1999 BMW R1200C — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE REAR TAIL LIGHT/ TURN LIGHT WAS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED AND/OR MADE THE DEFECT WAS SO WIDESPREAD AND RECOGNIZED AD SUCH BY BME THAT IT PRECIPITATED BMW MAKING A " NEW AND IMPROVED " VERSION OF THE TAIL- LIGHT TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER INSTEAD IF REPLACING THUS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT FOR FREE IN RECOGNITION OF THE DEFECT BME INSTEAD WANTS APPROXIMATELY $500 JUST FOR THE PART! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND EXPLOITIVE. THE FAILURE OF A REAR TAIL-LIGHT / TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY POSES AN OBVIOUS SAFETY RISK WITH A CLEAR POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE INJURY/ FATALITY. *TR

I'VE GOT A 1999 R1200C. I RECENTLY DID SOME SERVICING ON IT WITH MY FRIEND, AND I THINK I AM EXPERIENCING THE START OF FINAL DRIVE FAILURE... WE DID VALVE ADJUSTMENTS, FUEL FILTER, BRAKE FLUIDS, AIR FILTER, OIL AND OIL FILTER, TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE FINAL DRIVE FLUID. EACH FLUID LOOKED SURPRISINGLY GOOD TO ME , EXCEPT THE FINAL DRIVE FLUID. I EXPECTED IT TO BE DARK IN COLOR, AS IT WAS OLD, BUT IT CAME OUT A GLITTERING METALLIC OOZE. I'D NEVER SEEN FINAL DRIVE FLUID BEFORE, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL UNTIL I OPENED UP THE BOTTLE OF NEW FLUID AND SAW IT WAS YELLOW/CLEAR. SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THAT IF I OPEN THE THROTTLE UP WHILE CLIMBING AN INCLINE, I GET QUITE ALOT OF ENGINE REVS, BUT NO EXTRA TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE WHEEL. :0 IF I BABY THE THROTTLE, I GET MORE FORWARD MOTION.... I'M SCARED OF FINAL DRIVE FAILURE GETTING ME KILLED... PERHAPS I'M LESS LIKELY SINCE I GOT THE METAL CHIPS OUT, BUT NOW THE DRIVE ISN'T TRANSFERRING POWER... I DON'T KNOW, ANY HELP? THANKS! *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH, A HIGH FREQUENCY "BUZZ" WAS FELT IN THE MOTORCYCLE. AS WE WERE ON A CAUSE WAY COMING NORTH FROM KEY WEST, FL I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER TO INVESTIGATE. AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY, I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE WHEELS/TIRES ETC. NOTHING WAS NOTED. AFTER A FURTHER TWENTY MILES, WITH NO CHANGE IN THE VIBRATION, I WENT TO PULL OVER AGAIN, THIS TIME WHILE STOPPING, THE REAR BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE. LOOKING AT THE REAR WHEEL, OIL WAS OBSERVED DRIPPING ONTO THE BRAKE DISC AND THE TIRE WAS SPLATTERED WITH OIL. THE BIKE WAS PUT IN A TRUCK AND TAKEN TO MY DESTINATION, 2500 MILES AWAY. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY HOME, THE REAR WHEEL, AND FINAL DRIVE WERE REMOVED. THE FINAL DRIVE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND THE CROWN GEAR BEARING WAS FOUND FAILED. *JB

LEATHER HANDGRIPS ARE SLIPPERY, CONSUMER RIDES MOTORCYCLE WITH RUBBER BANDS WRAPPED AROUND THE THROTTLE, SO HIS HANDS DON'T SLIP. *SLC