2005 BMW K1200 S Complaints

BMW MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE REAR DRIVE UNIT ON MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE OVER THE PAST 45,000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE (12,000 MILES) RESULTED IN LATERAL PLAY OF ABOUT 1/2 INCH AT THE TIRE CONTACT ZONE. UNIT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE (40,000) WAS OF THE INPUT BEARING RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ALL BEARINGS. ONLINE FORUMS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THESE ISSUES. THIS REAR DRIVE DESIGN IS COMMON TO ALL CURRENT PRODUCTION SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLES FROM BMW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN OFFERED TO OTHER OWNERS. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, AS THE REAR DRIVE NOT ONLY PROVIDES POWER TRANSMISSION, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS THE REAR WHEEL IN A SINGLE SIDED SWINGARM ARRANGEMENT. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE FREQUENTLY SLIPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. OCCASIONALLY, I CANNOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WILL STAY IN NEUTRAL. THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LESS THAN 500 MI. AGO AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL ACTING AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. *JB

2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED REPEATEDLY WHEN CLOSING THE THROTTLE TO SLOW WHILE MAKING A CORNER, OR WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL. THE MOST RECENT WAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BELL RD AND THE I-17 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX ARIZONA IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON NOV. 17, 2005. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, WEST BOUND ON BELL RD. THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WHILE DOING 25 MPH. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT MY REAR TIRE BUT MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN TO MISS ME. AFTER FINISHING THE TURN WITH NO POWER I RESTARTED THE MOTORCYCLE BY PULLING THE CLUTCH BACK IN AND HITTING THE START BUTTON. IF THE BIKE DID NOT RESTART ON THE FIRST TRY I'M SURE THE CAR BEHIND ME WOULD HAVE FIT ME. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED I THOUGHT IT MIGHT JUST BE LOW ON GAS, BUT EVERY TIME I HAVE AT LEAST 1/2 A TAKE. I HAVE TALKED TO THE BMW DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM A FEW TIMES, BUT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS VARY RANDOM IT IS HARD TO REPRODUCE WHEN YOU WANT IT TO. I HAVE NOTICED THE MOTORCYCLE TENDS TO BOG DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A STOP EVEN WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY PULLED IN. *JB