NHTSA Complaint #10644654 — 2008 BMW R1200 GS

I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE NEW FROM VALLEY CYCLE & MOTORSPORTS IN BAKERSFIELD, CA ON 6/23/08. DURING THE 18,000 MILE SERVICE ON 04/06/11 (ODO: 17,732) , BMW OF SANTA CRUZ, CA SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICED REAR SHOCK STRUT WAS LEAKING OIL AND ORDERED A REPLACEMENT. ON 06/28/11 (ODO: 21,500) VALLEY CYCLE & MOTORSPORTS, CA INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENT SHOCK STRUT UNDER WARRANTY. ON 9/12/14 (ODO: 38,768) WHILST ON AN EXTENDED MOTORCYCLE VACATION THE REPLACEMENT REAR SHOCK STRUT STARTED LEAKING, SPEWING OIL ON THE BACK TIRE CREATING A DANGEROUS CONDITION. I IMMEDIATELY RODE IT TO BMW OF SANTA FE, NM TO DOCUMENT THE LEAKAGE AND THEY AGREED IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND ADVISED ME TO RIDE IT TO VALLEY CYCLE AND MOTORSPORTS IN BAKERSFIELD, CA WHERE I BOUGHT IT. VALLEY CYCLE BMW TECH. EXAMINED THE SHOCK STRUT (ALL THE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT OF IT AT THIS TIME) AND SAID HE'D OPEN A PUMA? CASE WITH BMW TO SEE IF THEY'D HONOR ANOTHER REPLACEMENT. HE ADVISED ME TO ALSO CONTACT BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A RESOLUTION. I SENT VALLEY CYCLE DATE-STAMPED PHOTOS OF THE LEAKING SHOCK STRUT TO FORWARD TO BMW WHICH THEY DID. ON 10/7/14 "GRANT" FROM BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED AND SAID BMW HAD DENIED THE CASE AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHOCK STRUT EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS THE SECOND (2ND) ONE THAT HAD FAILED IN 35,000 MILES. THE FIRST SHOCK FAILED AT 17,732 MILES, THE SECOND SHOCK FAILED AFTER 17,268 MILES. THESE ESA SHOCK STRUTS COST OVER $2,000 EACH (EXCLUDING LABOR) AND I BELIEVE THAT COMPETE FAILURE AT THAT MILEAGE DURING SOLO STREET RIDING,IS UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS MOTORCYCLE IS DESIGNED AS A "DUAL-SPORT" MOTORCYCLE CAPABLE OF OFF-ROAD TRAVEL. FURTHER, THE FACT THAT WHEN THEY FAIL, OIL LEAKS OUT OF THE SHOCK AND ONTO THE REAR WHEEL CAUSING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME CONDITION ON LINE. *TR