BMW K1200RS · model year

2001 BMW K1200RS

8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001BMWK1200RS carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2001 K1200RS is suspension with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 2001 K1200RS. 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.

8
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 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
SUSPENSION3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
POWER TRAIN1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recent Complaints

20120422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

FAILURE OF THE REAR INTEGRAL ABS BRAKING ABILITIES BEING INTERMITTENT AND UNAVOIDABLE. BIKE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED WITH THE ABS FLUSH PERFORMED EVERY TWO YEARS PER BMW SERVICE BULLETIN. PROBLEM BEGAN WITH 35,000 MILES ON THE BIKE. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

20120205POWER TRAIN

SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *TR

Mileage: 89,000

20091214FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW K-1200 RS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH GASOLINE BEGAN LEAKING FROM THE SIDES AND BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32000.

Mileage: 33,000

20010828ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING COVER OIL LEAK. *AK

20010213FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

EXHAUST PIPES ARE POSITIONED BELOW FOOT PEGS SO THAT WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN YOU WILL BRUSH UP AGANIST HOT PIPE. *AK

20010130SUSPENSION

MOTORCYCLE WILL ROLL OFF OF SIDE STAND ON LEVEL GROUND. POTENTIAL HAZARD FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONNEL. IF A CURIOUS CHILD WERE TO JOSTLE THE MOTORCYCLE THEY COULD BE CRUSHED IF IT ROLLED ONTO THEM (834LBS).*AK

20010130SUSPENSION

MOTORCYCLE WILL ROLL OFF OF SIDE STAND ON LEVEL GROUND. POTENTIAL HAZARD FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONNEL. IF A CURIOUS CHILD WERE TO JOSTLE THE MOTORCYCLE THEY COULD BE CRUSHED IF IT ROLLED ONTO THEM (834LBS).*AK

20010125SUSPENSION

1. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED A APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER THE MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE THE GARAGE ON LEVEL GROUND. THE SIDESTAND FOLDED AND THE MOTORCYCLE FELL OVER JUST A FEW FEET FROM THE NEAREST PERSON THAT HAD A TO JUMP AWAY NOT TO GET HIT BY AN 800+ LBS MOTORCYCLE. THIS INCIDENT PRODUCED DAMAGED TO THE CRASHBAR, FAIRING COMPONENTS AND SIDEBAG COMPONENTS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PARKED IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION AND MANNER AS I DO PARK MY OTHER TOURING BIKES WITHOUT THEM FALLING OVER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL WAS CAREFULLY STUDIED AND THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED TO PLACE THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE SIDESTAND WAS FOLLOWED. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE INCIDENT AND BMW USA WAS NOTIFIED IN WRITING BUT HAVE RESPONDED THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE ALSO PERFORMED A POLL AMONG OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF BIKE AND OUT OF THE CLOSE TO 100 RESPONDENTS APP. 40% OF THEM HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO THEM. 2ND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE STILL ON THE BIKE AND READY TO PARK.

Compare 2001BMWK1200RS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 BMW K1200RS have?
The 2001 BMW K1200RS has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW K1200RS?
The most-complained component for the 2001 BMW K1200RS is SUSPENSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 2001 BMW K1200RS 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.