Book News
BOOK NEWS
HONDA MOTORCYCLE CARBURETION
by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,
PO. Box 50, 100 West Alondra Blvd.,
Gardena, Ca., 90247, $1.75,
8V2 x 11 in., 29 pp.
If you haven’t looked at Japanese technical publications for several years you may be surprised to find they are actually written in English these days, that is, written by people whose mother tongue is English. Gone are the days of a syntax that tells us at once the writer may understand the technical subtleties of the bike but has a long way to go before mastering our language.
A good example of the new manuals is Honda’s Motorcycle Carburetion, available from Honda dealers for the paltry sum of $1.75. The manual was written by the technical crew in Gardena and the results speak for themselves shortly after opening the soft bound cover. A basic discussion of air-fuel ratios and the principles of carburetion start the manual and the chapters proceed to cover float systems, throttle valves, air bleeds, idle-low speed circuits, intermediate systems, and high speed operation. Both slide type carburetors and constant velocity carburetors are covered and a very functional two page trouble-shooting chart is found at the back of the manual.
The illustrations are numerous and I can’t remember seeing higher quality in a manual of this type. The paper is also just glossy enough to permit the manual to be used on the work bench and have oil and finger marks removed with some success.
The only drawback to this manual is it only covers the carburetors used on Honda motorcycles thru mid-1975. I understand the new emission controlled carburetors after that may be slightly different in some aspects. However, riders of later model Hondas and even other makes will still find this manual a useful and welcome addition to the shop.
Chuck Johnston
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MOTORCYCLES FROM THE INSIDE OUT
By Michael M. Griffin Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. $7.95 238 pp
One of our favorite sources of encouragement at CW is the constant arrival of new readers. But while we welcome them aboard, we usually have to explain, with regrets, that this magazine doesn’t have space for a new reader’s page.
The need is obvious. Many riders new to CW are also new to bikes. While they are interested, make that fascinated, with the subject, they often have trouble deciphering the tests, technical articles, etc.
We understand. Every bike nut began as a novice. We each had the thrill of working out that TDC meant when the piston was at the top of the stroke, or of figuring out just what trail is.
At the same time, we can’t explain everything about motorcycles in the magazine. The vast majority of readers are experienced, and we'd be wasting our time if we explained everything every time.
What we need is a good book. A motorcycle primer, a book the newcomer can sit down with and use to work out all the technical jargon, perhaps some background and surely the broad engineering principles around which the tests and such are built.
Here is that book. It’s written by Mike Griffin, a longtime and frequent contributor; he did the welding basics in August and the alcohol article last month. So while it's plain that we may be disposed to approve his work, it's also plain that Griffin meets our standards.
The book isn't perfect. The price is a bit steep for soft cover, there's more said about noise and such than the subjects require and if we'd done the book, we'd have put the engine basics and maintenance before the chapters on riding gear.
Never mind. If you'd like a basic book about bikes, or know somebody who could benefit from one, here it is. —A.G.
