What bugs me about working on the 999 is the lack of a paper workshop manual. I figure I really must get something I can read the PDF manual on that's bigger than a phone. Just for reading documents on. And watching vids, I suppose. Obviously something costing several hundred quid would be overkill. I imagine a laptop would be more practical than a tablet (re handling with filthy fingers). Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.
Chromebooks are cheap. But you can get ipads -and I suppose Windows equivalents?- with plug in keyboards cheap too. I have a keyboard for my ipad so I can take it away with me on van/ bike trips and leave my laptop safe at home
Do you have a printer? I usually print the relevant section of the PDF manual. After a while you'll end up with the most frequently used parts of the manual in paper form... As for an electronic device,.it all depends on how much you're prepared to pay. +1 for Chromebook but some sort of tablet would work ok. I'd say a wipeable tablet screen is easier to keep clean than a keyboard
You can buy a Lenovo Android tablet for £90 from Curry’s right now that will do what you want (caveat emptor and all that - cheap for a reason imho). Just a thought - if you have other bikes and have ever thought about diagnostic/activation software, then getting one of those OBD star things might be a better way to go as they usually come on an android tablet as well as far as I know - plenty on here who have one and could advise. I have been an apple fanboy since the mid 90’s but this above has been tempting me away for a while as it’s two birds one stone.
I'd go the printed pages route...I use those clear plastic page covers and a massive ring binder file..so everything is wipe clean. Without the plastic the paper pages don't last long I've found. On the few occasions I've used a computer in the workshop, connecting Ecus etc, the screen has felt very vulnerable in amongst the tools.
I print off the relevant pages of the PDF manual before starting work. I don't worry about handling these whilst working on the bike and can make notes in the margins if necessary. Something of an impromptu library of information on the shelf.
Some food for thought here, though I'm trying to diet. No, I don't have a printer: I threw the last one out the window onto concrete and it felt so good! On the other hand I get on fine with my sister's. The point about the vulnerability of the screen is well taken - though part of what prompted this is reacquainting myself with the California Cycleworks vids with ex-Chris Kell(e)y setting timing belt tension on a laptop. The other bit was seeing how much of the front end I'd have to remove just to get the mudguard off, which I wasn't expecting to be looking up - but maybe the lesson there is I should have read the procedure first! And the old Meriden 750 ring binder workshop manual was ideal except for resenting covering the pages in oily fingerprints. Disposable plastic covers would alleviate that one. There are astonishingly cheap Linux laptops - 14" screen, 16GB RAM ThinkPad, for instance. I started out tending towards a tablet; but more vulnerable than a laptop, but crucially, not so easy to prop beside the bike while twanging belts I think rules them out. So I'm going to think about a laptop as a kind of 'special tool', and printer/ring binder for consultation (I could have read it on the phone, but still preferred to come home and read it on a big screen!). Any further tips still welcome!
LinuxLounge supply refurbed laptops. I just ordered a Dell Latitude 5400 installed with Debian for £161, including delivery and a laptop bag. 16GB RAM, 240GB of whatever kind of drive, 14" screen. 'Fast' processor. One doesn't have to enable the touchscreen, but it occurs to me it'd be useful for jobs - like setting belt tension - where my hands are going to be clean. Possibly ideal for a workshop computer.
I do this a lot, even though I do also have a Laptop at home I can take into the garage. It's Lady Nashers and she doesn't appreciate it getting oily. I did try wrapping the keyboard in clingfilm, but it just annoyed me. I honestly don't know how anyone survives without a printer at home. I print all sorts of things.
We have a Lenovo chrome book. It can be used like a laptop or tablet. Also folds out to an A frame for watching videos etc. Boots up lightning fast and has a battery life measured in days rather than hours. Had it 4 years and still works faultless.
I've printed a few return labels lately! Including for the Kreigsmarine leather coat that I never unpacked. The weather - the winter - was too mild to justify it!
I have printers but I'm the only one on our street and we're always being asked to print return labels, etc. I don't mind, as my neighbours are a good bunch but it's certainly a sign of the times.
Maybe too late but it's just occurred to me that I have an old laptop that you could have for £50. Has Windows 10, don't think it'll officially work with Windows 11. It has a rabbit up it's sleeve that all the processing, memory and the main storage is in the back of the screen. This pulls off of the keyboard to create a tablet, the screen is touchscreen. I installed a (IIRC) 250GB SSD into the keyboard section which increases the capacity when they're connected.
Amazon Fire tablet £75 or £105 dpending on how big you want it - 8" or 10", sir. Or refurbed for £65.
