2005 BMW R1200 GS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200 GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, FUEL HAD LEAKED FROM THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE AND SPRAYED ONTO THE RIDERS LEG AND PARTS OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V617000 (FUEL SYSTEM) ALTHOUGH THE MOTORCYCLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

I EXPERIENCED A 100% NO BRAKES SITUATION COMING INTO A SLOW SPEED 90 DEGREE TURN ON A BACK ROAD. LUCKILY I HADN'T BEEN GOING TO FAST AND WAS ABLE TO DOWN SHIFT AND SCRUB A LITTLE SPEED BUT FORCED WITH ONLY ENGINE BRAKING AND A VERY OLD ASPHALT ROAD COVERED IN GRAVEL I HAD TO LAY IT DOWN TO STOP FROM GOING INTO A 60FT+ RAVINE. I'VE PUT 250-300K OF STREET RIDING UNDER MY BUTT AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE LAID A BIKE DOWN. I DID HURT MY LEFT LEG AND I HAVE A HUGE BRUISE THERE NOW AND MY CRASH BARS PREVENTED ANY MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE BIKE BUT IT DID STILL CAUSE ABOUT $500 IN DAMAGES. I'M WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE 05-06 SERVO BIKES HAVE HAD WITH BRAKE FAILURE BUT I'VE ALWAYS READ THAT THE RESIDUAL BRAKES ARE STILL THERE IF THE SERVOS FAIL. I CAN ATTEST I HAD ZERO BRAKES! LEVER WENT TO THE BARS AND REAR JUST FELL DOWN AND HAD NOTHING. I'VE ACTUALLY PRACTICE A COUPLE PANIC STOPS WITH THE IGNITION OFF TO EXPERIENCE WHAT JUST THE RESIDUAL BRAKE FEEL LIKE AND I WAS ABLE STOP FAIRLY NORMAL WITH JUST SOME INCREASE EFFORT. THIS WAS NOT THAT! AFTER THE CRASH I TURNED OFF THE BIKE AND ANOTHER RIDER HELPED ME PICK IT UP. UPON TURNING IT BACK ON I STILL HAD ZERO BRAKES THE LEVER JUST WENT TO THE BARS AND REAR HAD NOTHING. WHEN I TURNED THE BIKE BACK ON I HAD THE ABS AND BRAKE FAILURE LIGHTS FLASHING AND THE SERVO NEVER KICKED ON TO DO ITS BIT CYCLE. SO ME AND THE OTHER GUY SAT THERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND ABOUT 2 MINUTES OR SO WENT BY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SERVOS KICKED ON AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF AND MY BRAKES WHERE BACK TO NORMAL!!! I TURNED THE BIKE OFF AND NOW I HAD RESIDUAL BRAKES AGAIN! THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE VERY WELL KILLED ME IF IT HAPPENED IN MULTIPLE AREAS EARLIER IN THE RIDE. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE. *TR

UPON REPLACING REAR TIRE AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP, NOTICED A CRACKED REAR WHEEL FLANGE. THESE CRACKS APPEARED ON 4 OF 5 ATTACHMENT POINTS WHERE THE FLANGE BOLTS ONTO THE REAR DRIVE. THIS IS A PART THAT HOLDS THE WHEEL TO THE MOTORCYCLE. SPOKE TO BMW NA AND THEY DO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AS INHERENT DEFECT, AND HAVE NOT RECALLED DESPITE HAVING REDESIGNED THE REPLACEMENT PART SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (IMPLIED ADMISSION BY BMW OF THE INHERENT DEFECT DUE TO REDESIGN). THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO AN INHERENT DEFECT OF SAFETY CRITICAL PART - THE REAR WHEEL FLANGE. FAILURE OF THIS PART WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED MAY CAUSE LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FUNCTION, LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY, SUDDEN SEIZURE OF REAR WHEEL, AND/OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF REAR WHEEL. THIS MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY AND EVEN DEATH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 BMW R1200 GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE MOTORCYCLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE REAR WHEEL FLANGE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FRACTURED WHEEL FLANGE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

I WAS REPLACING MY REAR BRAKE ROTOR. THE ROTOR IS BOLTED TO A PIECE CALLED A FLANGE (PART NUMBER 33117722831) USING 5 BOLTS. I FOUND THAT EACH OF THE 5 BOLT HOLES IN THE FLANGE ARE CRACKED. IF THIS PART WERE TO COME APART WHILE RIDING I THINK IT WOULD CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP AND SKID OR POSSIBLY WORSE. THE FLANGE (PART NUMBER 33117722831) IS ALSO PART OF THE POWER TRAIN AND REAR WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM (ALSO KNOWN AS THE FINAL DRIVE SYSTEM) FOR THE BMW R1200GS MOTORCYCLE. THE BMW MUST KNOW THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE REDESIGNED THE PART. SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR "BMW R1200GS FLANGE CRACK" RETURNS MANY PAGES OF INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM. HERE IS A GOOD SUMMARY: HTTP://WWW.MTS1200.INFO/MOTORCYCLEINFO/INDEXE65D.HTML?FA=CONTENTGENERIC.NKYQIUKEVRYEUZUT&PAGEID=360814. *TR

FUEL LEAKING AT THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE AS WELL AS AT THE SUCTION PUMP FLANGE AROUND THE BASE OF THE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING.

SMELLED FUEL, REMOVED LEFT SIDE COVER, SAW TOP OF FUEL PUMP COVERED WITH GAS. IT IS LEAKING FROM THE PLASTIC QUICK DISCONNECT. ALSO SEE CRACKS IN THE FLANGE ON TOP OF FUEL PUMP. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD, CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN THAT USES TAPERED PIPE THREAD IN PLASTIC. *TT

FUEL PUMP FLANGE CRACKED AT FUEL PUMP OUTPUT CONNECTOR AND FUEL SPRAYED OUT UNDER PRESSURE. PRESSURIZED FUEL SPRAYED ON LEG AND HIT HOT ENGINE EXHAUST. WAS ABLE TO CUT OFF ENGINE AND FUEL PUMP BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE HELP ARRIVED AND TRUCKED BIKE HOME. *TR

FAULTY FUEL STRIP GAS GAUGE WILL SHOW 1/2 TANK, BUT TANK MAY BE FULL OR EMPTY, OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN. LIKEWISE, GAS GAUGE MAY SHOW FULL, BUT TANK MAY BE CLOSE TO EMPTY. THE FUEL STRIP DOES NOT CORRECTLY DISPLAY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. *TR

CRACKS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE FUEL LINE INPUT FLANGE @ FUEL PUMP AND THE RETURN FUEL FLANGE. *TR