So I decided to buy a Haynes manual for my XT660X. I used to use them years ago when I had a fireblade.

However, when my manual arrived I was left feeling a little underwhelmed.

I don't remember them being so cheap quality and of different paper qualities. My old one was hardback whereas this one is paperback.

Now I have a bad feeling maybe I have a fake as in reprinted by somebody (bought on Amazon)

It says colour but most of the pictures are in black and white. Is this normal? is this the new eco-friendly version and that's why the paper feels cheap and recycled?

Some random sections are all in colour like the tool section and the introduction section. pls look at the pics and let me know if I have been sold a duff copy.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...psz4ob2uuf.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...psckhju4ps.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...psjl17eujn.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...ps7de72ip0.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...psvoxxxdtm.jpg

Hi I think that�s how the new ones come now to save money I have lots of them for all the bikes I have had think I have around 50 but the last 2 I bought had soft outer covers not the hard ones ?

99% of photos are black and white even in the old ones

Thanks guys. My mind has been put at ease.

This reminds me of the kindle versus book thing. That is to say; genuine, factory, up to date, Yamaha XT, on line-printable manual versus Haynes thick book. For me the on line version wins. Print off the bit you want and scribble notes on it, get it oily and bin it later, but I fully appreciate the need to have a physical library..

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I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort.

Was going to purchase a manual myself, so are they any good and do they give a good description and views of how to fix things, even if they are a bit cheaper made, myself I prefer a manual on hand as to online and if you study before getting your hands dirty it won't get oily

you'll be doing some studying brother to remember all those sequential removal procedures, torque settings, clearance specifications, guidance pictures etc, etc without getting your, this-is-your-bike, book oily because you will be going back to those pages time and time again. Unless you go through a lot of latex gloves instead.

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I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort.

I use a Haynes on all my bikes, perfect easy to follow and all the info you will need really, unless you are stripping the hole engine and doing a nut and bolt rebuild then you would want the Yamaha version. But for every day stuff and most things we do at home they are spot on. You do not have to go back and forth in the book if you know what you are doing. You don’t need the book to tell you how to take a wheel off or plastics off to get to something. If you have half an idea they are easy to use.