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Class In Session

intro by Steven Wyman-Blackburn
questions by Staff

After reading this mag and obtaining a wealth of information on how to get your hands dirty with oil and grime, what’s the next logical step in the learning process? That’s right. Answer the DIY questions shown below. We created this quiz  as multiple choice questions whose answers will define you as a mechanic and, in turn, determine whether or not you possess the exclusively innate ability of capably wrenching your bike. Each question you see below is the result of hours, even days, of relentless study sessions, crafted from a vast array of ideas that have been consolidated into what is now a cluster of loaded, multifaceted questions of accumulated knowledge that we feel properly exemplify the art of the do-it-yourself project.
This completely legit grading system is based on a numerical scale of 10 possible points:

0-3 points: Put down the tools and step away from the bike!
4-6 points: Take this issue, flip back to page one and start reading. Heck, read through the first issue for good measure. Once you reach this page, take the test again. If you get a better score, great. Now get back in that garage and wrench!
7-9 points: Pat yourself on the back and go back in the garage. But you were already there anyway, right?
10 points: You scored better than our assistant editor. But that’s not saying much.

1. Your toolbox consists of

A. A 200-peice Craftsman mechanic’s toolset.
B. A couple of screwdrivers, wrenches, and a handful of leftover nuts and bolts from motorcycle projects.
C. What toolbox? I keep the hammer in a kitchen drawer.

2. The nickname “batwing” refers to

A. A popular fairing style, known for its use on the Street Glide.
B. My least favorite option. Long live the shark!
C. A DC comic book hero.

3. If your bike breaks down, you

A. Unwrap the toolkit from your saddlebag and start diagnosing the issue.
B. Start pushing to the nearest gas station.
C. Call roadside assistance.

4. Where is the motorcycle oil filter located?

A. On the engine somewhere.
B. On my workbench because I bought the wrong one.
C. On the shelf at the dealership because I’ve never changed the oil on my bike.

5. What is a “bored” engine?

A. An engine with larger than stock pistons.
B. An inattentive, listless engine that has no ambition.
C. An engine with longer-than-stock connecting rods.

6. A “snap ring” is

A. A wedding band that emasculates you when you wear it.
B. A small fastener that flies across the shop and disappears when you try to install it.
C. A metal ring that slips into a groove on a circular surface.

7. A “nut driver” is

A. What I encounter on my morning commute every day.
B. A hand tool that tightens or loosens hex fasteners.
C. A machine that harvests acorns.

8. Where is the kickstarter located?

A. On the right handlebar switch.
B. On the transmission.
C. On the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run Coast to Coast ride.

9. Your garage is

A. Clean and organized with tools hanging on a pegboard: everything is in a specific place.
B. A “collection” of sorts. Rags, scraps of metal, wood blocks, screws, nails, and anything that might one day be useful.
C. The dealership across town. I have the phone number on speed dial #3.

10. A “magneto” is

A. A fancy word for engine; an alternative to power plant or powertrain.
B. An electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current.
C. One of the most powerful and deadliest mutants from the Marvel universe.

For the answers, click here.

Taken from American Iron Garage Winter issue, purchase by clicking here.

The current issue of American Iron Garage is available on newsstands and digital delivery via Zinio.