Total Complaints
8 filings
BMW R 1150 R · model year
2003 BMW R 1150 R
8 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMWR 1150 R 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, 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 R 1150 R is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, other:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (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 2003 R 1150 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.
8
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recalls (1)
02V31900027/11/2002
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE 3RD AND 4TH TRANSMISSION GEAR (SHIFT) WHEELS MAY NOT BE SECURELY SEATED ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM 5TH TO 6TH GEAR, ENGAGEMENT OF THE TWO GEARS MAY OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Recent Complaints
20070413ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW R1150 WITH CURRENT FAILURE OF MILEAGE OF 9,100 MILES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN # 03V483000 CONCERNING ENGINE HESITATION OR MISFIRING. WHILE DRIVING IN GOOD WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS, THE MOTORCYCLE BACK FIRED MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE BACK FIRE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 4500 RPMS IN 6TH GEAR. THE BACK FIRE CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE CONTACT REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES AFTER HAVING THE REPAIRS DONE, HE IS EXPERIENCING MODERATE ENGINE SURGING AND SOME OIL CONSUMPTION. UPDATE 5/3/07*TR
Mileage: 9,100
20070413ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW R1150 WITH CURRENT FAILURE OF MILEAGE OF 9,100 MILES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN # 03V483000 CONCERNING ENGINE HESITATION OR MISFIRING. WHILE DRIVING IN GOOD WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS, THE MOTORCYCLE BACK FIRED MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE BACK FIRE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 4500 RPMS IN 6TH GEAR. THE BACK FIRE CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE CONTACT REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES AFTER HAVING THE REPAIRS DONE, HE IS EXPERIENCING MODERATE ENGINE SURGING AND SOME OIL CONSUMPTION. UPDATE 5/3/07*TR
Mileage: 9,100
20040727POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE.*MR THIS LETTER IS TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING A WARRANTY PROBLEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADDRESS FURTHER. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION, DRIVELINE AND FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS. *CB
20040727POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE.*MR THIS LETTER IS TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING A WARRANTY PROBLEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADDRESS FURTHER. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION, DRIVELINE AND FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS. *CB
20040727FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE.*MR THIS LETTER IS TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING A WARRANTY PROBLEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADDRESS FURTHER. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION, DRIVELINE AND FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS. *CB
20040116FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
I OWN A 2004 BMW R1150R MOTORCYCLE. THIS MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK I SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS SINCE IT WAS DARK OUT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK IT APPEARED THAT ABOUT A PINT OF RAW GASOLINE HAD LEAKED OUT OF MY FUEL LINES ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION, THEN DRIPPED DOWN ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST. *CB
Mileage: 7,700
20040107FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHEN STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL HOSE. *AK
20030718ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE SURGES AT ALL SPEEDS BELOW 4000 RPM. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THOUSANDS OF OWNERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE. ENGINE STALLS WHEN SLOWING AND DOWN SHIFTING. *JB
Mileage: 100
Compare 2003BMWR 1150 R to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R 1150 R have?▼
The 2003 BMW R 1150 R has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 BMW R 1150 R?▼
Yes, the 2003 BMW R 1150 R has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW R 1150 R?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R 1150 R is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 2003 BMW R 1150 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.