2002 BMW F650GS Dakar

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.

THE FRONT AXLE DETACHED FROM THE RHS FORK LEG WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROX 50 KMH DOWN A WASHBOARD SECTION OF A GRAVEL ROAD. I HAD TIME TO LOCK THE REAR BRAKE WHICH SLOW ME DOWN CONSIDERABLY BEFORE FALLING DOWN TO THE RIGHT. OTHER PARTS OF THE MOTORCYCLE WERE DAMAGED.. IE: FRONT TURN SIGNAL, WINDSHIELD, LARGE SIDE PANEL, HANDLEBAR AND HAND PROTECTOR, RHS PANNIER. I DID NOT PURSUE THE MATTER AT THIS TIME, BUT HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENT THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN AUSTRALIA, USA INVOLVING THE PRE 2003 MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10410204

Incident

Jun 10, 2011

Mileage

42,500 mi

THE FRONT AXLE DETACHED FROM THE RHS FORK LEG WHILST TRAVELING AT APPROX 40KMS/HR DOWN A GRASSY LANE WAY IN A VINEYARD. THE RESULT WAS A VERY HEAVY FALL TO THE RIGHT INTO THE GROUND HEADFIRST & SUBSEQUENT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR A BADLY BRUISED NECK AND, THE DOCTOR'S TELL ME "SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN" I COMPLETELY DESTROYED A BMW PHASE III HELMET IN THE PROCESS. I BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AT THIS TIME EVEN THOUGH THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN AUSTRALIA DUE TO THE RECENT INCIDENT ALREADY REPORTED TO YOU & SHOWN NOW ON YOUR PUBLIC FILES. BMW AUSTRALIA CLAIMED TO ME AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS WORLDWIDE. I DID NOT BELIEVE THEM AT THE TIME BUT WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR PROJECT AND COULD NOT AFFORD THE TIME AWAY FROM THE PROJECT TO PURSUE THE MATTER. THE PARTS FROM MY INCIDENT WERE SENT TO GERMANY FOR STRESS TESTING AND SO THERE ARE RECORDS OF THE INCIDENT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT STRICTLY ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY. BMW CLAIMED TO ME THAT THE TESTING DID NOT SHOW ANY FAILURE IN THE METALS OF THE RHS FORK LEG AND THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING WHICH I DID NOT. I NOTED AT THE TIME THAT A REPLACEMENT RHS FORK LEG SUPPLIED IN THE REPAIR LOOKED DIFFERENT TO THE ONE WHICH WAS REMOVED BUT I HAVE ONLY JUST BEEN MADE AWARE THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE FORK LEG DURING EARLY 2003 AND ALL MACHINES PRODUCED POST JUNE 2003 ARE FITTED WITH THE REVISED CASTING. I AM NOW ALSO AWARE OF BETWEEN 7 AND 10 SIMILAR INCIDENTS MOSTLY IN THE USA. I WOULD BE PLEASED TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION IF YOU CONSIDER IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU. I AM A MOTOR CYCLIST WITH 35 YEARS AND IN EXCESS OF 1 MILLION KMS EXPERIENCE IN ALL WEATHER AND ALL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A PATTERN OF DENIAL IN THE RESPONSE OF BMW TO EACH OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED AN INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE WITH THE F650GS AND IT CONCERNS ME GREATLY THAT IF SOME COMMONSENSE DOES NOT OCCUR OTHERS WILL ALSO BE INJURED OR DIE. I PREFER THAT MY DETAILS REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244404

Incident

Aug 31, 2003

Mileage

4,200 mi

MOTORCYCLE ENGINE SURGED WHICH CAUSED BIKE TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. *TT

NHTSA ID

10021239

Incident

Jun 1, 2003

We have been notified by Showa, the manufacturer of the front forks for the F 650 Dakar model, that one of the four mounting bolts, attaching the fork stabilizer to the fork legs is incorrect

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.

BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM

BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

BMW VEHICLES: ROUTING ABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR CABLE. THE WIRING HARNESS FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR PERIPHERY PLUG CONNECTION IS MOUNTED ON THE FORK COVER AT THE BOTTOM. *PE