2008 BMW R1200 RT Complaints

THIS SERIES OF MOTORCYCLES HAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CRACKS IN THE THROTTLE PULLEYS ON THE THROTTLE BODY. FAILURE OF THIS PLASTIC PART WILL RESULT IN INSTANT LOSS OF POWER. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND DECIDED TO INSPECT THE TWO THROTTLE BODIES ON MY MOTORCYCLE AS A PRECAUTION. BOTH OF MINE WERE CRACKED. ONE OF THE PULLEYS HAS THREE CRACKS IN IT, AND WOULD LIKELY HAVE FAILED WITHIN A SHORT TIME. SEE PHOTOS INCLUDED WITH THIS REPORT.

ABS PUMP MOTOR IS FAILING ON MANY OF THE SAME MODEL BIKES AND SOME OTHER 2006-2008 MODEL BMW BIKES WITH LOW MILEAGE, BECAUSE THE BRUSH HOLDERS IN THE ABS ELECTRICAL MOTOR ARE TOO TIGHT AND BRUSHES GET STUCK IN THEM - BAD DESIGN OF THE ABS PUMP MOTOR. BMW WILL ASK YOU LOADS OF MONIES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PUMP, EVEN THO THEY ARE FULLY AWARE IT'S A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THE BIKES.

FUEL PUMP LEAKING FROM A CRACK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE OUTPUT LINE SPRAYED GASOLINE ON THE INSIDE OF THE FAIRING, MOTOR AND MY LEG. THE PUMP SPRAYS GASOLINE ANYTIME THE KEY IS IN THE ON POSITION.

VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING ENGINE STALLING SYMPTOMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH (ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AS IF IGNITION HAD BEEN CUT) DURING CITY DRIVING, WHILE TURNING AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT ABOUT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ENGINE QUIT ALONG WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL GOING BLANK. ELECTRICAL SMOKE BEGAN TO BILLOW BETWEEN THE FRONT FORKS. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE IGNITION WIRING HARNESS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE FRONT FORKS. THE HARNESS WRAP APPEARS TO HAVE FRICTION WEAR INDICATIONS EXPOSING BARE WIRING. THE FAULTY WIRE MELTED THE INSULATION ALL THE WAY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH DOWN INTO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS THAT IS ROUTED UNDER THE FUEL TANK.

THE BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON, BMW SHOP SAID ABS UNIT IS BAD $2000 FIX. ON MANY BMW MOTORCYCLE FORUMS THERE ARE MANY ABS UNIT FAILURES. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THESE FAILURES BUT DOES NOTHING.

VEHICLE HAS 6000 MILES ON IT. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD A RECEIPT FROM THE DEALER SHOWING THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. FUEL INDICATOR SHOWS 1/4 TANK OF FUEL, AND ENGINE COMPUTER SHOWS 92 MILES RANGE. VEHICLE STALLED AT AN INTERSECTION, OUT OF FUEL. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF TRAFFIC, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ABS PUMP AT 29K MILES. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. BRAKES STILL FUNCTION BUT WITHOUT ABS.

BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE RIDING. INVESTIGATION BY MECHANIC SHOWS ABS HAS FAILED. BIKE ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL BASED ON INFORMATION AND REPORTS ON THE VARIOUS LISTS AND BOARDS I PARTICIPATE ON. FAULT CODES 24048 (ABS PUMP MOTOR DEFECTIVE) AND 24049 (POWER SUPPLY TO PUMP MOTOR FAULTY). THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND BASED ON IT BEING AN INTEGRAL BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY MANUFACTURER.

THE ABS MODULE FAILED WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A HIGHWAY. THE DEALER AND BMW ASKED IF IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND IT WAS FOR A SHORT TIME ONLY. THEY SAID THE MODULE CORRODED. IT IS A SEALED MODULE AND IF IT CORRODED IT MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE IN ORDER TO ALL THE ELEMENTS NECESSARY IN FOR IT TO CORRODE. FORTUNATELY I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED RIDER AND QUICKLY RELEASED THE BRAKE AS IT LOCKED UP (WHAT THE ABS SYSTEM IS TO PREVENT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN ABS MODULE FAILING LIKE THIS. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE DEALER AND BMW AND BOTH DECLINED TO HELP.

WITH JUST 16124 MILES, MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A FINAL DRIVE RING BEARING FAILURE. THE BMW DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WHEN CONDUCTING THE REAR FLANGE RECALL REPAIR. THIS FAILURE IS SO COMMON THAT IT HAS BECOME ENDEMIC. BMW OFFERS NO HELP WITH THE REPAIR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN ERROR.