NHTSA Complaint #10276585 — 2006 BMW R1200 GS

HAND GUARD ROTATED INTO A POSITION THAT RESTRICTED THE BRAKE LEVER FROM FULLY DISENGAGING THE BRAKES. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKES TO OPERATE WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS IN MOTION. THE OPERATOR NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE SLIGHTLY ENGAGED (DUE TO THE NOISE OF THE BRAKE SERVOS) EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE LEVER AND PEDAL WERE NOT BEING ENGAGED BY THE OPERATOR. THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED BY TWISTING THE HAND GUARD BACK INTO POSITION. HAD THE PROBLEM NOT BEEN RECTIFIED IN A TIMELY MANNER, OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM COULD HAVE OCCURRED LEADING TO THE BREAKS LOCKING. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT ON THESE MOTORCYCLES AND HAS APPARENTLY STOPPED MAKING THE REPLACEMENT PART. THEY HAVE DESIGNED A PART THAT CAN NOT INTERFERE WITH THE BRAKE OPERATION. RATHER THAN REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE HAND GUARDS, THEY HAVE RECENTLY (IN THE PAST WEEK) NOTIFIED OWNERS BY MAIL WITH A WARNING ABOUT THIS SITUATION, AND SOME STICKERS THAT CAN BE PLACED INSIDE THE HAND GUARDS. *TR