Total Complaints
5 filings
BMW R 1150 RT · model year
2003 BMW R 1150 RT
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMWR 1150 RT carries 5 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 R 1150 RT is suspension with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2003 R 1150 RT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 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
20061009EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY, LEAVING ONLY THE FOG LIGHTS TO GET ME HOME. DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY UNDER WARRANTY.
Mileage: 17,200
20040902CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ACTUAL MODEL IS RT1150P NOT LISTED ON MODEL LIST. ALTENATOR BELT BROKE, CAUSING ALTENATOR FAILURE AND LOW VOLTAGE WHICH NEGATED POWER BRAKES LEAVING ME WITH RESIDUAL BRAKING ABOUT 40% OF NORMAL BREAKING AT BEST. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND ROLLED IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRUCK WHO WAS ABLE TO AVOID ME BY SLOWING AND GOING AROUND. DEALER REPLACED BELT AND ALTENATOR. THIS DOES NOT MEAN IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN HOWEVER. THE OWNERS MANUAL EVEN EXPLAINS POWER LOSS TO BRAKES CALLING IT RESIDUAL BRAKING. THE MANUAL SAYS APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE LEVER, SET THEM SO YOU HAVE MORE LEVERAGE ON THEM, AND RIDE IN A DEFENSIVE POSITION. A LITTLE TOUGH TO DO WHEN YOU ARE EXITING THE FREEWAY, STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT OR PULLING UP TO A DRIVEWAY TO ENTER TRAFFIC. LOSING YOUR BREAKING EFFECIENCY BECAUSE OF ELECTRONIC FAILURE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR CIVILIAN USE.*AK
Mileage: 15,840
20040425ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
STALLING WHILE RIDING IN THE RAIN. WOULD RESTART AFTER WAITING A FEW MOMENTS. HAPPENED AT LEAST 8 TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. THEN, WHILE RIDING IN TRAFFIC DURING DRY WEATHER STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED TO DEALER. IGNITION COIL REPLACED.*AK
Mileage: 11,511
20040425FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
RECALL REMEDY FAILURE. 04V-028. DEALER RE-CRIMPED THE CRIMP CLAMPS PER BMW'S INSTRUCTIONS. STILL LEAKED SUBSTANTIALLY AT 4.2 BAR WHEN SYSTEM PRESSURE-CHECKED. SOME CONCERN THAT PLASTIC COMPONENTS DEFORM PREVENTING FULL CRIMP CLAMP LOAD. REPLACED OE CRIMP CLAMPS WITH EALIER VERSION, OE, SCREW CLAMPS.*AK
Mileage: 11,511
20040203SUSPENSION
2003 BMW R 1150 RT MOTORCYCLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOU DO NOT KEEP PRESSURE TO THE LEFT ON THE HANDLE BARS IT WILL LEAN ITSELF TO THE RIGHT AND RUN OFF THE ROAD. ALSO IT HAS EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. I SPOKE WITH BMW AND THEY SAID THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THESE BIKES.*AK
Mileage: 600
Compare 2003BMWR 1150 RT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT have?▼
The 2003 BMW R 1150 RT has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT?▼
Yes, the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT 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 RT?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT is SUSPENSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 BMW R 1150 RT; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.