Total Complaints
5 filings
BMW F650 GS · model year
2011 BMW F650 GS
5 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2011BMWF650 GS carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 F650 GS is power train with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (1) and electrical system:ignition:switch (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2011 F650 GS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recalls (1)
17V48100028/07/2017
EQUIPMENT
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2017 F800R and F800GT motorcycles, 2014-2018 R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure motorcycles, 2016-2017 S1000XR motorcycles and 2015-2017 R1200R and R1200RS, 2008-2012 F650GS, 2008-2018 F800GS, and 2014-2017 F800GS Adventure motorcycles. When equi
Recent Complaints
20180109EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE SILVER REFLECTING COATING BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT BULB IS BURNING OFF. THIS REDUCES MY LIGHT VISIBILITY TO ME AND ONCOMING VEHICLES.
20111205ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE MAY 18TH DATE IS A ROUGH GUESS. THE ENGINE HAS DIED TWO TIMES BETWEEN SHIFTS FROM SECOND TO FIRST, VERY SLOW SPEED, COMING TO STOPS. ONE TIME WAS IN LIGHT RAIN. MOST RECENT WAS NOVEMBER 29, 2011 AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES OF RIDING IN LIGHT RAIN. *TR IN MEDIUM TO HEAVY RAIN, ENGINE BEGINS TO SPUTTER WHILE RIDING (UNDER POWER) AND FREQUENTLY ALMOST STALLS AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MILES. SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP ENGINE GOING. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE 2008-2010 F650GS (TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE). IT APPEARS TO STILL BE A PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. NOT SURE IF THIS RELATED, BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH RECENTLY SHORTED OUT, COMPLETELY DISABLING THE MOTORCYCLE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
Mileage: 1,500
20111205POWER TRAIN
THE MAY 18TH DATE IS A ROUGH GUESS. THE ENGINE HAS DIED TWO TIMES BETWEEN SHIFTS FROM SECOND TO FIRST, VERY SLOW SPEED, COMING TO STOPS. ONE TIME WAS IN LIGHT RAIN. MOST RECENT WAS NOVEMBER 29, 2011 AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES OF RIDING IN LIGHT RAIN. *TR IN MEDIUM TO HEAVY RAIN, ENGINE BEGINS TO SPUTTER WHILE RIDING (UNDER POWER) AND FREQUENTLY ALMOST STALLS AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MILES. SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP ENGINE GOING. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE 2008-2010 F650GS (TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE). IT APPEARS TO STILL BE A PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. NOT SURE IF THIS RELATED, BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH RECENTLY SHORTED OUT, COMPLETELY DISABLING THE MOTORCYCLE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
Mileage: 1,500
20111205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE MAY 18TH DATE IS A ROUGH GUESS. THE ENGINE HAS DIED TWO TIMES BETWEEN SHIFTS FROM SECOND TO FIRST, VERY SLOW SPEED, COMING TO STOPS. ONE TIME WAS IN LIGHT RAIN. MOST RECENT WAS NOVEMBER 29, 2011 AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES OF RIDING IN LIGHT RAIN. *TR IN MEDIUM TO HEAVY RAIN, ENGINE BEGINS TO SPUTTER WHILE RIDING (UNDER POWER) AND FREQUENTLY ALMOST STALLS AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MILES. SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP ENGINE GOING. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE 2008-2010 F650GS (TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE). IT APPEARS TO STILL BE A PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. NOT SURE IF THIS RELATED, BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH RECENTLY SHORTED OUT, COMPLETELY DISABLING THE MOTORCYCLE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
Mileage: 1,500
20111205POWER TRAIN
DATE AND MILEAGE ARE VERY APPROXIMATE. IT WAS SOMETIME DURING SUMMER 2011. CLUTCH CABLE END APPARENTLY SLIPPED OUT OF THE LEVER END ON THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO REMAIN ENGAGED TO ENGINE. I STOPPED THE BIKE BY STALLING IT, ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY LOCK TO PREVENT A CLUTCH CABLE END FROM COMING OUT OF THE CLUTCH ACTUATION LEVER THAT IS LOCATED ON THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Mileage: 2,500
Compare 2011BMWF650 GS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2011 BMW F650 GS have?▼
The 2011 BMW F650 GS has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2011 BMW F650 GS?▼
Yes, the 2011 BMW F650 GS has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 BMW F650 GS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2011 BMW F650 GS is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 2011 BMW F650 GS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.