NHTSA Complaint #10456593 — 2002 BMW R1150GS

MY 2002 BMW 1150GS MOTORCYCLE HAS ONLY JUST OVER 41K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE ADVERTISED TO THE PUBLIC AS ABLE TO DRIVE FOREVER ACROSS CONTINENTS, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN IT LOST SOME INTERNAL GEARS LAST WEEKEND AND SOMETHING LET GO IN THE GEARBOX WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL. METAL FRAGMENTS CAME OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN DRAINED OF FLUID. THIS IS A TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TRAVELING AT NEAR 65 MILES PER HOUR ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY TWO WHEELS AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THAT THE BIKE'S REAR WHEEL DID NOT LOCK UP. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATALITY IF I WERE TO HAVE BEEN THROWN FROM THE BIKE AND / OR REAR ENDED BY OTHER VEHICLES UPON MY RAPID DECELERATION. THERE WAS A NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION RECALL OF SIMILAR BIKES BUILT AROUND THE SAME TIME (SEE NUMBER: 02V319000). ALTHOUGH MY MOTORCYCLE WAS MANUFACTURED AND ASSEMBLED AT OR NEAR THE SAME TIME, MY LOCAL BMW DEALER OR BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY REPAIRS. I BELIEVE THAT MY BMW MOTORCYCLE HAS SEVERE DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, AND OR MATERIAL DEFECTS THAT SHOULD BE EXAMINED IN MORE DETAIL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. A CURSORY REVIEW OF THE INTERNET REVEALS SIMILAR PROBLEMS OF RELATED MOTORCYCLES BUILT BY BMW. I URGE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ASSOCIATION TO FULLY INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER AND PROVIDE NOTICE TO OTHER CONSUMERS THAT MAY BE UNAWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL DESIGN DEFECT. *TR