2005 BMW R1200 GS Complaints

REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY, TYPICALLY IN 6000 MILES, AS OPPOSED TO TYPICAL PAD LIFE WHICH IS ~18-24000 MILES. NO SYMPTOMS WERE NOTED PREVIOUS TO THE BRAKE PADS WEARING OUT. WHEN REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT, THERE IS LOSS OF REAR BRAKING ABILITY. THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR ME, BUT COULD EASILY CATCH A RIDER BY SURPRISE AND CAUSE A CRASH AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF REAR BRAKE. BMW CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THESE BIKES, AND THEREFORE NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX THE ACTUAL PROBLEM, ASIDE FROM HAVING THE OWNER PAY AND HAVE NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY THE LINKED BRAKE SYSTEM EMPLOYED ON THE R12GS / ABS MODEL. WITH THIS SYSTEM, USING THE FRONT BRAKE ALSO CAUSES THE REAR BRAKES TO BE ACTUATED. SOMEHOW THE SYSTEM IN AT LEAST SOME CASES CAUSES THE BREAKING FORCE APPLIED TO FRONT AND REAR BRAKES TO BE BIASED TO USE THE REAR BRAKE VERY HEAVILY. A SYMPTOM OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE REAR BRAKE ROTOR IS VERY HOT (INDICATING THAT THE REAR BRAKE HAS BEEN ACTUATED) EVEN WHEN NEITHER BRAKE LEVERS HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE RIDER. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED VERY OFTEN. AT LEAST TO ME ONCE, PERSONALLY. I'VE ALSO READ MANY MANY FIRSTHAND STORIES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON VARIOUS WEB FORUMS SUCH AS ADVRIDER.COM, UKGSER.COM AND BMWMOA.ORG. I AM UNSURE OF THE EXACT TIME THAT THIS OCCURRED TO ME BUT CAN FIND RECORDS TO PINPOINT THE EXACT DATE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200 GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. HE STATED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BECAME FLAT. WHEN HE REMOVED THE WHEEL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A LOOSE BEARING CAUSED THE FAILURE. HE STATED THAT BMW DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT IS HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED WITH NEW BEARINGS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 17,500. THE CONSUMER STATED DEALER REPLACED BEARINGS AND SEALS @ 17,670 AND THE SECOND DEALER REPLACED COMPLETE FINAL DRIVE AND COVER @ 18,699. THE DEALER STATED REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE AND REMOVE TAIL LIGHT. UPDATED 11/21/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200 GS MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 65MPH INTO 40-50MPH WIND, THE LEFT SIDE PANEL DETACHED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AND STRUCK HIS KNEE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REATTACH THE PANEL. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND EXTREMELY WINDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6300. THE NUMBER OF CYLINDER INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AFTERMARKET SADDLE BAG INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE TWICE AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.*AK

2005 BMW R1200GS. ABS OFF, BLINKING BRAKE FAILURE, ONLY RESIDUAL BRAKING. DEALER RESET THE ABS COMPUTER, BUT CAME BACK AFTER ONE WEEK, ONLY RESIDUAL BRAKING NOW, (REQUIRE EXTRA ORDINARY LEVER GRIP TO STOP) THIS IF NOT PREPARED TO STOP COULD CAUSE A CRASH, WHAT IS CAUSING THE ABS TO DEACTIVATE. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS STUCK ON BRIGHT, NO ABS, RESIDUAL BRAKING, DEALER TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT IN, IS THAT SAFE? NO WORKING BRAKE LIGHT? BMW SHOULD INVESTIGATE PROBLEM AND CORRECT PROBLEM. *JB

IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I HAVE RIDDEN OVER 100,000 MILES ON SIX DIFFERENT BMW MOTORCYCLES, ALL PURCHASED NEW. I RIDE YEAR-ROUND AND HAVE ALWAYS USED AN ELECTRIC VEST TO AVOID HYPOTHERMIA. IN SEPTEMBER, 2005 I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE. DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY RIDE IN MAY, 2006, MY NON-BMW BRAND ELECTRIC VEST FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING RAIN AND COLD TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED IN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE NEXT DAY, I EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL FATIGUE, WENT OFF THE ROAD IN KANSAS, TOTALED THE BIKE AND BROKE MY LEG. I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND OUT BY READING A MOTORCYCLE PUBLICATION THAT BMW DELIBERATELY ENGINEERED THE STANDARD 12 VOLT OUTLET ON THE FAIRING TO SHUT DOWN WHEN USING A NON-BMW ELECTRIC VEST. I BELIEVE BMW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO WARN OWNERS ABOUT THIS UNEXPECTED LACK OF PERFORMANCE WHICH IN MY MIND WAS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO MY PROPERTY LOSS AND PERSONAL INJURY. ON MY REPLACEMENT BIKE, I WILL GO TO THE EXPENSE OF INSTALLING A 12 VOLT FAIRING OUTLET DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY. *JB