| Author | Message | ||
     Terrible1one3 |
Looking for hard copy or .pdf. Won't pay list price for it. My username at gmail.com is the address. Thanks, Mike | ||
| Ratbuell |
OK, I'll bite...why won't you pay list? It's hands-down the BEST book you can have for a Buell. And as far as I know, there are no .pdf versions, only actual books. Made from real paper, to soak up real greasy fingerprints  | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
$60 bucks is just way too much money. Everything I have needed to do I have been able to figure out or ask online and get it done. I can continue doing that for free, but it would be quicker and a bit easier to have the book so I can justify 20 or 30 bucks on the book at that point. Just not $60... It may be getting down to being cheap but I just can't see spending that much on a book. I'm pretty sure service manuals are required to create aren't they? If this were a third party creation where they put tons of time and effort into developing all of the information then I can see the money. But Buell just documenting their own tested and developed service methods and then printing it seems like it should be available for less, or free for that matter. I don't know, it's not that I'm tight on funds, just high on morals. Something that aids in the longevity of your product shouldn't have a ridiculous premium on it imo. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
And surprised no one has scanned this thing yet... Especially now that there is no Buell to press charges if they some how magically figured out who did it. Harley didn't give a crap about Buell when they owned it, I'm sure they care even less now that it is gone. (Message edited by terrible1one3 on April 30, 2010) | ||
| Ratbuell |
I guess we just have different perspectives. $60 for a COMPLETE set of instructions (it ain't no Chilton's) on how to disassemble and reassemble my motorcycle - CORRECTLY - is well within reason to me. Knowing it came from the same folks who came up with the motorcycle itself....even better. I think morals come into play as to why folks haven't started pirating copies. By and large, Buellers would rather support our Vendors (you've visited them, right? Many of them offer a Badweb discount on purchases), rather than "steal" from Buell or from a vendor. But, if that's the way you want to play...buy a copy and start selling scans, make your money back. For me, though, the book is worth WAAAY more than the $30 difference you're talking about. And I have one for every single Buell we own - six bikes, six books, no regrets, no second thoughts. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Like I said before $60 bucks for a complete set of instructions for what they are already doing over and over again at the factory. Trust me, I'm on my second buell and American Sport Bike has been a huge money dump for me through my two bikes (just spent $250 there last week see the writeup: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/559615.html?1272575121 6 books at $60 a pop is $360 dollars not including shipping if you bought from a vendor. $110 more than I spent on all the mods in the above thread. That's about half of what I had into my '04 XB12S other than the race kit (the American Sport Bike Clip on bars and bar end mirror was all I did to it). Another thing is I purchased the quiet insert module for the same price as the book. Something that has in my opinion transformed my bike and made me much happier as opposed to something I haven't needed yet... And I don't even know if I ever will need. I'm not sold. I don't know, maybe I'm just being cheap and taking a stand for something I believe in for no apparent reason but the service manual, in my opinion, should either be dirt cheap or provided with the bike. For something they make anyway, how hard would it be to add an electronic copy of it in with the sale package or on the DVD they give you? I don't know, I'm being dumb, just can't buck up the $60+ shipping because I have made a choice not to. Rant off. | ||
| Alchemy |
It is a pretty good manual. It is the first thing I buy when I get a bike. I used to write tech manuals at one time in my life and it is a pretty good one. Not perfect but then none are. I get it because when I work on my bike I want all the info I can get right then and not have to wait for an online post to answer a question. It is good to ask the question online before starting a procedure in case the manual needs a little help. And I can take it with me on the road in case I am away from a computer etc. Plus I annotate my manual with my own comments for procedures I will likely be repeating. But get the best deal you can. It pays its own way as I see it. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Well, at the risk of prolonging this (not my intent) - look at it this way. The Motor Company has a service network to support the motorcycles. If you buy a shop manual (there's nothing wrong with that)...you won't be supporting the service network, so yes...they charge for it. Regular maintenance stuff IS included with the bike - in the owner's manual. "Take it apart and put it back together again" stuff are items that not all owners are going to want or need...so they don't run the risk of adding that $60 to the MSRP of the bike for EVERYone, if only 10% of buyers are going to want the information. And, having worked in Publishing years ago...books aren't cheap. Especially HUGE books like the Buell manuals, with good bindings and heavy paper like they have. I look at it this way - each book cost less than one service hour at a local shop. First oil change I do myself...book's paid for. Everything from there out? Money in my pocket. When you're (I'm) maintaining six bikes (my four and her two)...that's some good savings. It's all in perspective, I suppose. Guess in my mind, $60 is a paltry amount considering the overload of information that's in the books. |
