2020 BMW R1250GS Problems: 6 Known Issues

On the 2019-2020 BMW R1250GS, the front brake calipers may leak brake fluid when the motorcycle is parked, so these motorcycles do not comply with federal brake standard FMVSS 122. NHTSA says a leaking caliper can, over time, reduce the fluid in the reservoir, and low fluid could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash; BMW's bulletin describes slight sweat marks or isolated drops and says this low-pressure leakage has been shown to have no effect on brake performance. Applies to: Certain 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure motorcycles (also R 1250 RT, and 2020 S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR; 9,392 units in all). BMW campaign 0000348600; only a VIN check confirms whether a bike is included.

On the 2019-2020 BMW R1250GS, the optional milled, color-specific brake-fluid reservoir cover carries stamped text that may not fully conform to FMVSS 122 (motorcycle brake systems). BMW says that if the text were misunderstood it could lead to an improper maintenance procedure. Applies to: Model year 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 GS (about 50 US motorcycles, built March 12 to November 2019) and R 1250 GS Adventure (about 61, built February 13, 2019 to February 10, 2020) ordered with the color-specific reservoir-cover option. The same campaign also covers other R 1250 and R nineT models. Bikes built with the standard cover are not affected; motorcycles built from March 2, 2020 have the updated cover. Covers bought separately as accessories (part numbers 8405-752, 8405-753, 8405-754 and 9829547 for 2019-2020 R 1250 models) were recalled under equipment recall 20E013.

On the 2019-2023 BMW R1250GS 1254cc ShiftCam boxer twin, corrosion and wear, worsened by certain climatic conditions, can damage the cardan driveshaft. It can rust onto its mating parts, its splines at the gearbox output or final drive can corrode and develop play that may eventually cause the shaft to fail, and the universal-joint bearings can be damaged and start seizing. Applies to: BMW R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure (K50/K51, model years 2019-2023) marked with BMW service action 0033130000 (also R 1200 GS models and R 1200/1250 RT Authority). Only a VIN check shows whether a bike is included. The later driveshaft maintenance change (SIB 33 04 23) applies to all K5x models.

On the 2019-2023 BMW R1250GS 1254cc ShiftCam boxer twin, under certain engine operating and riding conditions, an abrupt difference between engine speed and final-drive speed can overload the gearbox input shaft. The shaft could be damaged or break and possibly block the rear wheel, increasing the risk of a crash. Applies to: All model year 2019-2023 BMW R 1250 GS (built September 19, 2018 to December 15, 2022) and R 1250 GS Adventure (built October 10, 2018 to December 16, 2022), plus the R 1250 RT-P; 18,534 US motorcycles in all. BMW campaign 0000232600.

On the 2020 BMW R1250GS, bMW recall 20V-165 concerns a very small VIN-specific population: about 2 2020 R1250GS motorcycles built January 20-23, 2020 (and 2 R1250RT). The pivot pin that connects the final drive to the swingarm may not have been produced to the supplier's specification; bikes that went through a rework station at the assembly plant may have had the pin removed and torqued a second time, which could damage it. A damaged pin can let the final drive-to-swingarm connection loosen, affecting stability and control. This is not a diagnosis of every rear-end knock or bearing-play complaint.

On the 2020 BMW R1250GS, these motorcycles were built with an emergency stop signal function that flashes the stop lamp during emergency braking. US rules require a steady-burning brake lamp (FMVSS 108), and BMW says a flashing stop lamp could be misinterpreted by a driver following the motorcycle, which could increase the risk of a crash. Applies to: Certain model year 2020 BMW R 1250 GS (about 442 US motorcycles, built September 23, 2019 to February 24, 2020) and R 1250 GS Adventure (about 31, built September 27, 2019 to February 10, 2020) built with the function switched on; the same campaign covers other 2019-2020 BMW models. Motorcycles built from February 20, 2020 do not have the fault. Only a VIN check confirms whether a bike is included.