BMW R 1200 R Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REPORTED 42 MILES TO EMPTY ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES LATER THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER WHILE ON THE ROADWAY. FUEL GAUGE STILL SHOWED ONE BAR AND 42 MILES TO GO AT THE TIME POWER WAS LOST. BMW APPARENTLY KNOWS ALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT FIXED THE DEFECTIVE FUEL STRIP DESIGN TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES. *TR

WHILE RIDING, I RECEIVED A DASH WARNING LIGHT THAT WAS I (UNEXPECTEDLY) COMPLETELY OUT OF FUEL. AT THAT POINT I DID NOT KNOW HOW MANY MILES WERE ON MY TANK, IF I HAD A FUEL LEAK, ETC AND IMMEDIATELY MANEUVERED TO A SAFE LOCATION TO VERIFY MY FUEL STATUS. THANKFULLY I WAS IN A PLACE I COULD DO THAT. TURNS OUT I HAD AMPLE FUEL AND NO VISIBLE LEAKS, HOWEVER THE GAUGE AND WARNING SYSTEMS WERE INFORMING ME OTHERWISE. I ENDED UP RIDING TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION AND CONFIRMED I STILL HAD 3/4 TANK REMAINING, BASED ON HOW MUCH FUEL THE BIKE TOOK TO "TOP OFF". AFTER CALLING THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THE BIKE'S COMPUTER WILL ALLOW ME TO RIDE (DESPITE NOT REGISTERING ANY FUEL IN THE SYSTEM), I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON MY MODEL AND THEY CAN'T KEEP THE PARTS IN INVENTORY THEY ARE FIXING IT SO FREQUENTLY. BASED ON WEB SEARCHES, OTHERS ARE REPORTING THAT THEY DON'T GET A WARNING THEY ARE RUNNING OUT! BMW MOTORAD STATES THAT THIS PART (THE FUEL STRIP) FAILS DUE TO CORN ETHANOL IN OUR US GAS, AND THIS PART DOES NOT FAIL IN OTHER MARKETS THAT DON'T USE ETHANOL. MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN THEY SELL A PRODUCT THAT ISN'T ENGINEERED TO WORK WITH THE GAS THAT'S AVAILABLE? WHILE THIS ISSUE HAS A SIMPLE WORKAROUND - KEEP TRACK OF YOUR MILES AS YOU'RE RIDING - THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU COUNT ON THAT GAUGE BECAUSE YOU SIMPLY FORGET TO RESET THE TRIP ODOMETER AT A FILLUP. IF I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND RAN OUT DUE TO THE GAUGE NOT INDICATING I WAS LOW, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED A FULL TANK, BUT WASN'T CORRECT. WHEN THE TANK RAN DRY, I LOST ALL POWER ON THE EXPRESSWAY GOING 75MPH IN CROWDED TRAFFIC. *TR

THREE MONTHS AND 400+ MILES INTO MY OWNERSHIP OF A NEW BMW R1200R MOTORCYCLE, THE FUEL STRIP FAILED COMPLETELY. UPON ENGINE START WITH 3/4 FULL GAS TANK, THE GUAGE READ EMPTY. IT CONTINUES TO READ EMPTY REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. THIS ISSUE HAS PLAGUED A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF NEW BMW MOTORCYCLES AND THE COMPANY HAS YET TO OFFER A FIX. IN THE MEANTIME, THIS PROBLEM REQUIRES A TRIP TO AN AUTHORIZED BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER FOR A WARANTEE REPLACEMENT, MANY OF WHICH HAVE ALSO FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN. THIS CONDUCT ON THE PART OF BMW IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

