BMW K1200RS Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 36 consumer complaints across the 4 model years of the BMW K1200RS (1998–2003) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 18. Across all years, the part named most often is fuel system (18 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All K1200RS model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 | 12,489 | 0 | 5 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 18 | 29,000 | 0 | 8 | — | Stable |
| 2001 | 7 | 45,000 | 0 | 8 | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 6 | 55,500 | 4 | 5 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Fuel system18 47%
- Brakes6 16%
- Transmission and drivetrain5 13%
- Suspension3 7.9%
- Tires2 5.3%
- Engine cooling2 5.3%
- Vehicle speed control1 2.6%
- Other or unknown1 2.6%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2002: “Started my Bmw K1200RS and backed it out of the garage. Noticed a spray emanating from the right side of the engine above the valve cove. Shut the bike down and checked for the leak. Found that the plastic fuel line quick disconnect coupling was cracked allowing fuel to spray out in a fine mist. This could have easily caught fire if the bike had been hot. Checked the internet and found that this failure is a common problem on Bmw motorcycles and is not limited to my model or year. …”
NHTSA complaint #10511646, filed 2013-05, 30,000 miles1998: “(note that the incident date and failure mileage reported are approximate.) when the failure occurred, the two ABS warning lights on the dash panel flashed alternately as they normally do upon engine start-up, but did not stop flashing once the motorcycle was underway as they normally should do, which indicated a problem with the anti-lock brake system. At the Bmw dealership where I have my motorcycle serviced, a technician ran a diagnostic check and identified the cause of the problem as a failed ABS modulator. …”
NHTSA complaint #10456109, filed 2012-04, 52,000 miles2003: “While riding the motorcycle, fuel began forcefully spraying out of the right side engine area on to my leg. I stopped the engine and pulled over to the side. Upon inspection it was clear that leak was coming from a fuel quick disconnect on line running along right side of engine. The disconnect was leaking because a plastic internal part had broken. Called up the local Bmw dealership and described the quick disconnect leak and they immediately recognized the problem and commented that it happens all the time that the plastic part breaks and is now designed using a metal part . …”
NHTSA complaint #10466039, filed 2012-07, 10,000 milesOther BMW models
3,165 complaintsBMW 328I
2,576 complaintsBMW X3
2,016 complaintsBMW 325I
1,377 complaintsBMW Z4
1,271 complaintsBMW 3 Series
832 complaintsBMW 528I
830 complaintsBMW 330I
813 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology