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2003 BMW K1200 R

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

2 reports
20,109 miles · Jan 22, 2014
Service Brakes

RIDING ON FREEWAY ABS LIGHTS START FLASHING PULL OVER AND TRY TO STOP, NO POWER ASSIST BRAKE LEVER HARD AND BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP. FOUND FLUID WAS LOW ON REAR AND LATER FOUND ABS UNIT TO HAVE LEAK. CONTACTED BMW WAS TOLD BECAUSE BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE THEY WERE NOT INTEREST…

Read full complaint

RIDING ON FREEWAY ABS LIGHTS START FLASHING PULL OVER AND TRY TO STOP, NO POWER ASSIST BRAKE LEVER HARD AND BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP. FOUND FLUID WAS LOW ON REAR AND LATER FOUND ABS UNIT TO HAVE LEAK. CONTACTED BMW WAS TOLD BECAUSE BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10561039

34,947 miles · Jul 21, 2013
Power Train

NOTED A GRINDING FEEL IN THE MOTORCYCLE DURING A RIDE. RETURNED HOME AND FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE (WHICH NO LONGER WORKED) AND THE REAR TIRE, WHICH BEGAN TO SLIP WHILE CORNERING. THE LEAK IS A SIGN OF A SEAL FAILURE CAUSED BY THE REAR DRIVE BEARINGS SELF-DESTRUCTING. THESE FAILURES ARE COMM…

Read full complaint

NOTED A GRINDING FEEL IN THE MOTORCYCLE DURING A RIDE. RETURNED HOME AND FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE (WHICH NO LONGER WORKED) AND THE REAR TIRE, WHICH BEGAN TO SLIP WHILE CORNERING. THE LEAK IS A SIGN OF A SEAL FAILURE CAUSED BY THE REAR DRIVE BEARINGS SELF-DESTRUCTING. THESE FAILURES ARE COMMON IN BMWS OF THIS ERA, BOTH MY RS AS WELL AS THE LT AND RT MODELS. BMW KNOWS WELL THIS IS A PROBLEM, AND NEEDS TO BE MADE TO STEP UP AND DO THE REPAIRS, WHICH ARE NOT CHEAP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525972

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.