BMW K1200 GT · model year

2004 BMW K1200 GT

7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004BMWK1200 GT carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2004 K1200 GT is power train with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (2) and fuel/propulsion system (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.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2004 K1200 GT. 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.

7
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

7 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20140920SERVICE BRAKES

WITH REFERENCE TO COMPLAINT NUMBER 10630065 FILED ON 2 SEPTEMBER 2014, THE FOLLOWING IS ADDED: WHEN THE DEFECTIVE ABS PUMP ON THESE BMW MOTORCYCLES IS REPLACED BY DEALERS, THE NEW PUMPS SUPPLIED ARE NO BETTER THAN THE ONES IT REPLACES AND PRONE TO THE SAME FAILURES. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR

Mileage: 14,800

20140902SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH, I APPLIED BOTH FRONT AND REAR POWER ASSISTED BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW USING THE FRONT BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. A MASTER CAUTION LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS A RAPIDLY BLINKING BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT. THIS IS A KNOWN AND VERY EXPENSIVE FAILURE ON ALL BMW MOTORCYCLES COSTING UP TO $3000 TO REPAIR AT A DEALER. WHEN REPAIRED, THESE BRAKE SYSTEMS ARE STILL SUBJECT TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING IN THE SAME MANNER AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THIS HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH AND PERSONAL INJURY UP TO AND INCLUDING RIDER/PASSENGER DEATH. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THE AFFECTED BIKES (1997-PRESENT MODEL) TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THESE VERY EXPENSIVE, FAILURE PRONE BRAKE SYSTEMS WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNERS. UPDATED 10/22/14. *JB UPDATED 12/15/14. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE ABS MODULE LEAVES THE MOTORCYCLE WITH MINIMAL TO NO BRAKING ABILITY. UPDATED 09/28/15.

Mileage: 14,800

20140902SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH, I APPLIED BOTH FRONT AND REAR POWER ASSISTED BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW USING THE FRONT BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. A MASTER CAUTION LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS A RAPIDLY BLINKING BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT. THIS IS A KNOWN AND VERY EXPENSIVE FAILURE ON ALL BMW MOTORCYCLES COSTING UP TO $3000 TO REPAIR AT A DEALER. WHEN REPAIRED, THESE BRAKE SYSTEMS ARE STILL SUBJECT TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING IN THE SAME MANNER AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THIS HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH AND PERSONAL INJURY UP TO AND INCLUDING RIDER/PASSENGER DEATH. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THE AFFECTED BIKES (1997-PRESENT MODEL) TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THESE VERY EXPENSIVE, FAILURE PRONE BRAKE SYSTEMS WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNERS. UPDATED 10/22/14. *JB UPDATED 12/15/14. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE ABS MODULE LEAVES THE MOTORCYCLE WITH MINIMAL TO NO BRAKING ABILITY. UPDATED 09/28/15.

Mileage: 14,800

20130908POWER TRAIN

FINAL DRIVE CROWN BEARING WORE PREMATURELY AND CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO MAKE NOISE AND WOBBLE SLIGHTLY WHEN RIDDEN. COULD HAVE BECOME A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION IF I HAD NOT BEEN ATTENTIVE TO EXACTLY HOW THE BIKE WAS SOUNDING AND ACTING.

Mileage: 27,600

20120702FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE OE PART IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND ACCORDING TO INTERNET SEARCH THEY ARE PRONE TO BREAKING WITH AGE. MINE BEGAN SPILLING FUEL ON THE HOT ENGINE. I HAVE ORDERED A METAL REPLACEMENT! THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE GASOLINE WAS ALSO SPRAYED ON MY LEG AND BOOT AND ANY IGNITION SOURCE COULD HAVE SET ME AND THE CYCLE ON FIRE. *JS

Mileage: 10,153

20120422CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

FAILED OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AMONG FORUM MEMBERS IN NUMBERS THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT THIS ISSUE IS FAR MORE THAN AN ISOLATED ISSUE IN MULTIPLE FORUMS FOR BMW MOTORCYCLES. DEALERS HAVE NOT INDICATED ANY SAFETY RECALLS OR ADMIT TO ANY PROBLEMS. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE POWER ASSIST BRAKES MAY FAIL AT ANYTIME OR WILL ACTIVATE AT ANY TIME WHILE USING THE BRAKES UNDER NON ASSIST CONDITIONS AND ACTIVATING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BRAKE ACTIVATION CAUSING WHEEL LOCK UP AND NO CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE. THIS RESULTED IN A DUMP OF MOTORCYCLE LUCKILY AT LOW SPEED AND NO REAL INJURY BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED WHILE ANTICIPATING A PROBLEM AND WAS ABLE TO COUNTER CONTROL BIKE TO KEEP IT UP AND OTHER TIMES THE BIKE WOULD HAVE NO BRAKES AT ALL. *TR

Mileage: 99,653

20120204POWER TRAIN

FINAL DRIVE UNIT, CROWN GEAR OUTER BEARING FAILURE. FOUND DURING INSPECTION DURING SERVICE. *KB

Mileage: 47,145

Compare 2004BMWK1200 GT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 BMW K1200 GT have?
The 2004 BMW K1200 GT has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW K1200 GT?
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW K1200 GT is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2004 BMW K1200 GT 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.