I got tricked into buying what I’m pretty sure is a pirated CD of the 2018-2020 Goldwing service manual. It certainly looked like a legitimate Helm product but there is no reference to Honda, Helm, or the Helm product #61MKC02 on the product itself. The seller is on eBay and doesn’t allow returns so I have opened a return dispute with eBay and will give the seller a chance to reply.
He replied with a snarky "you didn't have any concerns about potential piracy when you purchased it and only after you received and utilized it do you accuse me of piracy." I replied the ad cleverly presented as a legitimate Honda product and only after I received and viewed it was I able to make the judgement that you you sold me stolen copyrighted intellectual property. Since he did not reply I guess he agreed and Ebay notified me a few minutes later the return was authorized. I got the CD on Friday and asked for the return yesterday less than 24 hours later.
Realistically, the only way to duplicate, er.... pirate the service manual would be to use a big paper cutter to cut the binding off and then run the whole stack of pages through a copier with a document feeder and scanner. As I said, this is not a trivial task and is deliberate theft of intellectual property. That is why you end up with pictures of the punched holes. It would require a paper drill to punch the stack for a loose leaf binder. These are not found in most Staples or Office Max stores.
Perhaps the manual you downloaded is not appropriate for your model. Features, fuel standards, wiring schematics, vehicle compliance requirements, etc. vary by country or region. Europe never gets exactly the same bike as North America. I’d suggest you locate an owner’s manual appropriate for your country or region market.
Alright thanks, I'll ask around. The Honda website itself isn't really helpful in this respect and so far I've only seen North American manuals of my generation of the bike(2018-2020). Whereas the North American manual indeed refers to the Helm website for USA customers (not for the Canadians), a 2021 manual I've found in Dutch doesn't refer to any publisher for manuals. I usually avoid reading manuals in Dutch or use Dutch language software as I've spotted too many mistakes. English documents just have seen more proofreaders! Anyway, there are quite a few dealers around who stock or are able to get hold of original Honda motorcycle components, so I'll check with them whether they could help me with the manuals as well. Cheers!
The shipping cost may be hilarious but I’d think it unlikely an owner of a Europe spec model would want the North American service manual. Chances are good there will be variations in the electrical schematics and other details, and HISS will not be covered.
Are you kidding? It's a year to 18 months old, change the oil and filter, check the tyres and keep riding.
One aspect that has changed, at least for the US market, is the NC owner’s manual now contains very little basic maintenance detail. For example my 2012 owner’s manual describes wheel removal and reinstallation, and (very importantly) includes the fastener torque specs. It describes how to adjust chain slack. It decribes how to change engine oil. Those topics and other information are no longer in the 2023 owner’s manual, making the service manual a little more valuable for some people.
I will add, there is misinformation on youtube in some of the videos. Best to check maintenance procedures at the horses' mouth. The Honda Service Manual is the best tool you can own for your bike.
Could you please attach . . .<deleted>
OldProf47, we don’t share stolen copies of the service manual on this forum. You did read the forum rules on the home page before posting, right?
