How to Remove BMW OEM Aux Lights & Harness on a '21 BMW 1250GSA

Time Required: 30 Minutes to an hour

Tools Required:

Side Cutters (cable tie removal)
T-30 Torx Bit (to remove OEM lights from mount)
T-25 Torx Bit (to remove switch from bars)
10mm Socket/Wrench (to remove OEM lights from mount)

Product(s) Required:

cable ties
heat shrink/electrician's tape

Pre-Installation notes/Advice:

Make sure you have nice sidecutters. You'll be cutting A LOT of cable ties
I recommend removing the front left and right side fairings as well as the front beak. You will also most likely have to loosen the upper crash bars (you don't have to take them all the way off). You may also have to remove the gas tank, but you may be able to squeak by without doing so.
Take note of the "factory" connection and layout in the images. Note the layout of the CANBUS connectors prior to installation. These images are taken from the retrofit manual found here.
In my photos the fuel tank is removed, yours may look different if you still have the tank on.
I'll assume you've already got the bike disassembled at this point and are ready to start removing wires. I will also assume that your BMW R1250GSA came to you with the OEM Lights Pre-Installed.
90% of the harness is bundled in the area shown above and in the photo at step 1. The only other wires are the light leads and the switch harness to the bars.
This will not create any codes or errors on the dash.
Do not try to reuse the OEM Aux Light Switch. It will only work with this kit.
The stock photo of the retrofit kit linked above shows a third plug that I did not have (with a red cross). It may be only specific to the retrofit kit.

Legend:

This is the CANBUS connection to the bike = disconnect
This is the switch connector that runs up to the bars = disconnect
This is the Keyless fuel filler lead = Disconnect if you're removing the tank, otherwise leave alone
This is the Left indicator connection = do not disturb

Installation Instructions:

1) Head to the front left side of the bike, forward and underneath the left front turn signal. We're looking at the wires circled in red. You'll have to cut all of the zip ties with green arrows. Note the Red Arrow is the Wireless Fuel Filler Cap lead. This will stay connected unless you pull your tank. If you disconnect this - don't forget to reconnect if you want to be able to fill up your tank!

1.1) Don't forget the CANBUS connector around the air intake

2) Keep following these wires back towards the fuel tank removing zip ties as you go. They'll thread through the side of the frame into the area just under the air box highlighted below. Cut the zip ties on the green arrows. Note the red arrow here. It's deceiving but on my install, they stored the excess switch wire here. You won't have to pull the airbox to remove the wiring, just make sure you cut the ties and it will easily pull out. The Green arrow in the bottom right is the longer Aux Light lead going to the right side, may as well cut it now while you're here. There are reusable rubber wire ties around the switch harness and clutch hose. Just stretch it around the button to remove. If you installed Rox Risers, now is a good time to adjust your cable ties for the brake and

3) Close up of the connectors and the path they take into the bike. Again, unless you're pulling the tank these can stay.

4) Unscrew the single T-25 Torx screw holding the switch to the mirror mount. You can thread the screw back in the hole once the switch has been removed.

4.1) The Green arrows illustrate the path of the switch harness. It's deceiving that there are more wires and connections buried under the airbox, but there aren't any. These zip ties should be cut and just pull on the harness to remove. It's on top so it'll come right out from the wiring surrounding it.

5) (Not shown) Disconnect the AUX harness from the back of the lights. It is a small grey connector. Remove the OEM Aux Lights with a T-30 Torx. It's easier to remove the light connectors from the lights while they're still mounted to the bars. Follow each lead back to the bundle we've been working from removing zip ties as you go. The right side will be a little difficult to reach at times as it's cable tied well up underneath the frame in hard-to-reach places.

6) Once you have all of the harness and lights free you're nearly done. According to an installation note I found for a retrofit kit, there seems to be a blanking plug (#1 below) from the factory installed on the CANBUS connection. I like to put a strip of electricians tape over the contacts and heat shrink around it. Zip tie the connectors back in the area you pulled them from. You'll have a lot more room now that this harness is gone. Don't forget the keyless fuel filler cap lead, remember it stays attached to the fuel tank. The image below is how it should look in the end - (#1) being the plug "protective cap".

Conclusion:

You should be left with the following connectors on two separate harnesses:

A) The switch and connector by itself

B) The Switch connection (square) and CANBUS (oval), with the two light leads (LHS / RHS with RHS being the longer lead) on the other end.

The last step is to replace these lights with far better Denali lights! Why not use the BMW OEM Light Mount Adaptor! (LAH.07.10900)