THE FUEL GAUGE CEASED WORKING AND REGISTERS EMPTY ALL THE TIME. THE "LOW FUEL" LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED DESPITE HAVING GONE ONLY 50 MILES SINCE FILLING THE TANK. VISUAL EXAMINATION CONFIRMS THE TANK IS APPROX. 3/4 FULL. FROM A VERY BRIEF INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE R1200R FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I AM REPORTING IN HOPES THAT PRESSURE CAN BE BROUGHT FOR REAL FIX BY BMW INSTEAD OF SIMPLY REPLACING FAULTY FUEL STRIPS WITH MORE FAULTY FUEL STRIPS. SOME OWNERS REPORT HAVING THE STRIPS REPLACED 4-5 TIMES WITHIN A 3 YEAR PERIOD. THE MODE OF FAILURE CAN BE INTERMITTENT OPERATION, CONSTANT "FULL" READING, OR A CONSTANT "EMPTY" READING. SINCE I LIVE IN THE ARIZONA DESERT, I FREQUENTLY CAN BE MANY MILES FROM ANY ASSISTANCE, AND NOT HAVING ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF MY FUEL SITUATION COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2013 BMW R1200R MOTORCYCLE AND WITHIN 10 MILES OF RIDING AWAY FROM DEALER LOW FUEL WARNING COMES ON AND FUEL GAUGES NO LONGER WORKING. STOPPED AT NEAREST GAS STATION AND CHECKED GAS TANK TO FIND FULL TANK OF GAS AS DEALER STATED. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE TO RIDE MOTORCYCLE FOR 50 MILES AND COMPUTER SHOULD RE-SET. CONTINUED TO RIDE FOR 50 MILES AND NO RESOLUTION. CONTACTED DEALER AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD I NEED TO COME IN FOR SERVICE TO REPLACE FUEL SENSOR STRIP. ON A BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE I FEEL THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. UPON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I LEARNED AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES FOR YEARS. VERY DISAPPOINTING TO LEARN AFTER SPENDING $17,000 ON A BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE. BMW HAS NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE OTHER THAN INCONVENIENCING PEOPLE TO RETURN FOR SERVICE. IF THE BIKE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY ITS A COSTLY FIX. MORE THAN JUST INCONVENIENCE, THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE RIDER CAN UNKNOWINGLY RUN OUT OF GAS IF THE GAUGES AREN'T WORKING PROPERLY WHICH CAN PUT A RIDER IN HARMS WAY. I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT BMW HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2010-2011 5-SERIES CARS AND HAD A SAFETY RECALL PUT INTO EFFECT TO RESOLVE ISSUE. WHY ARE THE MOTORCYCLES NOT BEING HANDLED IN THE SAME FASHION? IT'S JUST AS MUCH OF A SAFETY ISSUE IF NOT MORE CONSIDERING THE PHYSICAL EXPOSURE ON A MOTORCYCLE. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO PURCHASE A BRAND NEW BMW MOTORCYCLE AND BE FACED WITH A MALFUNCTION ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. BMW SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SELL EQUIPMENT THAT THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF IS FAULTY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

THERE IS A RECALL ON FUEL PUMPS RECALL # 20V-471. MY FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT IS FAILING. THE RECALL INCLUDES BIKES UP TO MODEL YEAR 2011. WHILE MY BIKE IS A 2012, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2011 AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE ONLY 6000 MILES ON MY BIKE AND THE PART HAS FAILED WAY TO EARLY FOR IT NOT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THANK YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW R1200 R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

FUEL LEAK FROM BROKEN PLASTIC "QUICK DISCONNECT" FITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAW FUEL WAS SPRAYING ONTO MY LEG AND ONTO THE CYLINDER & CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A GAS STATION TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. AFTER REMOVING SOME PLASTIC TRIM/COVERS I FOUND THE SOURCE WAS THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING HAD CRACKED. THE FUEL FITTING DID NOT FAIL DUE TO ANY IMPACT, TAMPERING OR ABUSE; IT IS IN A PROTECTED AREA AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FUEL TANK AND COVERED BY A PIECE OF PLASTIC TRIM. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILED PART, I NOTICED HOW THIN THE PLASTIC IS AND HOW IT BROKE ON THE GROOVE (A STRESS RISER). I BELIEVE THE PART IS POORLY DESIGNED AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. IN MY OPINION, SUCH COMPONENTS SHOULD BE MADE OF HIGHER QUALITY MATERIAL SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL FOR STRENGTH AND CORROSION RESISTANCE. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE BMW DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT FITTING, I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CONNECTOR WITH A BARBED 90 DEGREE STAINLESS STEEL FITTING TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RE-OCCURRENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE BMW SUPPLIED PART TO BE FLAWED AND INHERENTLY DANGEROUS.

