2005 Bmw R1200 GS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
37 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
30,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 35 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 37 complaints (29.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 13 | 35.1% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 21.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 8.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.7% |
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 | 11 |
| Power Train | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 11; Power Train: 8; Service Brakes: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Structure:Body: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 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 | 15 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 2 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 | 3 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2006: 3; 2007: 6; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 7; 2013: 10; 2014: 3; 2015: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 13 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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 10206360 · 2007-10-19 (October 19, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW R1200 GS. WHILE CRUISING AT 40 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. ALL OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS WERE STILL OPERABLE. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDEWALK. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED FOR ONLY TEN SECONDS AND WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE FUEL MODULE CONTROLS AND CORRODED THE CABLES, WHICH PREVENTED A SIGNAL FROM REACHING THE FUEL PUMP. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V082000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) WAS REFERENCED. THE POWERT…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10425962 · 2011-09-18 (September 18, 2011)
DETECTED FUEL LEAKING FROM LEFT SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE. LEFT SHIN WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE. REMOVED SIDE COVERS AND DETECTED GAS SPRAYING FROM A PLASTIC GAS LINE CONNECTOR DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FUEL PUMP. 300 MILES FROM HOME AND THE NEAREST BMW DEALER. TIE WRAPPED GAS LINE TO STOP LEAKING. MANAGED TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE HOME. BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS SELECTED A METAL CONNECTOR AS A REPLACEMENT. I HAD AN 18,000 MILE CHECK-UP PERFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP IN JUNE 2011. NO RECALL BY BMW. MOTORCYCLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I MUST PAY FOR …
Owner-reported narrative. 18,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425962 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161346 · 2006-07-03 (July 3, 2006)
2005 BMW R1200GS. ABS OFF, BLINKING BRAKE FAILURE, ONLY RESIDUAL BRAKING. DEALER RESET THE ABS COMPUTER, BUT CAME BACK AFTER ONE WEEK, ONLY RESIDUAL BRAKING NOW, (REQUIRE EXTRA ORDINARY LEVER GRIP TO STOP) THIS IF NOT PREPARED TO STOP COULD CAUSE A CRASH, WHAT IS CAUSING THE ABS TO DEACTIVATE. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS STUCK ON BRIGHT, NO ABS, RESIDUAL BRAKING, DEALER TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT IN, IS THAT SAFE? NO WORKING BRAKE LIGHT? BMW SHOULD INVESTIGATE PROBLEM AND CORRECT PROBLEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 2,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161346 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10202317 · 2007-09-09 (September 9, 2007)
REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY, TYPICALLY IN 6000 MILES, AS OPPOSED TO TYPICAL PAD LIFE WHICH IS ~18-24000 MILES. NO SYMPTOMS WERE NOTED PREVIOUS TO THE BRAKE PADS WEARING OUT. WHEN REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT, THERE IS LOSS OF REAR BRAKING ABILITY. THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR ME, BUT COULD EASILY CATCH A RIDER BY SURPRISE AND CAUSE A CRASH AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF REAR BRAKE. BMW CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THESE BIKES, AND THEREFORE NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX THE ACTUAL PROBLEM, ASIDE FROM HAVING THE OWNER PAY AND HAVE NEW BRAKE P…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10208077 · 2007-11-06 (November 6, 2007)
MOTORCYCLE FAILED TO DOWNSHIFT ON RUGGED MOUNTAIN ROADWAY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. SHIFTING REQUIRED STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND/OR DOUBLE CLUTCHING. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS DRIVE SPLINE WITHOUT LUBRICATION. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN A BUSY AREA, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE FATAL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208077 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10226877 · 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)
ENGINE REAR MAIN SEAL BEGAN LEAKING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED. THIS WAS SECOND MAJOR SEAL FAILURE, THE FIRST BEING TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SEAL. THE SEAL WAS REPLACED WITHIN A WEEK, BUT BEGAN LEAKING AGAIN ON THE TRIP BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE AND USUALLY LEADS TO OIL CONTAMINATION ON THE CLUTCH, LEADING TO CLUTCH FAILURE. BMW REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS DEBILITATING PROBLEM AND OFFERS NO AFTER-WARRANTY SUPPORT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226877 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160356 · 2006-06-21 (June 21, 2006)
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I HAVE RIDDEN OVER 100,000 MILES ON SIX DIFFERENT BMW MOTORCYCLES, ALL PURCHASED NEW. I RIDE YEAR-ROUND AND HAVE ALWAYS USED AN ELECTRIC VEST TO AVOID HYPOTHERMIA. IN SEPTEMBER, 2005 I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE. DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY RIDE IN MAY, 2006, MY NON-BMW BRAND ELECTRIC VEST FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING RAIN AND COLD TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED IN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE NEXT DAY, I EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL FATIGUE, WENT OFF THE ROAD IN KANSAS, TOTALED THE BIKE AND BROKE MY LEG. I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND OUT BY REA…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160356 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10643951 · 2014-10-10 (October 10, 2014)
UPON REPLACING REAR TIRE AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP, NOTICED A CRACKED REAR WHEEL FLANGE. THESE CRACKS APPEARED ON 4 OF 5 ATTACHMENT POINTS WHERE THE FLANGE BOLTS ONTO THE REAR DRIVE. THIS IS A PART THAT HOLDS THE WHEEL TO THE MOTORCYCLE. SPOKE TO BMW NA AND THEY DO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AS INHERENT DEFECT, AND HAVE NOT RECALLED DESPITE HAVING REDESIGNED THE REPLACEMENT PART SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (IMPLIED ADMISSION BY BMW OF THE INHERENT DEFECT DUE TO REDESIGN). THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO AN INHERENT DEFECT OF SAFETY CRITICA…
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10643951 at NHTSA ↗