Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 BMW R1100 RT, most frequently naming the engine, fuel system and powertrain (other) categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 3 months of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW R1100 RT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE AND HE NOTICED A LEAK OF UNKNOWN FLUIDS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE VUE PORT HAD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR A REDESIGNED VUE PORT OF THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000.
I HAVE HAD 2 FAILURES OF THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING ON MY 1997 BMW R100RT. FIRST WAS AT 36K MILES,BEARING FAILED AND POURED OIL ALL OVER REAR WHEEL WHEN SEAL DESTRUCTED BECAUSE PIECES OF THE BEARING ATE IT UP. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL,AS WHEEL WAS COVERED WITH 80W90 GEAR OIL,ALSO WHEEL WAS WOBBLY. I HAD A SECOND FAILURE AT 60K MILES. O WAS RIDING THE BIKE AND FELT A VIBRATION. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING A FLAT TIRE,SO I PULLED OVER TO CHECK IT. I COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG SO I KEPT RIDING. THE VIBRAATION KEPT GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NO LONGER RIDE THE BIKE,FEARING FOR MY SAFETY.I CALLED FOR A TOW,BROUGHT THE BIKE HOME WHERE I FOUND THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILED,BUT DIDN`T HARM THE SEAL YRT. BOTH TIMES I REPLACED THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING AND OIL SEAL.IF I WAS A LESS EXPERIENCED RIDER,I FEEL THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH WITH SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. UPDATED 01-16-08. *KB UPDATED
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CAUSES DANGEROUS SURGING OF SPEED WHILE RIDING MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM RELATED TO THIS MODEL AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADDRESS IT. UNANTICIPATED CHANGES IN SPEED CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
BMW MOTORCYCLE: ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING ETHANOL. BMW MOTORRAD HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE USE OF SI ENGINE FUELS CONTAINING UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10% ETHANOL AND IMPOSES NO WARRANTY RESTRICTIONS. ETHANOL MIXTURES IN PROPORTIONS HIGHER THAN 10% CAN HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE AND CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS THAT COME INTO CONTRACT WITH FUEL. NO WARRANTY CLAIMS WHATSOEVER FOR DAMAGE CAUSED IN THIS WAY WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.