2016 BMW R1200 GS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

Rear brake on motorcycle does not stop the motorcycle. After three BMW dealer visits and rear brakes having been bled, the rear brake pedal becomes soft and does not stop the motorcycle. The same problem occurred each time within 2-3 months of the repair. The only way to stop the motorcycle is to use the front brake. The BMW service department cannot explain the reason this keeps happening.

THE REAR BRAKE BECOMES INEFFECTIVE. DEALER SAYS THAT AIR INVADES THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. BLEEDING THE OLD BRAKE FLUID AND REPLACING IT WITH NEW BRAKE FLUID SOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND THE BLEEDING MUST BE DONE AGAIN. FRONT BRAKE CONTINUES TO BE EFFECTIVE AT ALL TIMES.

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A FAULTED STATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO WARNING PRIOR, THE ECU IS FAULTING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE INTO "LIMP MODE" WHICH IS ALMOST EQUIVALENT OF COMPLETELY KILLING THE ENGINE THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY DONE, AND YOU ARE LEFT TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A SEVERELY DEBILITATED STATE OF OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PROGRAMMED WITH A "LIMP MODE" FAULT I ASSUME TO SAVE THE ENGINE? BUT MY COMPLAINT IS , THE WAY IT CURRENTLY OPERATES ON THE MOTORCYCLE,IT IS PATENTLY "UNSAFE" AND PUTS THE RIDER OR OPERATOR AND PASSENGER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SHOULD THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT BE ENGAGED . I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS, WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE WAY THE MOTOR IS RUNNING INITIALLY, WHATEVER THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER IS SEEING, IS AN ANOMALY . IN THE CASE OF MY PERSONAL INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND IN TRAFFIC ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY . THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RUNNING FLAWLESSLY AND JUST SUDDENLY IT FELT AS IF THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THE THROTTLE WAS NON RESPONSIVE INITIALLY, AND AFTER, ONLY MINUTELY. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY, AS LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT AT THIS PLACE AND TIME. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, THIS COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY. IT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP OF BMW DEALERS 2X FOR THIS ISSUE, AND NOW IS IN FOR THE 3RD TIME AS THEY HAVE TO DATE, BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING AND CORRECTING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THERE ARE APPARENTLY MALFUNCTIONS WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT ARE FALSE READINGS, MOMENTARY "BLIPS" , OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- WHICH FOOLS THE COMPUTER AND TRIGGERS THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT TO ENGAGE.

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A FAULTED STATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO WARNING PRIOR, THE ECU IS FAULTING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE INTO "LIMP MODE" WHICH IS ALMOST EQUIVALENT OF COMPLETELY KILLING THE ENGINE THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY DONE, AND YOU ARE LEFT TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A SEVERELY DEBILITATED STATE OF OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PROGRAMMED WITH A "LIMP MODE" FAULT I ASSUME TO SAVE THE ENGINE? BUT MY COMPLAINT IS , THE WAY IT CURRENTLY OPERATES ON THE MOTORCYCLE,IT IS PATENTLY "UNSAFE" AND PUTS THE RIDER OR OPERATOR AND PASSENGER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SHOULD THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT BE ENGAGED . I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS, WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE WAY THE MOTOR IS RUNNING INITIALLY, WHATEVER THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER IS SEEING, IS AN ANOMALY . IN THE CASE OF MY PERSONAL INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND IN TRAFFIC ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY . THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RUNNING FLAWLESSLY AND JUST SUDDENLY IT FELT AS IF THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THE THROTTLE WAS NON RESPONSIVE INITIALLY, AND AFTER, ONLY MINUTELY. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY, AS LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT AT THIS PLACE AND TIME. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, THIS COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY. IT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP OF BMW DEALERS 2X FOR THIS ISSUE, AND NOW IS IN FOR THE 3RD TIME AS THEY HAVE TO DATE, BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING AND CORRECTING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THERE ARE APPARENTLY MALFUNCTIONS WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT ARE FALSE READINGS, MOMENTARY "BLIPS" , OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- WHICH FOOLS THE COMPUTER AND TRIGGERS THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT TO ENGAGE.

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A FAULTED STATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO WARNING PRIOR, THE ECU IS FAULTING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE INTO "LIMP MODE" WHICH IS ALMOST EQUIVALENT OF COMPLETELY KILLING THE ENGINE THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY DONE, AND YOU ARE LEFT TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A SEVERELY DEBILITATED STATE OF OPERATION. THE ENGINE IS PROGRAMMED WITH A "LIMP MODE" FAULT I ASSUME TO SAVE THE ENGINE? BUT MY COMPLAINT IS , THE WAY IT CURRENTLY OPERATES ON THE MOTORCYCLE,IT IS PATENTLY "UNSAFE" AND PUTS THE RIDER OR OPERATOR AND PASSENGER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SHOULD THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT BE ENGAGED . I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS, WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE WAY THE MOTOR IS RUNNING INITIALLY, WHATEVER THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER IS SEEING, IS AN ANOMALY . IN THE CASE OF MY PERSONAL INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND IN TRAFFIC ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY . THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RUNNING FLAWLESSLY AND JUST SUDDENLY IT FELT AS IF THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THE THROTTLE WAS NON RESPONSIVE INITIALLY, AND AFTER, ONLY MINUTELY. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY, AS LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT AT THIS PLACE AND TIME. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, THIS COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY. IT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP OF BMW DEALERS 2X FOR THIS ISSUE, AND NOW IS IN FOR THE 3RD TIME AS THEY HAVE TO DATE, BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING AND CORRECTING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. THERE ARE APPARENTLY MALFUNCTIONS WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE, THAT ARE FALSE READINGS, MOMENTARY "BLIPS" , OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- WHICH FOOLS THE COMPUTER AND TRIGGERS THE "LIMP MODE" FAULT TO ENGAGE.