2014 BMW G650GS Sertao 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 2014 BMW G650GS Sertao, 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
- Electrical266.7%
- Engine133.3%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER THE SECOND BMW RECALL, I PICK UP THE MOTORCYCLE ON 01/05/18. AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THE MOTORCYCLE CAN'T MAINTAIN IDLE OR STALL BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP. BMW DEALER DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT, SINCE THIS IS A POSSIBLE SOFTWARE/FUEL MAP PROBLEM. IT'S NOT SAFE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE SPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC SITUATIONS.
ENGINE STILL DIES WHEN YOU PULL THE CLUTCH LEVER IN. I HAVE HAD TWO BMW SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGNS PERFORMED (16V-689 AND 15V-537) ON THIS MOTORCYCLE FOR THIS ISSUE, AND IT IS STILL NO OPERATING CORRECTLY OR SAFELY. I COULD GET INJURED OR KILLED BY THE BIKE STALLING. THE BIKE STALLS WHEN MOVING AT ANY SPEED, GENERALLY STALLS WHEN SLOWING, AND PULLING THE CLUTCH LEVER, COMING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ROUND ABOUT, STOP SIGN, OR JUST COMING TO A STOP, HOT OR COLD.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
PROBLEM ONE: MOTORCYCLE GETS OVERHEAT VERY EASY AND THE FAN STARTS TO OPERATE SOON THEN ANTICIPATE, BLOWS THE HOT AIR INTO THE DRIVERS RIGHT SIDE LEG, MAKING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO OPERATE IN TRAFFIC. TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT COMFORTABLE, DRIVER MUST OPEN THE LEG FAIR AWAY FROM THE NORMAL SEAT POSITION AND FAIR AWAY FROM THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL. THESE IS NOT A SAFE WAY TO RIDE AND MUST BE FIX. THERE IS A LOT COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS SITUATION IN THE BMW FORUMS AND BMW KEEP SAYS IT'S "NORMAL". PROBLEM 2: THE KICKSTAND POSITION IN THESE MODEL WAS ADAPTED FROM A REGULAR VERSION OF THE BMW G650GS, WHICH IS 2 INCHES LOWER, THE BMW SERTAO IT'S 2 INCHES TALLER AND BMW ONLY EXTENDED THE KICKSTAND, THE ANGLE WHERE THEY WELDED IN THE FRAME IT'S WRONG, PLUS THERE IS A LARGE GAP IN BETWEEN THE MOUNTING TO THE KICKSTAND, ONCE YOU STOP, OPEN THE STAND AND PARK TO THE LEFT, THE KICKSTAND MOVE AROUND 2 INCHES FARTHER LEFT AND MAKING A POTENTIAL STRESS IN THE MATERIAL OR THE MOUNTING. IF THE METAL BRAKES WHEN THE RIDER MOUNTING THE MOTORCYCLE, THE LEFT LEG WILL BE TRAPPED UNDER THE MOTORCYCLE, AND THE 420 POUNDS MOTORCYCLE WILL CRASH AND POTENTIAL BRAKE HE LEG TOO. THERE IT'S A LOT REPORTS ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT'S TO PUT THE MOTORCYCLE BACK IN THE RIDING POSITION AFTER PARKING, THE RIDER MUST USES ABNORMAL STRENGTH TO PUSH OR LIFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE, THESE COULD LEAD ALSO TO A BACK PROBLEMS, SHOULDER OR LEG PROBLEMS, AGAIN FOR BMW IT'S "NORMAL" A PROCEDURE.
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 .