STALLING ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE NEW AND IT HAS HAD A STALLING PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS NEW AND CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY. THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT IDLE OR ON DECELERATION. AT ITS WORST IT WILL HESITATE AND SURGE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AS WELL. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I MADE A COMPLAINT TO BMW CORPORATE REGARDING THE UNRESOLVED ISSUE AND PRESSURE WAS PLACED ON THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE DEALER EXPRESSED THEIR DISMAY WITH MY COMPLAINT TO CORPORATE. I PAYED FOR REPAIRS (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE STALLING PROBLEM. NOW THE MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO KEEP FORKING MONEY OVER TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR NO RESULTS. I TRIED GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS TO REMEDY THIS PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED, BUT I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WHEN IT WAS ONLY A MONTH OR TWO OLD. WHILE IT WAS GETTING THE OIL CHANGE AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS, IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DEALER HELD IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH TRYING TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THEY SWAPPED ALMOST ALL OF THE MAJOR PARTS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE IT. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE CALL TO PICK IT UP, THE DEALER DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I WAS CURIOUS WHAT WENT WRONG ON A NEW BIKE WITH SUCH LITTLE USE. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEM OR SOLUTION WAS AND ONLY SAID THAT ITS BACK ALIVE AND RUNNING AGAIN. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M NOT SURE IF THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED BUT I BELIEVE THEY MAY BE STEMMING FROM THE SAME GLITCH.

LEFT SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE LEF SIDE MIRROR GLASS FELL OUT. IT WAS HELD IN BY A FEW SMALL DABS OF SILICONE FROM THE FACTORY. ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT COURTESY OF BMW, NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. POOR DESIGN AND SHODDY WORKMANSHIP ARE THE CAUSE OF THE GLASS FALLING OUT UNDER NORMAL USE CONDITIONS. THE DATE BELOW IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE. I DO NOT HAVE THE RECEIPT WITH THE REPLACEMENT DATE HANDY AT THIS TIME. LACK OF THE LEFT MIRROR MADE LANE CHANGES LESS SAFE.

MY FUEL GAUGE FAILED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING "STRIP" - THIS IS COMMON ON MANY BMW MOTORCYCLE MODELS FROM 2004-2014. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE I RAN OUT OF FUEL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT RESTART. FUEL GAUGE ON ELECTRONIC READOUT SHOWED 78 MILES UNTIL REFILL. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. PUT FUEL IN THE TANK, STARTED RIGHT UP. IN-TANK FUEL SENSOR IS FAULTY. *JS

I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND HAD BEEN IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. MY FUEL GAUGE WENT FROM HALF TANK TO EMPTY WITH THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT FLASHING BETWEEN. THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN GLANCES AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SINCE IT WAS A 90 DEGREE DAY AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I WAS WATCHING THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CLOSELY. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IS PART OF THE SAME CLUSTER AS THE FUEL GAUGE SO I KNOW THE CHANGE FROM A HALF TANK OF FUEL TO NO FUEL WAS ALMOST IF NOT INSTANTANEOUS. IT IS THE RESULT OF A BAD FUEL SENSOR IN THE FUEL TANK THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF STRIP SENSOR. WITH HUNDREDS OF THESE SENSORS GOING BAD INSIDE THE FUEL TANK HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE ONE HAS A SERIOUS FAULT AND BLOWS UP THE FUEL TANK SITTING BETWEEN THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS LEGS. NEVER SAY NEVER. *TR