NHTSA Complaint #10296147 — 2002 BMW RT SERIES

1. NORMAL DRIVING ALONG A ROADWAY. 2. SUDDEN LOSS OF PROPULSION WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ALL. MOTORCYCLE STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. PUSHED MOTORCYCLE THROUGH TRAFFIC TO BREAKDOWN LANE.RISKING INJURY AND/OR DEATH IN THE PROCESS. 3. PERSONALLY INVESTIGATED FAILURE. VERY COMMON FAILURE OF THIS PRODUCTION RUN MOTORCYCLE. 2002 BMW R1150 RT. 20%-25% OF MOTORCYCLES IN THIS PRODUCTION RUN EXPERIENCE THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. REPLACE CLUTCH FOR STRIPPED SPLINES AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT FOR STRIPPED SPLINES. BMW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS WIDESPREAD FAILURE OCCURRING IN 2000 TO 2004 MOTORCYCLES IN THE ENTIRE 1150 MODEL LINE WITH 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OR WORKMANSHIP. IF THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS ON A MULTILANE HIGHWAY, I WOULD'VE BEEN STRANDED IN A MIDDLE LANE WITH THE HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC TRAVELING BY ME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TRYING TO PUSH A 600 LB MOTORCYCLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS ISSUE. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THESE TYPES OF PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE PARTS ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL RUN. THAT THE FAILURE IS NOT DUE TO NEGLECT, MISUSE, OR LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THAT IT IS STRICTLY A DEFECT IN MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. *TR