U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Bmw R1200 RT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

23 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

16,855 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 23 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 23 complaints (47.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Fuel system concerns	9	39.1%
Braking behavior	6	26.1%
Engine operation	5	21.7%
Electrical and battery issues	2	8.7%

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.

Fuel/Propulsion System

Service Brakes

Power Train

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel System, Gasoline

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Fuel/Propulsion System: 11; Service Brakes: 5; Power Train: 3; Electrical System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 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 (14). 0 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.

2009

2010

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2012: 4; 2013: 5; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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 10277690 · 2009-07-22 (July 22, 2009)

2008 BMW R1200RT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE STOPPED WITH NO WARNING. THE CAUSE WAS FOUND TO BE THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE R1200RT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277690 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10472467 · 2012-08-25 (August 25, 2012)

BIKE DIED ENTERING INTERSECTION. ONLY SPACING AVERTED ACCIDENT. BOUGHT USED LESS THAN ONE WEEK AGO. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED JUST UNDER 1/2 TANK AND 120 MILES TO EMPTY. GAS TANK WAS EMPTY WITHOUT WARNING. GAS GAUGE STRIPS IN TANK FAIL - BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR YEARS, ARE YOU? AND, IF "GERMAN ENGINEERING" IS MORE THAN MARKETING, WHY HAVEN'T THEY FIXED IT? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472467 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10308965 · 2010-02-12 (February 12, 2010)

2008 BMW R1200RT WITH UNDER 4,000 MILES OF SERVICE. REAR BRAKE PULSES UNPREDICTABLE UPON APPLICATION. NOT RELATED TO ABS. BMW DEALER ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT IT IS DUE TO IMPROPER SURFACE TEMPERING OF THE BRAKE DISK. THIS CAUSES ALTERNATING PATCHES OF SOFT/HARD SURFACE ON THE DISK. BMW NA REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDE COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION, SHARED BY OTHER MODEL AND YEAR BMW MOTORCYCLES, FOR WHICH BMW SHOULD PROVIDE RECALL AND RESOLUTION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10308965 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10860628 · 2016-04-20 (April 20, 2016)

THE ABS MODULE FAILED WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A HIGHWAY. THE DEALER AND BMW ASKED IF IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND IT WAS FOR A SHORT TIME ONLY. THEY SAID THE MODULE CORRODED. IT IS A SEALED MODULE AND IF IT CORRODED IT MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE IN ORDER TO ALL THE ELEMENTS NECESSARY IN FOR IT TO CORRODE. FORTUNATELY I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED RIDER AND QUICKLY RELEASED THE BRAKE AS IT LOCKED UP (WHAT THE ABS SYSTEM IS TO PREVENT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN ABS MODULE FAILING LIKE THIS. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE DEALER AND BMW AND BOTH DECLINED…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10860628 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10334368 · 2010-06-02 (June 2, 2010)

2008 BMW R1200RT (MOTORCYCLE) ENGINE STALLS WHILE IN OPERATION. THIS OCCURRED 3 OCCASIONS DURING A COMMUTE. FIRST STALL AFTER ACCELERATION. RESTARTED ENGINE. APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD TRAVELING 45 MPH SECOND ENGINE STALL OCCURS. RESTARTED ENGINE.. THIRD ENGINE STALLS OCCURS WITHIN ANOTHER MILE OF THE SECOND STALL ON A BUSINESS LOOP. RESTARTED ENGINE. EACH TIME THE ENGINE STALLED I WAS FORCED TO ENTER THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHILE AVOID TRAFFIC BEHIND MY MOTORCYCLE. EACH TIME THE STALL OCCURRED THEIR WAS NO VISIBLE OR AUDIBLE CUE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,520 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334368 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10499756 · 2013-02-23 (February 23, 2013)

FUEL GAUGE FAILED, AGAIN, CAUSING POTENTIAL STALLING IN TRAFFIC CREATING DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,864 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499756 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10968858 · 2017-03-27 (March 27, 2017)

VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING ENGINE STALLING SYMPTOMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH (ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AS IF IGNITION HAD BEEN CUT) DURING CITY DRIVING, WHILE TURNING AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT ABOUT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ENGINE QUIT ALONG WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL GOING BLANK. ELECTRICAL SMOKE BEGAN TO BILLOW BETWEEN THE FRONT FORKS. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE IGNITION WIRING HARNESS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE FRONT FORKS. THE HARNESS WRAP APPEARS…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10968858 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11131018 · 2018-09-24 (September 24, 2018)

ABS PUMP MOTOR IS FAILING ON MANY OF THE SAME MODEL BIKES AND SOME OTHER 2006-2008 MODEL BMW BIKES WITH LOW MILEAGE, BECAUSE THE BRUSH HOLDERS IN THE ABS ELECTRICAL MOTOR ARE TOO TIGHT AND BRUSHES GET STUCK IN THEM - BAD DESIGN OF THE ABS PUMP MOTOR. BMW WILL ASK YOU LOADS OF MONIES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PUMP, EVEN THO THEY ARE FULLY AWARE IT'S A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THE BIKES.

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11131018 at NHTSA ↗