Service/repair manual

[mkocal]

I believe that this has been discussed before...
I would like to buy a manual for the r65. I'm considering the 'real' one from BMW. Is it worth the extra money? Or which other might be a better value.
I need more information than the riders manual supplies.

Thanks in advance

MK

[airhead]

Best stick with the Haynes first, then maybe a Clymer. The BMW manual (blue ring binder) is not so thorough in detailed descriptions of procedures, it's meant more for workshops and mechanics who can read between the lines.

Bill...................;-)

[nhmaf]

I use my Clymer manual more frequently than the Haynes, but my Clymer is the one from several years ago -
I think that they revised the manual in recent years and ended up reducing the amount of useful information in it.
I may be mistaken.   I also have a Haynes manual and often use it as a sanity check on the Clymer - it is less than
half as thick so it often doesn't get into as much step by step detail, etc.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

If you live in a good size city, check your library.  I just checked mine (Indianapolis) - they have both Clymer and Haynes for airheads.  You can check them out before purchasing.

The factory repair manual is a curiosity, but not much more.  It is fine if you have taken the factory certification course (NLA, I believe).  Everything they show is using the factory tools, as well.

The biggest shortcoming you will find from Clymer and Haynes is that neither has ever addressed the R65, with it's many differences from the larger displacement twins.  Don't loose our URL...

[Bob_Roller]

The BMW shop manual, assumes that you were properly trained in a BMW service school. A lot of useful info is not printed there, because you are supposed to know it before you open the manual. It's good for torque values, clearances and the like, but they refer to a BMW specialty tool for just about every job  you encounter. I would have the Haynes and Clymer manuals before the BMW manual, and just to caution you that some info in those manuals are not correct. So if something doesn't sound right, stop and post here and ask a question or two before you go on. It may save you a lot of time effort and money.