2002 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.

1. "WOBBLE" IN THE FRONT FORKS OF MY F650GS FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. THEN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FORK CASTING FROM THE WHEEL HUB OF THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY 2002 F650GS. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THROUGH A ROUND-ABOUT IN WOODINVILLE, WA WHEN IT FAILED. 2. AFTER COMING OUT OF A ROUND ABOUT NORTH BOUND ON THE WOODINVILLE-REDMOND ROAD IN WOODINVILLE, WA GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. THE CASTING FAILED. SO FAR, THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE BIKE, MY HELMET, MY GLOVES, MY RIDING JACKET (WITH BODY ARMOUR), AND DISLOCATED SHOULDER TO MY PERSON WITH POTENTIAL TENDON AND LIGAMENT DAMAGE TO MY SHOULDER. 3. SO FAR THE BIKE IS IN THE LOCAL BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP (RIDE WEST SEATTLE) AND IS WAITING FOR THE ESTIMATES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10359375

Incident

Oct 2, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW F650GS. WHILE RIDING AT 65 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE, WOBBLED, AND PROCEEDED TO THROW THE CONTACT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE HANDLE BARS DISCONNECTED AND NO LONGER CONTROLLED THE STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, BUT THE VEHICLE SLID ACROSS THE ASPHALT AND THE ENTIRE FRONT WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FRACTURES TO HER LEFT FOREARM AND HAND. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE WAS AIRLIFTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. UPDATED 10/28/08 *BF UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10238415

Incident

Aug 2, 2008

Mileage

30,000 mi

THE FUEL TANK PROBLEM IS A DEFECT OR SMALL CRACK IN THE PLASTIC. FUEL SEEPS OUT AND PUDDLES UNDER THE SEAT. I PLAN TO SAVE THE OLD PART WHEN THE DEALER FIXES TEH PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. ON AN INTERNET DISCUSSION SITE I SAW TWO OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE AND YEAR. THE ENGINE/FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM IS STALLING. MOTORCYCLE WILL RUN FINE FOR MANY WEEKS AND THEN IT WILL STALL AT ANY SPEED INTERMITTENTLY. ONCE THE MOTORCYCLE IS SHUT OFF (KEY IN OFF POSITION) AND TURNED BACK ON IT WILL START AND RUN FINE. THERE IS SLIGHT SURGING PROBLEM TOO. THIS SURGING PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE NOT KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED WHEN THE THROTTLE IS HELD IN A FIXED POSITION.

NHTSA ID

765847

Incident

May 2, 2002

REAR VIEW MIRRORS OF BMW F650GS MOTORCYCLE FOLD BACK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN TEMPERATURES ABOVE 85 DEGREES. THIS CAUSES LOSS OF ABILITY TO SEE BEHIND VEHICLE. MIRRORS WILL NOT STAY ADJUSTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

764290

Incident

Jul 7, 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.