BMW S 1000 RR Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the BMW S 1000 RR (2012–2020) that have at least 5 complaints. 2020 has the most, with 10. Across all years, the part named most often is engine (7 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All S 1000 RR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10 | 650 | 4 | 31 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 5 | 754 | 0 | 46 | — | Not enough data |
| 2012 | 7 | 4,200 | 3 | 49 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine7 30%
- Steering3 13%
- Fuel system3 13%
- Brakes3 13%
- Vehicle speed control2 8.7%
- Transmission and drivetrain2 8.7%
- Electrical system2 8.7%
- Wheels1 4.3%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2020: “Both of my front calipers leak brake fluid, enough to leave puddles on the ground. This was noticed after the bike had been parked for about two weeks. As of this note the bike is still at the dealership with an unknown eta on parts. I have spoken with Bmw north america and their representative indicated that Bmw is unaware of this issue, however, I can find several people online who are experiencing the same problem. Having the front brakes fail on this motorcycle would be catastrophic.”
NHTSA complaint #11317290, filed 2020-03, 650 miles2015: “The bike tips or veers to the right everytime it is ridden. The problem is more apparent at speeds above 35mph and is not affected by the crown of the road. Extra steering effort is required especially at highway speeds as the bike always wants to tip into to the right side of the road. This compromises safety of both the rider and those around since during braking (especially emergency braking) the bike may lowside (fall to the side).”
NHTSA complaint #10725786, filed 2015-06, 7 miles2012: “The motorcycle was stationary when fault occured. It failed to start following refueling. A 'vds' code was displayed on the screen. Dealer could not connect to the ecu to determine the fault codes. The dealer tested all the sensors and wiring and no issue. Finally they replaced the ecu and they were able to connect to the ecu. They said the fault is in the ecu and needed to be replaced. The motorcycle has 4600 miles on it. If the ecu faulted while riding, a vds (vehicle drop sensor) code can potentially cause a crash at high speeds, especially when cornering on motorcycles. …”
NHTSA complaint #11209399, filed 2019-05, 4,600 milesOther BMW models
3,167 complaintsBMW 328I
2,577 complaintsBMW X3
2,018 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 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology