Best Service Manual for 800GS

I've got to get this 12,000 mile service done before I rack up too many more miles. So, what manual best details how to check valve clearances and whatever else is involved? Probably not the best idea for a motorcycle ignoramus to be doing this alone, but oh well. If anybody in SoCal wants to come help, $100 plus food and beer! Thanks.

Order the BMW F800GS service DVD - it has all the stuff you need. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for. I ordered mine from the dealer when I bought the bike and it was approx $80 after discount.

You can find a RepRom service manual either for free or for very little money on thE Bay.
You can buy the hardcover Haynes manual for about $50 bucks or so.
Between the two of those, and some good tech write ups on here courtesy of members of the forum. you
can likely tackle anything you want. Your successful completion of the work you undertake will be brutally objective and be directly related to your ability.
Use the money you save from buying the RepRom from someone other than a dealer to get yourself a GS9-11 diagnostic tool. If you have not heard of one of those, google it ASAP and take a look at it.

I just did a valve check on my F650GS twin (it didn't need adjustment). I have both the BMW DVD and the Haynes manual. After looking at the two before doing the job, I basically just followed the Haynes manual while actually working. I don't have it in front of me now, so I might be wrong, but the one thing that sticks in my head is that the Haynes manual might not have mentioned using a sealant on the gasket. But you can find threads, either here or on F800.org, about that part of the job, including pictures from the DVD.

I have my Haynes manual right here and it does mention using a sealant on the cover gasket.



Andy.

I bought the Haynes because I read that the BMW manual (only available on DVD) does not work on a Mac.

You can run the DVD on a mac if you use an emulator. I used Parallels with a copy of XP I think it was. There was a thread about it on here somewhere.

I just picked up the Haynes manual from amazon. com for $30. I looked over it briefly and it seems to cover the bike quite well. I'm planning on using it for the valve adjustment and things of that nature.

I've got both (DVD & Haynes) and while I usually subscribe to the "Haynes book of Lies" way of thinking, In this case I would take the Haynes.
The DVD is a PITA, you can't just flick through it looking for what you want, you have to have a 'puter in the shed while you're working, which for grubby me doesn't work and you have to move from section to section as you go along.
For mere mortals like me the Haynes will do the job. If the motor or transmission needs rebuilding I'll probably get someone who knows what they're on about to do it.

Thanks all! Bought the Haynes. Now let's hope I don't screw up that sweet machine.

Good luck... why people choose anything besides the BMW DVD is beyond me... I've heard the Haynes manual has gross errors (and it's not their first to have errors either). The concept of the DVD is you print out the pages you need and work with those so you don't get a book dirty and torn. I'll take my instructions strait from the source.

I find the BMW dvd hard to use. I guess I'm use to how the Japanese arrange things. It takes me forever to find things in the BMW dvd. Every German product I've ever bought had instructions that make the Chinese look like they are literate in English. The Germans use poor pictures and very few words.

I don't have a dvd player. Or computer. Or printer. I'm typing from my iPad.

I think I'll order the DVD as well though. Thanks all.

Does anyone know what is the latest DVD version? I mean is there a revised version for 2011 models or is it old stock from few years back?

Order the DVD from the Bay and donate what you save from buying it from BMW to charity to feel better about it.
Seriously, the Haynes covers things pretty much as well as the DVD does and I have yet to find anything that would be considered a "gross error".
Does anyone have an example or two of the "gross errors"?

I prefer the BMW manuals (or any manufacturer's) vs any DIY brand book. I am a very experienced mechanic and don't need the hand holding level of instruction that the DIY manuals provide. I also don't like when they fail to include a particular piece of information or a proceedure as they have deemed it beyond the ability of the home mechanic. I'll decide what's beyond me thank you, just give me the data. In fact, just give me the critical information, data and specs period.

I don't have an issue with the digital format of the BMW manual. I do have a computer in my shop (old desktop from the house that still works just fine). I print out the relevant sections for quick reference as I work, they get saved for the next time unless they are too soiled and smudged with oily dirty finger prints. The downside of buying the BMW manual, is they don't give you updates like the dealers get. But thats the same for a paper manual.

I wish the Hayes manual was in PDF format so I could put it on my iPad when I go out to the garage to work on the bike..

Mike

One problem with both the paper and the DVD is that when BMW changes stuff ... we don't have the latest news....


I know that, for example, the clutch parts have changed and can not be mixed, the torque spec. for the front brake rotor has changed ... some of the changes are important stuff..............

I have Rev. #4 of the BMW DVD.
Anybody have a newer version?

I bet you do have the clutch info. Go to the section: removing the clutch driver. 21 21 000. Then look at the preparatory work. Click on removing the pressure plate. There you have it and the reason I do not like this CD.