2009 BMW G 650 Gs US Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 BMW G 650 Gs US, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine342.9%
- Brakes114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Electrical114.3%
- Fuel system114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE FREQUENTLY STALLS AT IDLE, INCLUDING WHEN SLOWING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SOMETIMES IT STALLS BETWEEN GEARS IF NOT SHIFTING FAST ENOUGH, CREATING A DANGEROUS ENGINE OFF SCENARIO ON A HIGHWAY. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH OWNERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE. *TR
MY MOTORCYCLE WILL START AND RUN FOR A WHILE BUT WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHEN THE ENGINE GETS DOWN TO IDLE. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT PERSISTENT AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONE DAY, BE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS, AND THEN ARISE AGAIN. WHEN THE BIKE IS RUNNING AND I 'M UP AT SPEED IT RUNS FLAWLESSLY, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN THE BIKE DOESN'T WANT TO IDLE AND IT WILL DIE WHEN I COME TO A STOP OR IF I KEEP IN THE CLUTCH TOO LONG AND THE RPM DROPS TOO LOW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES WHERE I'VE COME TO A STOP, NEEDED TO GO ABRUPTLY, AND WASN'T ABLE TO BECAUSE MY BIKE HAD JUST DIED, CREATING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR ME SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF DANGER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW G 650 GS US MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM 5-10 MPH AND THE REAR FOOT BRAKE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT HAD TO UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,078.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING 30 MPH, THEN 5 MINUTES OF 45 MPH. THROTTLE WENT UNCONTROLLABLY TO FULL. ENGAGED CLUTCH, MOTOR RPM INCREASED VERY HIGH. DISENGAGED CLUTCH, ATTEMPTED THROTTLE CHANGE WITH NO EFFECT. PRESSED KILL SWITCH, COASTED TO STOP. MOTOR THEN FAILED TO START. BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO SERVICE. FIX WAS: "USED GT1 TO RESET ALL ADAPTATION VALUES". *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MOTORCYCLE WILL START AND RUN FOR A WHILE BUT WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHEN THE ENGINE GETS DOWN TO IDLE. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT PERSISTENT AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONE DAY, BE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS, AND THEN ARISE AGAIN. WHEN THE BIKE IS RUNNING AND I 'M UP AT SPEED IT RUNS FLAWLESSLY, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN THE BIKE DOESN'T WANT TO IDLE AND IT WILL DIE WHEN I COME TO A STOP OR IF I KEEP IN THE CLUTCH TOO LONG AND THE RPM DROPS TOO LOW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES WHERE I'VE COME TO A STOP, NEEDED TO GO ABRUPTLY, AND WASN'T ABLE TO BECAUSE MY BIKE HAD JUST DIED, CREATING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR ME SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF DANGER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 2009 BMW G650GS MOTORCYCLE HAS 1346 MILES ON IT. THIS AFTERNOON I WENT OUT FOR A RIDE AND FORTUNATELY I CUT THE RIDE SHORT BECAUSE AS I ROUNDED THE CORNER FOR MY HOME I SMELLED GASOLINE. AS I PULLED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY GAS WAS POURING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BIKE. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE SEAT OFF AND LIFTED THE COVER TO THE FUEL PUMP AND GAS WAS POURING OUT OF THE FUEL PUMP HOSE. TURNS OUT THE CLAMP ON THE FUEL PUMP HOSE HAD NEVER BEEN CRIMPED AND EVENTUALLY THE HOSE HAD WORKED ITS WAY LOOSE. I LUCKED OUT BECAUSE I COULD HAVE GONE DOWN IN A BLAZE OF GLORY. BMW NEEDS TO ADD THIS TO THEIR SAFETY CHECK LIST. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .