Bmw K1200 S problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
48 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
15,675 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 to 2010 model years. Data snapshot: . 44 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 48 complaints (39.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 17 | 35.4% |
| Braking behavior | 11 | 22.9% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 20.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 6.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 19 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 19; Fuel System, Gasoline: 9; Service Brakes: 9; Engine: 4; Electrical System: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 37 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2006: 2; 2007: 2; 2008: 1; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 2; 2012: 7; 2013: 10; 2014: 9; 2015: 1; 2016: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 17 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10214261 · 2008-01-09 (January 9, 2008)
(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE (MOTORCYCLE), NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE SAME FAILURE HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES (TWICE WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD (3/36) AND ONCE OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. (2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE CONNECTORS BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL RAIL CRACK AND LEAK FUEL. ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE PERSONAL AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE): THE FACTORY (PLASTIC) …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10214261 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340775 · 2010-06-30 (June 30, 2010)
2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE. QUICK DISCONNECTS ON HIGH PRESSURE SIDE OF FUEL LINE, LOCATED BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTORS ARE POORLY MADE OF NYLON AND WEAR OUT. MY MOTORCYCLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED AND ONLY HAS 8,734 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL BMW SHOP KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND WILL REPLACE THE QDS WITH A METAL VERSION. I NOTICED THE LEAK (SPRAY) IN MY GARAGE AND FEEL [XXX] LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AY 70 MPH AND IN FLAMES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VERIFY THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM, JUST LOOK TO THE BMW TECH FORUMS ON TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,734 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340775 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10178896 · 2007-01-17 (January 17, 2007)
TL* -THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF HIS MOTORCYCLE A 2004 BMW K1200 S. THE CONTACT TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RIVETS ON THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY WERE SEPARATING FROM THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONTACT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES. THE BMW DEALER SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS, BUT NOT THE LABOR. THE 2004 K1200 BMW MOTORCYCLE HAS 43,000 MILES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10178896 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11183945 · 2019-03-04 (March 4, 2019)
ABS SYSTEM FAILED AT 26K, UPON RESEARCH,FOUND THIS TO BE VERY COMMON TO THIS YEAR/MODEL, AND ,OF COURSE, VERY DANGEROUS ON A MOTORCYCLE.A REPLACEMENT ABS UNIT COST IS MORE THAT THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE!, AS A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, I CAN'T AFFORD THIS RIDICULOUS EXPENSE,ANS AS A RESULT,HAVE REMOVED THE SYSTEM, RESULTING IN NO POWER BRAKES,NO ABS, AND NO SPEEDOMETER.
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11183945 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175239 · 2006-12-05 (December 5, 2006)
2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED REPEATEDLY WHEN CLOSING THE THROTTLE TO SLOW WHILE MAKING A CORNER, OR WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL. THE MOST RECENT WAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BELL RD AND THE I-17 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX ARIZONA IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON NOV. 17, 2005. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, WEST BOUND ON BELL RD. THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WHILE DOING 25 MPH. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT MY REAR TIRE BUT MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN TO MISS ME. AFTER FINISHING THE TURN WI…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175239 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10464244 · 2012-07-05 (July 5, 2012)
WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD: THE BIKE STALLS WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOPLIGHT WITH CLOSED THROTTLE AND THE CLUTCH IN. THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM: 1. THE ENGINE SURGES IN THE FIRST 3 GEARS AT LOWER SPEEDS (UNDER 30MPH) WITH THE THROTTLE BARELY CRACKED OPEN, AND THE ON/OFF IDLE RESPONSE IS ROUGH. THIS REQUIRES DILIGENT CLUTCH WORK TO SMOOTH OUT. 2. IF I REV THE ENGINE FROM IDLE WITH THE CLUTCH IN, THE REVS HANG AND THEN SLOWLY DECREASE BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. 3. REVS HANG ON ACCELERATION AFT…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10464244 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175694 · 2006-12-10 (December 10, 2006)
MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE FREQUENTLY SLIPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. OCCASIONALLY, I CANNOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WILL STAY IN NEUTRAL. THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LESS THAN 500 MI. AGO AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL ACTING AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175694 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10303862 · 2010-02-02 (February 2, 2010)
BMW MOTORCYCLE REAR DRIVE FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE REAR DRIVE UNIT ON MY 2005 BMW K1200S MOTORCYCLE OVER THE PAST 45,000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE (12,000 MILES) RESULTED IN LATERAL PLAY OF ABOUT 1/2 INCH AT THE TIRE CONTACT ZONE. UNIT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE (40,000) WAS OF THE INPUT BEARING RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ALL BEARINGS. ONLINE FORUMS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THESE ISSUES. THIS REAR DRIVE DESIGN IS COMMON TO ALL CURRENT PRODUCTION SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLES FROM BMW. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS …
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495279 · 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)
THE DRIVER LOST STEERING ON A CURVE AND RAN OFF THE ROAD AND HIT HIS HEAD ON A MAILBOX POST. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495279 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2010 | 0 |
2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 5; 2006: 4; 2007: 5; 2008: 5; 2010: 0