2006 BMW R 1200 RT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I WAS CRUISING ALONG ON MY BMW R1200 RT AT THE 70MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH A RED WARNING TRIANGLE. I IMMEDIATELY LOOK FOR THE NEXT EXIT, BUT BEFORE I GET TO THE EXIT, I ENCOUNTER A HEAVY RAIN. WHEN I TRY TO SLOW THE BIKE, THE BRAKES ARE NUMB, AND VERY DIFFICULT TO PRESS. THIS CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE PANIC, BUT I'M ABLE TO SLOW THE BIKE AFTER A VERY LONG INTERVAL. I PARK THE BIKE AND READ THE OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT THE FAILURE. IT IS DESCRIBED AS A SERIOUS FAILURE WHICH WILL CAUSE THE SERVO ASSIST TO BE DEACTIVATED, BUT THE BIKE IS STILL RIDEABLE. SINCE I WAS OVER 300 MILES FROM HOME, I ATTEMPTED TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM AS THE MANUAL RECOMMENDED. THE BIKE IS BASICALLY UNRIDEABLE AND NOT CONTROLLABLE WHEN THIS ERROR APPEARS. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL YOUR STOP, AND THIS IS NOTHING LIKE JUST LOSING YOUR ABS, AND HAVING TO RESORT TO REGULAR BRAKES. THIS IS LIKE HAVING ABOUT 30% OF YOUR BRAKES AVAILABLE! WHICH IS TERRIFYING. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THIS WAY,OR WHY BMW WOULD SUGGEST IT'S OKAY TO CONTINUE TO RIDE IN THIS MANNER. I FELT LIKE MY CHANCES OF BEING IN AN ACCIDENT WERE INCREASED BY 120%. THIS BRAKING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. SO MUCH SO, THAT I FOUND OUT THAT BMW DISCONTINUED ITS USE AFTER THE 2006 PRODUCTION AND WENT WITH A TOTALLY NEW SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WAS ONLY USED FOR 2 YEARS ON THE R1200RT. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM WASN'T RECALLED, AND WHAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT THE FAILURE POTENTIAL. MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY DISCONTINUED IT. I FELT MY LIFE WAS PUT IN DANGER BY RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE. BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

I WAS CRUISING ALONG ON MY BMW R1200 RT AT THE 70MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH A RED WARNING TRIANGLE. I IMMEDIATELY LOOK FOR THE NEXT EXIT, BUT BEFORE I GET TO THE EXIT, I ENCOUNTER A HEAVY RAIN. WHEN I TRY TO SLOW THE BIKE, THE BRAKES ARE NUMB, AND VERY DIFFICULT TO PRESS. THIS CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE PANIC, BUT I'M ABLE TO SLOW THE BIKE AFTER A VERY LONG INTERVAL. I PARK THE BIKE AND READ THE OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT THE FAILURE. IT IS DESCRIBED AS A SERIOUS FAILURE WHICH WILL CAUSE THE SERVO ASSIST TO BE DEACTIVATED, BUT THE BIKE IS STILL RIDEABLE. SINCE I WAS OVER 300 MILES FROM HOME, I ATTEMPTED TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM AS THE MANUAL RECOMMENDED. THE BIKE IS BASICALLY UNRIDEABLE AND NOT CONTROLLABLE WHEN THIS ERROR APPEARS. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL YOUR STOP, AND THIS IS NOTHING LIKE JUST LOSING YOUR ABS, AND HAVING TO RESORT TO REGULAR BRAKES. THIS IS LIKE HAVING ABOUT 30% OF YOUR BRAKES AVAILABLE! WHICH IS TERRIFYING. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THIS WAY,OR WHY BMW WOULD SUGGEST IT'S OKAY TO CONTINUE TO RIDE IN THIS MANNER. I FELT LIKE MY CHANCES OF BEING IN AN ACCIDENT WERE INCREASED BY 120%. THIS BRAKING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. SO MUCH SO, THAT I FOUND OUT THAT BMW DISCONTINUED ITS USE AFTER THE 2006 PRODUCTION AND WENT WITH A TOTALLY NEW SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WAS ONLY USED FOR 2 YEARS ON THE R1200RT. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM WASN'T RECALLED, AND WHAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT THE FAILURE POTENTIAL. MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY DISCONTINUED IT. I FELT MY LIFE WAS PUT IN DANGER BY RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE. BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 29,000 MILES. THE REPAIR IS OVER $2,000. *TR

SOMETIME BEFORE 04/23/09 (MAYBE A MONTH) THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD STAY ON UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS ALL OR NOTHING. JUST TOUCHING THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK THEM UP, BOTH FRONT AND REAR SINCE THE HAND BRAKE OPERATES BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. SINCE MY COMMUTE RIDES WERE 12 MILES, I ONLY EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM 2 OR 3 TIMES PRIOR TO TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE INTO BMW MOTORCYCLES OF VENTURA COUNTY FOR SERVICE. ON 04/23/09 I TOOK THE BIKE IN FOR SERVICE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE BRAKE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS LOW AND SHOWED 12.52 VDC AND SHOULD BE MINIMUM OF 12.6 VDC. THE DEALER CHARGED THE BATTERY. ALSO, THEY BLED THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO THE TUNE OF $241.20. THE BRAKE PROBLEM CONTINUED BUT WOULD ONLY RESURFACE ABOUT TWICE A MONTH AND I WAS THINKING THIS WAS BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS RUNNING OUT OF JUICE AND CAUSING THE ABS TO MALFUNCTION. I BOUGHT A DIGITAL BATTERY TENDER AND KEPT THE BATTERY FULLY CHARGED. I STOPPED COMMUTING ON THE BIKE AND ONLY USED IT FOR 30 TO 40 MILE RIDES BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON CONTINUED AND WHEN USING THE HAND BRAKE THE BRAKES WOULD AGAIN LOCK UP, IT WAS ALL OR NOTHING. ALTHOUGH, IF I SIMPLY USED THE FOOT BRAKE THAT ONLY OPERATES THE REAR BRAKE THE BIKE WOULD COME TO A SAFE STOP WITH NO LOCK UP. NOW THE BIKE HAS 20,599 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP, "BMW MOTORCYCLES OF VENTURA COUNTY, 830 TOURMAILINE DRIVE, NEWBURY PARK, CA. 91320...PHONE 805 499-3770 SINCE 10/17/13 AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE/REPAIR THE BRAKE MALFUNCTION. I HAVE PHONED BMW CUSTOMERS RELATIONS BUT WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT PERSONS THAT IT IS REALLY A DEALER PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP BEFORE THE MOTORCYCLE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE BRAKES AND BMW WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *TR

CRACKED FUEL PUMP FLANGE,LEAKING GAS AND SPRAYING ON RIDER. THIS IS THE FOURTH BMW BIKE I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. *TR