one look at it and it was obvious to him that neither my friend nor I would have the first idea about how to put it all back together again - so the car was sold for spares for a fiver. You didn't have top pay people to take them away in those days. It was a few years later, when I was presented with another expensive repair on a Ford Escort. It needed a new clutch. It wasn't that I was heavy on my clutches, it's just that all I could afford in those days were cars with heavy mileage on them. Hire-purchase was never an option - my father didn't agree with it. The Haynes Workshop Manuals had just hit the market and I got one for the Escort before making the attempt. A work colleague had one for his Vauxhall and it had looked very good...

derek-j-a 29.05.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Haynes Workshop Manuals

A Haynes in the Ass

Advantages: Format, Plain English, Sense of Humour
Disadvantages: Content, Structure

...When LegendaryMrsDude fell pregnant some time last year there was a surge of book-buying. All manner of tomes, from flimsy paper-backs to hardbacks of near blblical proportions were acquired, covering just about every aspect of pregnancy, birth and parenthood. Being a keen reader this didn't put me off, that is until I started trying to actually read them. Nearly all of the books we had bought were written from the womans perspective. Now this isn't entirely unreasonable given the amount a woman has to go through during pregnancy but it does make for some pretty hard going for a man attempting to slog through the reams of literature. But this isn't a review of all those other books. This is a review of the Haynes Baby Manual, a book written for men by a man in an attempt to find a niche in the market. So why did I buy this...

LegendaryMrDude 09.02.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Haynes Baby Book

My Mean Green Kawasaki

Advantages: Powerful, fast, good looks
Disadvantages: heavy, long reach and long legs required

...I purchased my 1993 ZX-7R from Lings in Harleston for £2,000 about 4 years ago. After cutting my teeth on a VFR400R (an absolutely gorgeous bike) I thought it was time to move up to something a bit more powerful. At the time I weighed 13.5 stone, despite me being short at 5'7". Due to my weight I thought I needed something that was at least 600cc (the 400 started to struggle pulling me!). I had always liked the Kawasaki ZX's. The 600s were a bit out of my price range but I found this American imported ZX-7 on the Lings website. I called and booked a test ride for the following Saturday. When I arrived at the shop the ZX was already parked out the front with a full tank waiting. The first thing I noticed was the dimensions of the bike - it was huge. Kawasakis (especially the older ones) always seem to be big bikes. When...

yackers1 15.03.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Kawasaki ZX7R

Kawasaki GPZ 500 Honest review!

Advantages: Reliability, cost, engine.
Disadvantages: Brakes,front end handling.

...the oil is changed regularly (every 5k miles) as if not the cams can go wrong after as little 20k miles. It pulls very well about 3k and has a deffinate surge at 6k and can propell you along to about 120mph. Everything is easy to access and changing oil/filter/plugs can take as little as 30 minutes! Economy is great, and if you take it really easy, changing gear at about 5k you can get 55-60mpg. The exhaust is shocking, the rear silencers are fine, but kawasaki (in their wisdom) decided to make the downpipes out of mild steel, (on a comuter! GRRR) which rust massively, i have had my exhaust off twice so far and rubbed it down, then treated it with rust-off then sprayed it with high temp paint. If you decide to get one, invest in some stainless downpipes, there about 70-80 quid and well worth it! So there you have it, i think this...

Twisted_Individual_23 16.07.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Kawasaki GPZ500s

Kawasaki ZXR 400 L

Advantages: Fast, Light, Cheapish, Cracking looking bike, and most your riding a kawasaki in Team Green!
Disadvantages: Wrists and backside hurt after long journeys.

...Where do i start? What a FANTASTIC bike! I've had my ZXR 400 L3 for around about a year now, and it has been one of the most exhilarating rides I've had. The handling on these lightweight sports bikes is mind blowing, it just begs for you to twist the throttle more when your in the bends. The acceleration will keep up with some other 600's! However the top end is the same. These are high revving bikes and you need to keep the revs high to have the fun. And for all you wheelie maniacs (including me) this bike is easy to wheelie! The comfort is ok, I rode from Oxford to Essex on mine and when i got off i was walking around like John Wayne. Who cares though, Your riding a Kawasaki and nothing can beat that!...

Reckie1344 14.11.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Kawasaki ZXR400

Kawasaki Z750 2007

Advantages: Excellent value, awesome looks, easy to live with.
Disadvantages: Relatively expensive insurance.

...I passed my DAS test earlier this year and spent a few months researching which bike to buy. I had a budget of around £5,000 which was not quite enough to buy the new 2007 model Kawasaki Z750. I have always liked the look and shape of the Z750, which I think is even more improved in the 2007 model. When I found out that there had been a price drop and 0% interest offer on the new model, I went straight to my local Kawasaki dealer. I bought a brand new black Z750 and although I can't really compare it to any other bike (as this is my first) I absolutely love it. I have just completed the 600 mile run-in which has enabled me to get more used to the bike and improve my general skills. For a novice, the bike is very forgiving considering how powerful it is and I can sense that it will keep me interested for many years to come...

Honest.John 11.09.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Kawasaki Z750

Another Beautifully Engineered Bike By Kawasaki

Advantages: Fuel Economy, Availability Of Spares, Cheap Insurance,
Disadvantages: Rattley Cam Chain, Rattley Transmission,

...engine up i found that the chain had cut into my cylinder block too!!! This problem seems to be inherent of Kawasaki's of this age (1982 on wards), as my dads mate who had a 550 version also complained of the same problem. On his new Kawasaki though, the problem seems to have been rectified. On almost all of these Kawasaki's there is almost always some sort of transmission rattle, all the GPZ's i have seen have all had some rattle. Summary If your after a decent bike with decent fuel economy and speed you can't go wrong with a GPZ 305. Ive been so impressed with it that I'm going to get the 400. Another beautifully engineered bike by Kawasaki. Look on ebay and I'm sure you'll find the GPZ your after. Cheers....

crazymotorbiker 03.07.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Kawasaki GPZ305

Kawasaki ZX9R F1P

Advantages: It makes you smile (a lot)
Disadvantages: When you cane it the petrol really disappears !

...back down to ground level from the high I am currently on. So wot is it then ? A bike that no doubt is not top of the fashion stakes for most people, is not the fastest or most nimble handling and again, for some folks, is not the sexiest looking thing on two wheels – if you believe any of the dross in the bike mags that is – step forward the much maligned Kawasaki ZX9R. My machine is a 2002 F1P model in a lovely silver colour with 9800 miles on the clock – barely run in. A piccie will appear in my profile shortly – check it out – I think it is beautiful ?????? A few facts and figures for you to get them out of the way. The engine is a Kawasaki stalwart 899 cc across the frame four cylinder nutcase. It runs very noisily at tick over which apparently is a result of the airbox/ram air design letting...

KneeDown 29.10.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Kawasaki ZX9R