2019 BMW K1600B 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 2019 BMW K1600B, 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
- Steering440.0%
- Suspension440.0%
- Driver assistance110.0%
- Fuel system110.0%
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
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I'm a recent owner of this motorcycle and have experienced a consistent feeling of what motorcyclists refer to as a "Death wobble" or at a minimum the beginnings of one. It happens during interstate highway speeds and predominantly during heavy traffic and it's magnified even more while approaching and passing tractor-trailers. I've been riding motorcycles both competitively as well as for personal use for well over 40 years and have NEVER experienced this phenomenon with any other motorcycle I've owned, well over 30 different models at this point. The only times I have experienced this type of behavior from a motorcycle was during High-speed racing and, as with this bike, I've been able to correct it by SLOWLY reducing speeds. However, With this bike it's during normal highway speeds (usually around 70+) while approaching traffic. Semi-trailers seem to be the worst culprits, but it happens with regular vehicles as well. Any disturbance in the bike's slipstream seems to cause the wobble. The bike never really loses control but it feels like [XXX] (to put it bluntly) and it forces you to either backoff or try and get around the traffic as quickly as possible. If it is a windy day, the problem is exponentially exacerbated to the point that is truly unsafe to ride. Again, I have NEVER experienced this with any other motorcycle, not even a BMW GT650 Scooter handled traffic as bad as this bike. I feel as there is some sort of defect with the design of the bike that causes this "wobble" when it encounters unstable air. For reference, I also test drove a 2021 version of the exact bike and it experiences the same affects as my 2019 model does. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2 ISSUES 1. WHEN REACHING SPEEDS OF 60+ BIKE SHAKES VIOLENTLY DURING HIGH WINDS OR BEHIND TRUCKS. SWITCHING LANES IS EVEN MORE SCARY. TO ENHANCE THIS ISSUE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RAISE YOUR WIND SCREEN FULLY AND OPEN UP THE AIR VENTS ON THE SIDES OF THE BIKE. FOR HAVE YOUR PSI ON TIRES AT 40 OR BELOW. 2. WHEN IN RAIN MODE, WHEN I ACCELERATED PASS THE CAP. THE BIKE VIOLENTED STARTED TO RETARD ITSELF SLOWING THE BIKE DOWN BUT THE ENGINE MAKING A VUT VUT VUT VUT SOUND WHILE DOING IT. I HAD NO THROTTLE RESPOND. WHEN I MAKE TO A FULL STOP AND PUT THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WAS STILL MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT. I DID A FULL CYCLE AND AND OFF THE BIKE AND THE BIKE WENT TO NORMAL AGAIN. 3. REAR SPEAKERS BLOW AFTER LONG DISTANCE RIDING AT HIGH VOLUME. THIS HAPPEN TWICE ALREADY. ISSUE OF #2 UPLOAD FAULT CODE SHOWN BY MY GS-911 THERE WERE MORE FAULT CODES BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD MORE THEN ONE.
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
I'm a recent owner of this motorcycle and have experienced a consistent feeling of what motorcyclists refer to as a "Death wobble" or at a minimum the beginnings of one. It happens during interstate highway speeds and predominantly during heavy traffic and it's magnified even more while approaching and passing tractor-trailers. I've been riding motorcycles both competitively as well as for personal use for well over 40 years and have NEVER experienced this phenomenon with any other motorcycle I've owned, well over 30 different models at this point. The only times I have experienced this type of behavior from a motorcycle was during High-speed racing and, as with this bike, I've been able to correct it by SLOWLY reducing speeds. However, With this bike it's during normal highway speeds (usually around 70+) while approaching traffic. Semi-trailers seem to be the worst culprits, but it happens with regular vehicles as well. Any disturbance in the bike's slipstream seems to cause the wobble. The bike never really loses control but it feels like [XXX] (to put it bluntly) and it forces you to either backoff or try and get around the traffic as quickly as possible. If it is a windy day, the problem is exponentially exacerbated to the point that is truly unsafe to ride. Again, I have NEVER experienced this with any other motorcycle, not even a BMW GT650 Scooter handled traffic as bad as this bike. I feel as there is some sort of defect with the design of the bike that causes this "wobble" when it encounters unstable air. For reference, I also test drove a 2021 version of the exact bike and it experiences the same affects as my 2019 model does. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2 ISSUES 1. WHEN REACHING SPEEDS OF 60+ BIKE SHAKES VIOLENTLY DURING HIGH WINDS OR BEHIND TRUCKS. SWITCHING LANES IS EVEN MORE SCARY. TO ENHANCE THIS ISSUE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RAISE YOUR WIND SCREEN FULLY AND OPEN UP THE AIR VENTS ON THE SIDES OF THE BIKE. FOR HAVE YOUR PSI ON TIRES AT 40 OR BELOW. 2. WHEN IN RAIN MODE, WHEN I ACCELERATED PASS THE CAP. THE BIKE VIOLENTED STARTED TO RETARD ITSELF SLOWING THE BIKE DOWN BUT THE ENGINE MAKING A VUT VUT VUT VUT SOUND WHILE DOING IT. I HAD NO THROTTLE RESPOND. WHEN I MAKE TO A FULL STOP AND PUT THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WAS STILL MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT. I DID A FULL CYCLE AND AND OFF THE BIKE AND THE BIKE WENT TO NORMAL AGAIN. 3. REAR SPEAKERS BLOW AFTER LONG DISTANCE RIDING AT HIGH VOLUME. THIS HAPPEN TWICE ALREADY. ISSUE OF #2 UPLOAD FAULT CODE SHOWN BY MY GS-911 THERE WERE MORE FAULT CODES BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD MORE THEN ONE.
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
2 ISSUES 1. WHEN REACHING SPEEDS OF 60+ BIKE SHAKES VIOLENTLY DURING HIGH WINDS OR BEHIND TRUCKS. SWITCHING LANES IS EVEN MORE SCARY. TO ENHANCE THIS ISSUE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RAISE YOUR WIND SCREEN FULLY AND OPEN UP THE AIR VENTS ON THE SIDES OF THE BIKE. FOR HAVE YOUR PSI ON TIRES AT 40 OR BELOW. 2. WHEN IN RAIN MODE, WHEN I ACCELERATED PASS THE CAP. THE BIKE VIOLENTED STARTED TO RETARD ITSELF SLOWING THE BIKE DOWN BUT THE ENGINE MAKING A VUT VUT VUT VUT SOUND WHILE DOING IT. I HAD NO THROTTLE RESPOND. WHEN I MAKE TO A FULL STOP AND PUT THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WAS STILL MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT. I DID A FULL CYCLE AND AND OFF THE BIKE AND THE BIKE WENT TO NORMAL AGAIN. 3. REAR SPEAKERS BLOW AFTER LONG DISTANCE RIDING AT HIGH VOLUME. THIS HAPPEN TWICE ALREADY. ISSUE OF #2 UPLOAD FAULT CODE SHOWN BY MY GS-911 THERE WERE MORE FAULT CODES BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD MORE THEN ONE.
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
The fuel pump failed in a way that it soaked my left leg with fuel while riding the motorcycle. My safety was at risk from major burns if the fuel had ignited on the exhaust. No warning lights came on.
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 .