Three models of BMW motorcycles have a potentially dangerous problem with their gearbox input shaft.
A total of 18,489 BMW motorcycles from model years 2019-2023 may be affected by the recall submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Jan. 18.
Affected models included the R 1250 GS, the R 1250 GS Adventure, and the R 1250 RT-P. The recall report says the gearbox input shaft on those models “may become damaged or break.” That part failure can result in a locked rear wheel and lead to dangerous riding conditions.
Several Reports of Problems — And Injuries
In fact, the issue has already resulted in several reported crashes, which BMW has been investigating since 2020. That’s when the company received three complaints from owners in Italy and the Netherlands, according to a separate report from BMW explaining its investigation.
All of those complaints involved the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS. In July 2021, a French customer complained about a broken gearbox shaft in a 2019 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure. Then two crashes were reported with the problem in the UK and Czech Republic in 2022, the former with injuries.
As a result, BMW decided to start a new voluntary safety recall on the models listed below.
- R 1250 GS 2019-2023
- R 1250 GS Adventure 2019-2023
- R 1250 RT-P 2019-2023
What Owners Can Do
Dealers will update the engine control unit software that leads to the problem — free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 10, 2023. In the meantime, owners can contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 and use the NHTSA recall number 23V-011.
For other questions, owners can get in touch with the NHTSA Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. If you’re worried about recalls in general with your bike or vehicle, you can always use the VIN to see all listed relevant recalls on the NHTSA website.
