2001 BMW F 650 Gs

THIS PE WAS OPENED AFTER NHTSA RECEIVED 3 VOQS CONCERNING ALLEGED FRONT AXLE SEPARATIONS ON CERTAIN BMW F650 GS MODEL MOTORCYCLES SOLD FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES (THE SUBJECT VEHICLES).COMPLAINTS INVOLVING MOTORCYCLES IN NON-US MARKETS ARE NOT COUNTED IN THIS TOTAL.AFTER GATHERING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, WE ARE NOW AWARE OF FOUR CONFIRMED INCIDENTS INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 2001-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ALL FOUR BIKES WERE BUILT BEFORE SEPTEMBER, 2002.OF THESE, TWO INVOLVE MY 2001 BIKES AND THE OTHER TWO, MY'S 2002 AND 2003, RESPECTIVELY.THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN 2002, 2003, AND TWO IN 2008.IN EACH INSTANCE, THE LUG FRACTURES ARE FORCED FRACTURES RATHER THAN FATIGUE-RELATED.BETWEEN OCTOBER 1999 AND SEPTEMBER, 2002, BMW BUILT APPROXIMATELY 4,300 SUBJECT VEHICLES.AFTER SEPTEMBER 12, 2002, ALL F650GS'S WERE BUILT WITH REINFORCED LOWER FORK TUBES TO REDUCE, ACCORDING TO BMW,THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SIGNIFICANT FRACTURE THAT COULD OCCUR AT THE FORK LEG AXLE LUG AREADURING A CRASH.BMW TOOK THIS ACTION BECAUSE THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED FOR OFF-ROAD USE WHERE CRASHES (MANY MINOR) ARE COMMON AND DID NOT WANT RIDERS TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A BROKEN FORK AS A RESULT.CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO DATA CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHING THAT THE SUBJECT FORK LUGS ARE SEPARATING BEFORE AN ALLEGED CRASH OCCURS.ADDITIONALLY, THE INFREQUENT, SPORADIC, AND RANDOM NATURE OF THE FAILURES FAILS TO ESTABLISH A DEFECT TREND CURRENTLY EXISTS.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

2001 BMW F650GS FRONT FORK FAILURE - WHILE RIDING ON SMOOTH ASPHALT MY MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FORK FAILURE DURING DECELERATION - BRAKING CAUSING THE AXLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE FORK AND CAUSING A ONE VEHICLE COLLISION RIDING IT INTO THE ESPLANADE - WHERE THE AXLE RETAINER BOLT SECURES THE AXLE. REPAIRS COMPLETED - REPLACE BOTH UPPER FORK TUBES / RIGHT SIDE LOWER AND REBUILD COST $800 CDN OLD LOWER - FAILURE IS AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285955

Incident

Jun 30, 2003

Mileage

14,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A LOW SPEED <=45 MPH MOTORCYCLE CRASH WITH A MEDIUM SIZED DOG (APPROX 50 LBS) BACK IN THE FALL OF 2005. I WAS RIDING A 2001 BMW F650 WHEN THE DOG RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I COULDN'T AVOID HITTING IT. I APPROXIMATE THE SPEED OF IMPACT AROUND 45 MPH. I SUBSEQUENTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND SLIDE ALONG THE PAVEMENT FOR APPROX 300 FT. THE DAMAGE TO THE BIKE CONSISTED OF A BROKEN FRONT FORK AND BENT FRONT WHEEL RIM. I HAD THE BIKE REPAIRED AND INSURANCE COVERED MOST OF THE DAMAGES TO THE BIKE. I DID SUFFER A KNEE INJURY IN THE CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280426

Incident

Sep 25, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

-MOTORCYCLE -BMW 2001 F650GS -SUNNY DAY -STRAIGHT, RURAL CITY STREET -35MPH -CROSSED RAILROAD TRACKS -60FT LATER FELT BRAKING FROM FRONT TIRE, THEN BIKE SLID OVER TO LEFT, ME TO RIGHT -PERSONAL INJURY: BROKEN COLLAR BONE, BRUISES, MEDIUM ROAD RASH, 10 HOURS AT HOSPITAL -FRONT FORK AXLE FLANGE WAS BROKEN, INTACT, FROM MAIN CYLINDRICAL SHOCK HOUSE, AS IF SOMEONE CUT THE FLANGE OUT OF THE CYLINDRICAL SHOCK. -NEW FRONT SHOCK WAS PURCHASED, AND NEW SHOCK HAS DESIGN CHANGE THAT INCLUDES A STRESS RELIEVING GUSSET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252808

