2008 BMW K1200 GT 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 2008 BMW K1200 GT, 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
- Brakes1440.0%
- Fuel system1131.4%
- Powertrain (other)822.9%
- Electrical12.9%
- Engine12.9%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ABS FAILED WITH NO WARNINGS, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. I BELEIVE THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT FAILIURE. HAPPEND ON MY BROTHERS BIKE AS WELL 2 MONTHS LATER. LESS THEN 30K MILES AND JUST PAST 3 YEARS... HAPPENED DURING RIDE ON FREEWAY ON FIRST USE OF BRAKE. I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE. BMW CLAIMED IT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT AND NOT A PROBLEM.
ABS PUMP FAILURE.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE ON THIS 2008 BMW K1200GT IS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE BELOW. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AS SEEN IN THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.ASPHALTANDRUBBER.COM/RECALL/BMW-FUEL-FLANGE-LEAK-RECALL-2020/ AND ALSO AT THE LINK BELOW WHICH SHOWS NHTSA'S LETTER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/RCL/2020/RCAK-20V471-2669.PDF ON MY MOTORCYCLE GAS IS LEAKING OUT FROM THE SAME FUEL PUMP FLANGE AND LEAKING DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE.. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD AS NOTED IN NHTSA'S REPORT. I HAVE INCLUDED A YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK BELOW THAT SHOWS HOW AND WHERE THE GAS IS LEAKING OUT FROM MY GAS TANK. THIS OCCURS IF THE BIKE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. SEE BELOW: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=PWUSMVRBN8M I AM ASKING THAT MY BMW MOTORCYCLE BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL AS IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 2008 K1200GT BIKES THAT WERE COVERED. I AM NOT SURE WHY MY BIKE WOULD NOT ALSO BE IN THAT RECALL.
FUEL LEVEL SENSOR FAILURE. RAN OUT OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE 90 WESTBOUND NEAR MITCHELL, SD. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/8 TANK OF FUEL. NO WARNING ISSUED BY MOTORCYCLE TO RIDER. BIKE JUST SUDDENLY SLOWED IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS 3RD TIME FOR THIS FAILURE.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
FIRST INDICATION OF THE FINAL DRIVE FAILING WAS A CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE REAR WHEN RUNNING OVER EXPANSION JOINTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED ,5/25/12 @ 15,784 MILES. THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL OIL LEAK. THE DEALER MADE REPAIR AT MY EXPENSE. SECOND FAILURE ON DAY TRIP 9/24/15 @ 26,687 NOTICED CLUNKING RIDING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT COMING FROM REAR OF BIKE,SPEED APPROXIMATELY 45MPH. AGAIN NO OIL LEAK AND WHEEL RIM AGAIN WOBBLES AT 9 AND 3 O'CLOCK AND 6 AND 12 O'CLOCK. TAKING TO DEALER 9/25/15 AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT SECOND FAILURE!
ON MY WAY HOME AFTER A 250 MILE RIDE, ABOUT 5 MILES FROM HOME WHEN I WOULD RIDE OVER A ROAD SEAM THE BIKE WOULD HESITATE. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I PUT THE BIKE ON CENTER STAND AND SHOOK REAR WHEEL AT FROM THE 3 TO 9 O'CLOCK POSITIONS, THERE WAS AT LEAST 3/8" OF AN INCH PLAY SIDE TO SIDE AND 6AND 12 O'CLOCK. THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL OIL LEAKING FROM FINAL DRIVE. I CALLED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE SERVICE.BROUGHT BIKE IN 5/25/12 WAS TOLD THE BEARING FAILED IN FINAL DRIVE. COST OF REPAIR $888.58, HAD FINAL DRIVE REPAIRED AND PICKED UP 5/31/12. THIS WAS AN EXPENSE THAT THEY DID NOT COVER! *TR
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE BIKE AS DEVELOPED A LOW SPEED LOW RPM HESITATION AND STALLING, IT IS A REAL DANGER WHEN IT SUDDENLY CLEARS AND THE BIKE WILL ACCELERATE HARD, MAKING REAR WHEEL TRACTION A CONCERN. THE BIKE RUNS WELL AND HIGHER RPM AND SPEEDS WITH GOOD ,NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION AROUND 40 MPG, IN TOWN LOW SPEED STUMBLING MPG IS FROM A LOW OF 27 TO 32 MPG. THE LOCAL DEALER HAS THE BIKE FOR THE 4TH WEEK AND SEEM TO THINK ALL IS WELL, " THEY ALL SEEM TO DO IT ". WAS ONE STATEMENT MADE ON THE PHONE. I FEEL THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE WARRANTY TO EXPIRE AND SUDDENLY HAVE A FIX. *TR
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
THE BIKE AS DEVELOPED A LOW SPEED LOW RPM HESITATION AND STALLING, IT IS A REAL DANGER WHEN IT SUDDENLY CLEARS AND THE BIKE WILL ACCELERATE HARD, MAKING REAR WHEEL TRACTION A CONCERN. THE BIKE RUNS WELL AND HIGHER RPM AND SPEEDS WITH GOOD ,NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION AROUND 40 MPG, IN TOWN LOW SPEED STUMBLING MPG IS FROM A LOW OF 27 TO 32 MPG. THE LOCAL DEALER HAS THE BIKE FOR THE 4TH WEEK AND SEEM TO THINK ALL IS WELL, " THEY ALL SEEM TO DO IT ". WAS ONE STATEMENT MADE ON THE PHONE. I FEEL THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE WARRANTY TO EXPIRE AND SUDDENLY HAVE A FIX. *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 .