Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW K1200 R · model year
2003 BMW K1200 R
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMWK1200 R carries 2 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 2003 K1200 R is power train with 1 filings, followed by service brakes (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 2003 K1200 R. 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.
2
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 | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140122SERVICE BRAKES
RIDING ON FREEWAY ABS LIGHTS START FLASHING PULL OVER AND TRY TO STOP, NO POWER ASSIST BRAKE LEVER HARD AND BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP. FOUND FLUID WAS LOW ON REAR AND LATER FOUND ABS UNIT TO HAVE LEAK. CONTACTED BMW WAS TOLD BECAUSE BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. *TR
Mileage: 20,109
20130721POWER TRAIN
NOTED A GRINDING FEEL IN THE MOTORCYCLE DURING A RIDE. RETURNED HOME AND FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE (WHICH NO LONGER WORKED) AND THE REAR TIRE, WHICH BEGAN TO SLIP WHILE CORNERING. THE LEAK IS A SIGN OF A SEAL FAILURE CAUSED BY THE REAR DRIVE BEARINGS SELF-DESTRUCTING. THESE FAILURES ARE COMMON IN BMWS OF THIS ERA, BOTH MY RS AS WELL AS THE LT AND RT MODELS. BMW KNOWS WELL THIS IS A PROBLEM, AND NEEDS TO BE MADE TO STEP UP AND DO THE REPAIRS, WHICH ARE NOT CHEAP. *TR
Mileage: 34,947
Compare 2003BMWK1200 R to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW K1200 R have?▼
The 2003 BMW K1200 R has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW K1200 R?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW K1200 R is POWER TRAIN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2003 BMW K1200 R 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.