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

Mileage

1,400 mi

MY WIFE'S MOTORCYCLE, A BMW F650GS SEEMED TO BE SMELLING OF GASOLINE WHILE RUNNING IT. THE LEAK WAS NOT EVIDENT IN DRIPS OR A PUDDLE SO I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE THE BIKE WHILE CONSEQUENTLY DOING OTHER MAINTENANCE. I FOUND A PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDER THE SEAT, ON TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AREA. UPON CLOSER INVESTIGATION I FOUND A PIN HOLE SIZED LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK ITSELF, FROM WHICH FUEL WAS SPRAYING IN A STREAM. INVESTIGATING CLOSER I FOUND THAT THERE ARE MINUTE CRACKS ON THE TOP OF THE SAME AREA, AND FUEL WAS COMING UP THROUGH THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236289

Incident

Jul 26, 2008

Mileage

44,261 mi

I BOUGHT A BMW MOTORCYCLE ABOUT 3 1/2 YEARS AGO. IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. IT WAS RECALLED FOR FAULTY REAR BRAKE, SEVERAL FUEL INJECTION SOFTWARE UPGRAGES DUE TO HORRIBLE STALLING PROBLEMS, AND ON THE MESSAGE BOARD DEVOTED TO THE BMW 650 GS, I HEAR OF A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL FAILINGS. MINE STALLED SINCE NEW, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THEIR SOFTWAR UPGRADES THAT SOMETIMES MADE THINGS BETTER AND SOMETIMES NOT. NOW IT STALLS VERY BADLY AGAIN, BUT IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I WOULD BE FORCED TO PAY BMW'S OUTRAGEIOUS SHOP RATES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND FIXED. BY THE WAY, EVEN WHEN BMW WAS COMING OUT WITH SEVERAL SOFTWARE UPGRADES, THEY CONTINTUALLY DENIED THE PROBLEM. MY BIKE STALLS SO BADLY THAT I AM AFRAID TO RIDE IT FOR FEAR IT WILL STALL AT A TIME WHEN MY SAFETY WILL BE PUT IN JEOPARDY. SO, AT 3 1/2 YEARS OLD, IT HAS ONLY 4,000 MILES ON IT. THE WORST THING I HAVE HEARD OF LATE IS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE '01 MODELS (WHICH I HAVE) LEAKING GAS! WHAT'S NEXT?! ALL THE BIKES SHOULD BE RECALLED TO BOTH FIX THE DANGEROUS GAS LEAKS AND THE DANGEROUS STALLING PROBLEM. THE WAY MOST OWNERS ARE DEALING WITH THE STALLING IS TO DISCONNECT EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES, WHICH GREATLY IMPROVES DRIVEABILITY, BUT OF COURES THEN IT PRODUCES A LOT MORE, PROBABLY VIOLATING ALL THE POLLUTION STANDARDS. I HAVE REFUSED TO DO THAT, SO I AM STILL STUCK WITH A VIRTUALLY UNDRIVABLE MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE I WILL NOT DISCONNECT THE 02 SENSOR OR THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER JUST TO MAKE IT RUN. YET THESE ARE ABOUT THE ONLY TYPES OF FIXES THAT SEEM TO WORK. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. YOU CAN FIND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT BMW'S DEFECTS, AND THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS IN DEALING WITH THEM BY VISITING A MESSAGE BOARD AT F650.COM. THESE BIKES ARE A HAZARD TO BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO THE SAFETY OF THEIR RIDERS.*MR

NHTSA ID

10073256

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED IT WOULD PERFORM PROPERLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED A STRONG SMELL OF GAS WAS PRESENT. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10052125

Incident

Dec 30, 2003

Mileage

500 mi

YEAR 2001 BMW F650GS MOTORCYCLE. FOR NO IDENTIFIABLE REASON, THE ENGINE IDLE DROPS TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE STALLS. IF YOU KNOW TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF THEN ON AGAIN, THE IDLE WILL BE RESTORED WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS STARTED.

NHTSA ID

10051378

Incident

Dec 29, 2003

Mileage

14,000 mi

MIRROR ON 2001 BMW F650 GS MOTORCYCLE FOLDS BACK. STARTED ON HOT DAY. NOW FOLDS BACK AT 20 MPH. *PH

NHTSA ID

10030496

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

The motorcycle will not start. The vehicle battery is empty even though the battery charger was permanently connected to the 12V power socket.

Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special accessories catalog for the GS models.

Vehicle battery not charged despite the battery charger being connected to the on-board socket (manufactured before 2009)Headlights and rear lights light up intermittently despite the ignition being switched off and the battery charger being connected to the on-board socket.

The clutch plates do not tolerate frequent and prolonged operation at the clutch friction zone, causing a shorter service life in motorcycles that see intensive use

The wiring harness of the F 650 GS and F 650 GS Dakar (R13) models is routed along the right-hand top rail of the frame. Weld spatter on the frame and/or adverse routing in the vicinity of the banjo bolt of the hydraulic spring base adjuster can result in the chafing of the wiring harness.

Leaks have been reported in fork legs. The cause is reported be from oil lubricating film with accompanying dirt/grease ring is incorrectly interpreted to be a leaking fork leg. Investigations have shown that the part is not defective.