Best way to learn about bikes

[brownguy]

the mechanics of how they run, not the mechanics of how to ride, that is.

I know next to nothing about motorcycles and only slightly more about cars.  But I know that my CB-1 is going to need a lot of lovin' if I want to keep her running well.

There's a few sites I like, like dansmc.com, but I was curious if anyone had any tips, suggestions or stories about how they got started, and what would be a good place to tinker around on the CB if I wanted to learn the basics.

[Car2Slo]

I'm not an expert / professional myself but will give almost all repairs a shot.  The suggestion I can give is start with getting the service manual (can download in another link on tech page).  Take a look at the section if you have a failure, try not to read the whole thing as it is overwelming at first.  Most bikes if kept well (oil changes, fluid checks/changes, etc.) don't have major failures unless you beat on them.  Most of the stuff to go bad are common place, ie. Clutch, carb cleaning/adjustments, chain tension, valve adjustment, etc.

Almost everything is do-able with a good set of tools and doing the appropriate research first.

Tip:  A complete non-running bike is usually easier to fix then one that has a sporadic problem.  If it doesn't start or run then most of the time it's fuel problems or spark.  Narrow it down from there.

[Duck]

It takes a lot of thinking...

Engine needs compressions, properly timed spark, and proper fuel-air mix to run.
On an unknown bike, compresison is the easiest thing to check, followed by spark and mix.
The devil is in the troubleshooting details. I'll be happy to answer questions and you can learn a lot from other forms about different model bikes. Why? Because the basics are the same for all.
kzrider.com, cyclemadness.com, sohc4.us, sportrider.com, the other cb1 forum in the UK I forget the name, dragbike.com, etc.

Factory service manual is a must for working on any bike.
Good tools and a clean, well lit workshop help. I have the tools but mostly work out of the back of my truck ;-)

-Duck

[Honda Nut]

You can get both the owners manual and a service manual on eBay most of time.  Staying in touch with forums like this one is a great way to learn too.  Hooking up with the local "crew" who get together and ride or just talk about bikes is great too.  Another good source is the motorcycle mags, I personally like Motorcyclist the best.  They do great covers on the new bikes and have a tech section in the back for upkeep on the bikes.