2005 BMW R1200 RT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE CYCLE, IT FAILED AND FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER (HAP'S CYCLE SALES, INC, 2530 17TH ST, SARASOTA, FL, 34234) WAS CONTACTED AT 941-365-3443. THE CONTACT TOOK THE FUEL PUMP APART AND CONFIRMED THROUGH THE PHONE WITH THE DEALER THAT THE COUPLING TO THE FUEL PUMP OF THE FLANGED HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CYCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE CYCLE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V617000 (FUEL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,120.

DRIVE SHAFT U-JOINT FAILURE RIDING ON INTERSTATE 5. BIKE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND WHEN CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED, VIBRATION STOPPED. RELEASED CLUTCH AND VIBRATION STARTED AGAIN. DEPRESSED CLUTCH AGAIN AND PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE DRIVE SHAFT LOCKED UP. PULLED BACK REAR BOOT ON FINAL DRIVE AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE SWING ARM SHAFT. BMW DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED U-JOINT BUT COULD NOT REPAIR UNLESS THEY REMOVED TRANSMISSION TO REMOVE U-JOINT STUCK ON TRANSMISSION SPLINE. PRICE FOR DRIVE SHAFT ALONE WAS $1,100 DOLLARS PLUS LABOR TO REMOVE TRANSMISSION.

WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN THE MOTORCYCLE INCREASED SPEED AND RPM'S IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT OF THROTTLE I WAS TWISTING. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND RELEASED THE THROTTLE. THE RPM'S CONTINUED TO CLIMB OVER 4000 AND THE ENGINE SUSTAINED THIS LEVEL. THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD ONLY RETURN TO A NORMAL IDLE LEVEL (1100 RPM) IF I FORCED THE THROTTLE CLOSED (FORWARD TWISTING MOTION). THIS MATTER COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING. I DELIVERED THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE BMW DEALER TO HAVE THE MATTER DIAGNOSED. THE BMW MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE PULLEY'S HAD BROKEN ON BOTH THROTTLE BOTH THROTTLE BODIES. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT THESE PULLEY'S ARE MADE OF A MOLDED PLASTIC MATERIAL AND THAT THIS MATERIAL BROKE. THE MECHANIC HAS ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THESE PARTS (ALTHOUGH EXTERNAL ON THE THROTTLE BODIES) ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODIES MUST BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT BMW SHOULD BE RECALL THESE ITEMS FOR THE OBVIOUS SAFETY RISKS RELATED TO THEIR FAILURE.

AFTER FILLING MY BMW MOTORCYCLE WITH GAS I PARKED IT TO VISIT WITH SOME OTHER RIDERS. AFTER A SHORT TIME RETURNED TO MY BIKE TO FIND GAS RUNNING ONTO THE HOT ENGINE AND POOLING ON THE GROUND. LEFT THE BIKE WENT HOME GOT A TRAILER AND TOOK IT HOME. I DRAINED THE GAS, TOOK THE COVER OFF THE GAS TANK AND FOUND THE QUICK DISCONNECT ON THE FUEL LINE CRACKED ALLOWING FUEL TO RUN DOWN THE TANK AND ONTO THE ENGINE. *TR

WHILE RIDING MY BMW R1200RT TODAY I STARTED SMELLING GAS. I RETURNED HOME AND PUT THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE. IT HAD A VERY STRONG GAS SMELL COMING FROM IT. I REMOVED THE LEFT UPPER FAIRING TO INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP AREA. ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP RAW GASOLINE WAS POOLED AND LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK TOWARDS THE LEFT CYLINDER EXHAUST PIPE NEAR THE CYLINDER HEAD. THANK GOODNESS ENOUGH GAS HAD NOT LEAKED YET TO RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE EXHAUST PIPE! I TURNED THE KEY ON TO ENERGIZE THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND PRESSURIZE THE FUEL SYSTEM TO SEE WHERE THE GAS WAS LEAKING FROM. IT IS LEAKING FROM THE FEMALE PLASTIC FUEL FITTING THAT IS PART OF THE PLASTIC GAS TANK. THERE ARE MULTIPLE CRACKS RADIATING FROM THIS FEMALE FUEL FITTING AND I CAN SEE GASOLINE DRIBBLING OUT OF AT LEAST ONE CRACK AT A FAST ENOUGH RATE TO PUDDLE ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD EASILY CAUSE A FIRE WHILE I AM RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR