Head-to-head reliability
BMW G 650 GS vs Honda Accord
How the BMW G 650 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 G 650 GS averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. BMW G 650 GS has 7 complaints and 3 recalls on record; Honda Accord has 4,438 complaints and 38 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW G 650 GS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 7 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.7 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 144 |
| 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 G 650 GS
- 01ENGINE6
- 02POWER TRAIN1
- 03SERVICE BRAKES1
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
“I BROUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE IN FOR THE RECALL, #15V537 ENGINE CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE (REPROGRAMMING TO ELIMINATE A HAZARDOUS STALLING PROBLEM) IN OCT 2015. THE REQUIRED REPAIR WAS DONE. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. I BROUGH…”
“The contact owns a 2014 BMW G 650 GS. The contact stated while riding at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled at approximately 2,000 RPM. The contact coasted safely to the side of the road and restarted the motorcycle. The contact had to maintain a high…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“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…”
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 G 650 GS — 3 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 G 650 GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to March 2, 2015, and 2013-2014 G 650 GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall when they are idling and the clutch…
The risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised version of the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at Customer…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 G 650 GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to March 2, 2015, and 2013-2014 G 650 GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall when they are idling and the clutch…
The risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised version of the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at Customer…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 G 650 GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to March 2, 2015, and 2013-2014 G 650 GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall when they are idling and the clutch…
The risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a revised version of the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at Customer…
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 (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
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…
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 G 650 GS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 226 |
| 2020 | 0 | 355 |
| 2019 | 0 | 677 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 0 | 534 |
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 G 650 GS or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW G 650 GS vs Honda Accord
- BMW G 650 GS total complaints
- 7
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- BMW G 650 GS total recalls
- 3
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW G 650 GS avg complaints/year
- 0.7
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- BMW G 650 GS
- BMW G 650 GS top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE