I have the Haynes service manual, which is great, and the BMW computer service manual, which is not all that great actually. I don't think you will have an issue getting service information, so don't let that stop you from getting the bike. However, keep in mind you'll need to do the fuel float conversion if you want a working gas gauge.

 

Does the Haynes manual have enough detail to do something like an engine or transmission re-build ? Is there a complete schematic for the electrical system with pinouts, vs just simple block diagrams? Is there CAN bus message information available anywhere for these bikes?

 

Understand your point, I avoid the dealer service dept too.

Does the Haynes manual have enough detail to do something like an engine or transmission re-build ?

$35 can best answer your question but I’d say yes with help from many good YouTube videos of the 2008 vintage of bike. If the final drive pinion seal goes out you’ll need a special tool and capability for 600 ft-lb of torque, not typical DIY.

Is there a complete schematic for the electrical system with pinouts, vs just simple block diagrams?

This is what you’ll get for the 2008:

Is there CAN bus message information available anywhere for these bikes?

Google MotoScan App for Android or GS-911.

 

You won't buy much of anything soon. Unless right to repair legislation is enacted.

I assume you own an expensive cell phone you cannot repair yourself.

But I did purchase a PDF service manual for my '19 on eBay.

 

If the Haynes or Clymer manuals are sufficiently detailed to serve as a replacement for the factory manual, I might re-consider. My experiences with them long in the past tells me, "not even close", but perhaps they have changed.

When I stumbled into a nice 1200GSA, I was unaware that this same behavior had infected motorcycle manufacturers. Kawasaki and Honda still sell manuals for their powersports lines, and factory service manuals are still available for most cars up until 2012 or so. I bought a new Toyota instead of the Hondas because I found a bootleg factory service manual available for it. Thought maybe something similar existed for the earlier BMWs.

I don't own an expensive throw away cell phones. If I did, yes, I could repair most of it, like almost everything
else I own. IN any case, a cell phone costs a few hundred dollars, not $10 or $20k. I tend to keep my vehicles for decades and 100% do all my own work.

 

Maybe the best bet for finding a motorcycle to buy is like your Toyota, find a service manual that contains all the information you demand then buy "that" motorcycle.

 

@CallMeSnake based on your view, BMW likely isn’t for you. 2008 is a solid year, loads of good YouTube content but guessing BMW parts prices will leave you frustrated.

 

Price is not the issue. I do my own work because dealers and repair shops are often incompetent. Manufacturers will often try and avoid responsibility for design defects, happily selling you the same defective part over and over or downgrading vehicles over time to save some money. I've run across this multiple times with different brands.

When I find a vehicles that closely match my desires, I often need the details provided in factory service manuals to reverse engineer, modify or otherwise adjust the vehicle to my own likes. Virtually all my maintenance parts are factory, even though they cost more. From what I've seen, BMW motorcycle parts prices are pretty reasonable.

Paying $180 per hour to have some else screw the bike up, that I won't tolerate.

 

Manufacturers will often try and avoid responsibility for design defects, happily selling you the same defective part over and over

Fortunately a short list on the 2008…some notables:

• ABS Pump-Modulemasters in Idaho for rebuild
• Driveshaft-Ted Porters for rebuildable unit
• Fuel strip-read this:

Conversion from fuel strip sensor to float without...

UPDATE (12/24/2022): I was able to solve the calibration problem with the new float sensor. The accuracy is now very good, but I believe the fuel tank on the 2010+ R1200GSA must be shaped slightly differently. Previously, the fuel level would go from 100% to around 75%, then start heading back...

www.r1200gs.info

None of those will be found in the BMW service manual. Heck they won’t tell you to lube the final drive splines before they weld together with rust.

From what I've seen, BMW motorcycle parts prices are pretty reasonable.

May want to get your vision checked.

Obviously depends on part but many a new owner is shocked by them. Price out a new driveshaft or fuel pump to get an idea, Google MaxBMX parts fiche and you’ll find good info on it.

 

Thanks for the pictures. The schematic looks reasonable. All I need is enough to avoid having to trace out the wiring or split the harness to see how stuff is connected. Found the GS-911 which, seems fairly reasonable for that tool. Also looked over the opensource CAN bus sniffer project for the BMWs. Saw the fuel strip thread. Easy enough to do. The bike I'm looking at had some sort of recall done on the fuel strip according to the owner. Probably means they just threw a replacement unit into it. I would do the swap pre-emptively anyway. Also saw the recent thread on the plastic throttle body pulleys falling apart. The Italian made aluminum replacements should deal with that permanently. I could make them myself, but probably take me a few days or more. Nice when someone else can do the work instead of me for a reasonable price.

600 lb/ft is easy after having worked on heavy equipment. My CAT dozer grouser bolt install instructions read: Tighten to 325 lb/ft, then turn bolt 3/4 of a turn more. Humanly impossible without a pneumatic or hydraulic wrench with a reaction bar. Oil changes are in the gallons and hundreds of dollars just for the oil. After a while, you get a bit desensitized to what "expensive" is.

 

Thanks for the pictures. The schematic looks reasonable. All I need is enough to avoid having to trace out the wiring or split the harness to see how stuff is connected. Found the GS-911 which, seems fairly reasonable for that tool. Also looked over the opensource CAN bus sniffer project for the BMWs. Saw the fuel strip thread. Easy enough to do. The bike I'm looking at had some sort of recall done on the fuel strip according to the owner. Probably means they just threw a replacement unit into it. I would do the swap pre-emptively anyway. Also saw the recent thread on the plastic throttle body pulleys falling apart. The Italian made aluminum replacements should deal with that permanently. I could make them myself, but probably take me a few days or more. Nice when someone else can do the work instead of me for a reasonable price.

600 lb/ft is easy after having worked on heavy equipment. My CAT dozer grouser bolt install instructions read: Tighten to 325 lb/ft, then turn bolt 3/4 of a turn more. Humanly impossible without a pneumatic or hydraulic wrench with a reaction bar. Oil changes are in the gallons and hundreds of dollars just for the oil. After a while, you get a bit desensitized to what "expensive" is.

There was never a recall on the fuel strip. BMW did extend the warranty for 12 years from the motorcycles in service date but last of the extended warranty expired as all the 2009's have all aged out so the extended warranty has expired.

Yes it is true that "they" would have replace the fuel strip with a new one as there is no way to fix the old one. The fuel strip is a disposable $257.89 part that may fail in the next mile or last a lifetime. It is not uncommon to hear of folks that have had the fuel strip replaced 5 or 10 times and then they just gave up having them replaced. There are some workarounds but that another kettle of fish.