Head-to-head reliability
BMW F 850 GS vs Honda Accord
How the BMW F 850 GS and Honda Accord compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
BMW F 850 GS vs Honda Accord: the BMW has 3 complaints over 5 years and 1 recall, while the Honda has 4,524 complaints over 10 years, 38 recalls, and 162 crash-related reports. The BMW reports clutch lurching and brake loss; the Honda reports engine, electrical, and driver-assist failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW F 850 GS or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW F 850 GS
The BMW F 850 GS is an adventure motorcycle with very few reported problems: just 3 complaints over 5 years (0.6 per year) and 1 recall. Owners mainly report a sticking clutch that can cause the bike to lurch forward from a stop, plus a rare front-brake loss. There are no crash, injury, or death reports in this data, but the low volume means each complaint is worth reading closely.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular family sedan and hybrid with a much larger complaint history: 4,524 complaints over 10 years (about 452 per year) and 38 recalls. Owners describe engine and electrical failures that can cause sudden power loss or steering/braking lockup, plus forward-collision avoidance problems. The data also includes 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths, so these are not just minor annoyances.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW F 850 GS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 1 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.6 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 146 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
BMW F 850 GS
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
- 02POWER TRAIN1
- 03ENGINE1
- 04SERVICE BRAKES1
One owner of a 2023 F 850 GSA reported the clutch lever often sticks when engaging, causing the motorcycle to lurch forward from a stop. That matters because a sudden jump can make you lose balance or roll into traffic.
The same owner linked the sticking clutch to the engine engagement, meaning the bike can jerk when you try to pull away. For a buyer, this is a test-ride issue: feel for smooth clutch take-up at low speed.
One rider reported losing the ability to pull the front brake for a few seconds, with ABS and traction-control warning lights coming on. That is a serious intermittent symptom because front-brake loss reduces stopping power exactly when you need it.
One complaint was about BMW not releasing service manuals to the public, which owners say forces dealer-only service. That is not a mechanical failure, but it can raise ownership costs and limit where you can get the bike worked on.
“There are a lot of BMW owners filing complaints to force BMW Motorrad to releases service manuals to the public which they quite doing years ago which forces people to go to the dealership for any sort of service. Basically a monopoly which is illegal. I own…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, and ABS, followed by the vehicle losing speed and being unable to accelerate. Another owner described rattling noises while accelerating and rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which can point to internal engine or hybrid-drive issues.
One owner said the electronic power steering and braking systems completely failed and locked up at highway speeds, causing a near-collision. Another reported a tire failure shortly after a TPMS warning was supposedly fixed, showing how electrical warnings can be followed by real safety failures.
Owners describe the system failing to resolve a threat, and one said adaptive cruise control at 70 mph suddenly did something unexpected on the same route twice. For a buyer, this means the driver-assist features may not always behave predictably.
The Accord has a recall for the fuel pump delivery system, and owners report rough running and jerking when the engine switches between EV and gas. A failing fuel pump can cause stalling or loss of power, which is a serious safety concern.
“Vehicle drove normally in the morning commute. In the afternoon commute it started normally and as i approached highway speeds the alarms started showing up. the Brake, hill descent system, abs, critical failure. the vehicle started losing speed and could not…”
“Vehicle makes rattling noises while accelerating similar to a diesel engine also rough transitions between EV mode and Gas mode also when you press the charge button the engine makes a very noticeable jerk once it’s on ,Honda does not want to fix my issue and…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
BMW F 850 GS — 1 recall
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 F900R, F900XR, S1000RR, F750GS, F850GS, F850GS Adventure, R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, R1250RS, R1250R, RnineT, RnineT Pure and RnineT Scrambler and 2019-2020 S1000R motorcycles. The brake light may flash instead of remain steady during emerg…
The risk: A flashing brake light can cause confusion to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owner, and dealers will reprogram the emergency stop signal function, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Honda Accord — 38 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the integrated control module (ICM) central processing unit (CPU) may reset while driving, causing a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the ICM CPU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is TN2. Vehicle Identificati…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025-2026 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.
The risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the tire repair kit nozzle or sealant bottle, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipat…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint sys…
The risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
Buyer analysis
BMW F 850 GS or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The BMW F 850 GS has far fewer issues per year (0.6 vs. 452.4) and no reported crashes, injuries, or deaths in this data, while the Honda Accord has thousands of complaints and 162 crash-related reports. In practice, the BMW looks like a low-volume machine with a few specific quirks, whereas the Accord has a broad pattern of engine, electrical, and driver-assist problems that can affect everyday driving.
Key differences
- The BMW F 850 GS has 3 complaints over 5 years and 1 recall, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years and 38 recalls.
- BMW owners report a sticking clutch that causes lurching and a rare front-brake loss; Honda owners report engine power loss, electrical steering/braking lockup, and forward-collision avoidance failures.
- The Accord data includes 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the BMW data includes 0 in each of those categories.
- The BMW complaint about service manuals points to dealer-only maintenance, while the Accord has multiple safety recalls for fuel pump, seat belts, air bags, and hybrid power control software.
- Test the clutch from a stop: if the lever sticks or the bike lurches forward, that matches the reported power-train complaint.
- Check front-brake feel and watch for ABS or traction-control warning lights, since one owner reported temporary front-brake loss with those lights on.
- Ask for proof that all recalls are done, especially the fuel pump, hybrid power control software, seat belt retractor, and air bag sensor recalls.
- During a test drive, watch for warning lights for brake, hill descent, ABS, or forward collision, and feel for rattling or jerking during acceleration or EV-to-gas transitions.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see every open recall for the specific BMW or Honda you are considering.
- For the BMW, test-ride at low speed and check clutch engagement, front-brake response, and any ABS/traction-control lights.
- For the Honda, test-drive at highway speed and check adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warnings, and any sudden loss of power or steering assist.
- Ask for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who knows the model, and request service records for clutch, brake, fuel pump, or hybrid system work.
- Confirm whether the BMW requires dealer-only service and factor that into the total cost of ownership.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | BMW F 850 GS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 226 |
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 1 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific BMW F 850 GS or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW F 850 GS vs Honda Accord
- BMW F 850 GS total complaints
- 3
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- BMW F 850 GS total recalls
- 1
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW F 850 GS avg complaints/year
- 0.6
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- BMW F 850 GS
- BMW F 850 GS top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE