BMW G650GS · model year

2016 BMW G650GS

6 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016BMWG650GS carries 6 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 2016 G650GS is engine with 4 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and vehicle speed control (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 34 investigation files overlapping the 2016 G650GS. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

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

ComponentCount
ENGINE4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1

Recalls (1)

16V68900026/09/2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 BMW G650GS motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to October 12, 2015, and 2013-2015 BMW G650GS Sertao motorcycles manufactured March 8, 2013, to May 23, 2014. The affected motorcycles may stall during operation due to an en

Recent Complaints

20170519ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW G650GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL WHENEVER THE THROTTLE WAS RELEASED AT ANY SPEED. IF THE THROTTLE WAS CONSTANT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

Mileage: 300

20170519VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW G650GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL WHENEVER THE THROTTLE WAS RELEASED AT ANY SPEED. IF THE THROTTLE WAS CONSTANT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

Mileage: 300

20170127ENGINE

STALLING WHILE IN OPERATION EVEN AFTER WARMING UP FOR 5-10 MINUTES ON IDLE. STALLS WHILE CLUTCH IS IN AND RPM BELOW 2000.

Mileage: 1,544

20161115ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW G650GS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 720.

Mileage: 720

20161115ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I PREVIOUSLY LEFT A PHONE COMPLAINT #10926258 WITH NHSTA AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR MY EXACT PROBLEM (RECALL 16V-689) HOWEVER MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL AFTER CONTACTING BMW MOTORRAD USA AND THUS THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO OTHER THAN RECOMMEND ME TO PAY TO HAVE IT SERVICED AT A DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT FOR A SAFETY CONCERN THAT I THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE FAULTED INTO PAYING FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND REVIEW OF A BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE. A SUMMORY OF MY ISSUE: MY VEHICLE STALLS AND THE ENGINE DIES WHEN BELOW A CERTAIN RPM THRESHOLD OR WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND IS UNABLE TO START AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 SEPARATE TIMES ON MY MOTORCYCLE WITH LESS THAT 1000 MILES ON IT. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS 14NOV16 AT 215PM PST. MY CONCERN IS THAT MY SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT GOING TO BE RESOLVED BECAUSE OF THE SECLUSION OF MY PARTICULAR VIN WITH RECALL 16V-6

Mileage: 720

20161115ENGINE

I PREVIOUSLY LEFT A PHONE COMPLAINT #10926258 WITH NHSTA AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR MY EXACT PROBLEM (RECALL 16V-689) HOWEVER MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL AFTER CONTACTING BMW MOTORRAD USA AND THUS THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO OTHER THAN RECOMMEND ME TO PAY TO HAVE IT SERVICED AT A DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT FOR A SAFETY CONCERN THAT I THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE FAULTED INTO PAYING FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND REVIEW OF A BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE. A SUMMORY OF MY ISSUE: MY VEHICLE STALLS AND THE ENGINE DIES WHEN BELOW A CERTAIN RPM THRESHOLD OR WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND IS UNABLE TO START AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 SEPARATE TIMES ON MY MOTORCYCLE WITH LESS THAT 1000 MILES ON IT. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS 14NOV16 AT 215PM PST. MY CONCERN IS THAT MY SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT GOING TO BE RESOLVED BECAUSE OF THE SECLUSION OF MY PARTICULAR VIN WITH RECALL 16V-6

Mileage: 720

Compare 2016BMWG650GS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 BMW G650GS have?
The 2016 BMW G650GS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 BMW G650GS?
Yes, the 2016 BMW G650GS has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW G650GS?
The most-complained component for the 2016 BMW G650GS is ENGINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 2016 BMW G650GS 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.