2005 BMW K1200LT 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 2005 BMW K1200LT, 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
- Fuel system942.9%
- Powertrain (other)419.0%
- Brakes314.3%
- Suspension314.3%
- Driver assistance14.8%
- Steering14.8%
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
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINE COUPLERS WERE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,839.
MAJOR GAS LEAK WHILE DRIVING - SPRAYED GAS ON RIGHT LEG AND FOOT. MY PANTS LEG, SOCK, AND SHOE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WERE COMPLETELY SOAKED WITH GAS. DECIDED TO HAVE THE BIKE TOWED INSTEAD OF RISKING IT REPAIR PLACE SAID IT WAS THE PLASTIC GAS CONNECTOR AND HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO ORDER A METAL ONE. SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE CHAT ROOMS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. *TR
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *TR
REAR WHEEL STARTED MAKING A DRAGGING SOUND AND SEEMED TO BE ON INSIDE OF ROTOR. THOUGHT IT WAS AN OCCLUSION IN THE CASTING BUT THE WHEEL BEARING RETAINER IN THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING WAS CONING OUT. UPON INSPECTION AT DEALER IT WAS FOUND THE BEARING HAD BEEN OBLITERATED WHEN THE BEARING MOVED FROM ITS SPOT INSIDE THE REAR HUB. DEALER WILL REPLACE REAR WHEEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY. *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 2005 BMW K1200LT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE BRAKES SEIZED WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO HIS LEFT LEG AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER INSPECTION, THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE BUT WERE UNAWARE OF CODE READING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD SEND THE INFORMATION TO GERMANY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 45,000.*TR
THE REAR BRAKE ROTOR ON MY 2005 BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE IS DEFECTIVE AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE FLOATING POINTS ON THE ROTOR HAVE MELTED ALLOWING THE ROTOR TO MOVE IN ALL DIRECTIONS CAUSING THE ABS MODULATOR TO ACTIVATE ON ANY BRAKING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE RIDING IN TO A LEFT HANDED CORNER THE FRONT RIGHT FRONT LEG BROKE STANDING THE MOTORCYCLE STRAIGHT UP AND SENDING ME AND THE BIKE INTO THE GUARDRAIL CAUSING A CRASH THAT I WAS LUCKY TO WALK AWAY FROM. *TR
THE UPPER THREADED PORTION OF THE SHAFT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT BROKE OFF, WHICH IS THE CONNECTION POINT FROM THE LEADING LINK TO THE FRONT FORK BRIDGE, AN INTEGRAL PART OF BMW'S TELELEVER FRONT SUSPENSION. LOSS OF THIS CONNECTION POINT ALLOWS THE FRONT FORKS TO MOVE FRONT TO REAR CAUSING DANGEROUS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. NORMAL OPERATION OF THE TELELEVER SUSPENSION EXERTS FORCES WHICH ARE LONGITUDINAL ALONG THE BALL JOINT SHAFT. THE BALL JOINT SHAFT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SIDEWAYS SHEAR FORCE, SO THE SHAFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. THE METAL IN THE SHAFT MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AT MANUFACTURE IN ORDER FOR THE LONGITUDINAL FORCE ALONG THE SHAFT AXIS TO HAVE BROKEN OFF THE THREADED PORTION OF THE BALL JOINT SHAFT. *TR
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
PURCHASED A NEW BMW K1200RS IN AUGUST 2004, EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL. THE THROTTLE IS EXTREMELY STIFF AND WHILE RIDING ON LOCAL AND/OR BACK ROADS, THE RIGHT HAND BECOMES FATIGUED TO THE POINT OF NUMBNESS. THE RIGHT HAND NOT ONLY CONTROLS THE THROTTLE, BUT THE INTEGRATED ABS BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE UNIT. HAVE SPOKEN WITH SELLING DEALER, TAMPA BMW @ 813-926-9937 AND THEY ADVISE THAT ALL OF THE THROTTLES ARE THAT WAY IF THE UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH CRUIS CONTROL AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THE SUGGEST THAT CRUISE CONTROL BE DISCONNECTED. SINCE THE BRAKING CAPACITY IS HINDERED BY THIS SITUATION, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. OTHER BMW OWNERS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE SAME PROBLEM AND ARE ALSO BLOWN OFF BY THE SERVICING DEALER AND BMW.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE UPPER THREADED PORTION OF THE SHAFT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT BROKE OFF, WHICH IS THE CONNECTION POINT FROM THE LEADING LINK TO THE FRONT FORK BRIDGE, AN INTEGRAL PART OF BMW'S TELELEVER FRONT SUSPENSION. LOSS OF THIS CONNECTION POINT ALLOWS THE FRONT FORKS TO MOVE FRONT TO REAR CAUSING DANGEROUS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. NORMAL OPERATION OF THE TELELEVER SUSPENSION EXERTS FORCES WHICH ARE LONGITUDINAL ALONG THE BALL JOINT SHAFT. THE BALL JOINT SHAFT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SIDEWAYS SHEAR FORCE, SO THE SHAFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. THE METAL IN THE SHAFT MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AT MANUFACTURE IN ORDER FOR THE LONGITUDINAL FORCE ALONG THE SHAFT AXIS TO HAVE BROKEN OFF THE THREADED PORTION OF THE BALL JOINT SHAFT. *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 .