NHTSA Complaint #10616880 — 2008 BMW K1200 GT

THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED CAUSING OIL TO BE THROWN ON THE REAR TIRE WITHOUT WARNING NEARLY CAUSING A CRASH. I AM A LONG TIME MOTORCYCLE RIDER AND BMW OWNER. I INSPECTED MY MOTORCYCLE BEFORE MY RIDE THAT MORNING. I LEFT ON A ONE HUNDRED MILE RIDE. ABOUT 70 MILES INTO THE RIDE IN A LEFT HAND CORNER THE REAR TIRE SLID WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE MACHINE. I FOUND THAT THE FINAL DRIVE (DIFFERENTIAL) WAS LEAKING OIL HEAVILY. THIS OIL HAS SPREAD TO THE REAR TIRE SURFACE. THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS NOT RECALLED THE MOTORCYCLE. THEY OF COURSE REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING FINANCIALLY ABOUT THIS KNOWN ISSUE. THE MAIN ISSUE WITH ME IS THAT I WOULD NEVER PUT MY WIFE ON THE BACK OF IT AGAIN. IF SHE HAD BEEN RIDING WITH ME I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY CRASHED. I AM A MEMBER OF BMWMOA, I HAVE READ COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ABOUT BMW FINAL DRIVE FAILURES. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS. I WOULD SUE THE FACTORY BUT I AM SURE NO ATTORNEY WOULD REPRESENT ME BECAUSE I WASN'T HURT. I WONDER HOW MANY BMW RIDERS HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE THIS FAILURE WAS OVERLOOKED OR NOT NOTICED AS A CAUSE OF LOSS OF CONTROL. THE REPAIR WILL COST AROUND ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. BUT AGAIN THE MONEY ISN'T THE ISSUE WITH ME. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. THE DESIGN CAUSES OIL TO BE THROWN ON THE REAR TIRE. THIS COULD BE A FATAL ERROR. I HAVE TO BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THIS FAILURE. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY MORE INFORMATION. UPDATED 5/7/2015 *JS