Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW R 1200 R · model year
2009 BMW R 1200 R
7 NHTSA complaints, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009BMWR 1200 R carries 7 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 2009 R 1200 R is fuel/propulsion system with 4 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (1) and electrical 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. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, 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 2009 R 1200 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.
7
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recalls (4)
10V27600018/06/2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2009 R 1200 AND K 1200 SERIES MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 2006 THROUGH MAY 2009. DUE TO THE CURRENT ROUTING OF THE FRONT BRAKE LINES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DURING RIDING, AND THEREFORE ASSOCIATED VIBRATION. THE BRAKE LINES COULD BE UNDER STRAI
13V61700012/12/2013
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 model year R-model motorcycles, model year 2005-2012 K-model motorcycles, model year 2010-2011 S 1000 model motorcycles, and model year 2006-2010 HP2 motorcycles. In the affected motorcycles, the fuel pump flange (and the aux
15V14100011/03/2015
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 R1200GS and R1200RT, 2006-2010 R1200GS Adventure, 2007-2010 R1200R, 2007 R1200S and K1200R Sport, 2005-2007 R1200ST, 2008-2009 HP2 Megamoto, 2006 HP2 Enduro, 2008-2010 HP2 Sport, 2005-2008 K1200S, 2006-2008 K1200R, K1200GT, 20
20V47100010/08/2020
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2011 K1300 (S, GT), 2010-2011 S1000 RR, 2005-2011 R1200 (GS, GS Adventure, R, RT, S, ST), 2006-2010 HP2 (Enduro, Megamoto, Sport), 2005-2008 K1200 (R, R Sport, S, GT), and 2012 K1600 (GT, GTL) motorcycles that were repaired under recall 13V-6
Recent Complaints
20241024FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel gauge stopped responding, leading to running out of fuel while moving. This is a common failure on many bike models from BMW from 2005-2013. I have had this happen 4 times so far, and each time the fuel level measuring strip in the fuel tank was replaced. This repair is costly, and has proven it is at best a temporary solution. This is an unsafe condition since loss of engine power from running out of fuel can be quite dangerous on a motorcycle.
20210921FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The fuel strip located inside the tank which sends an electronic signal to the dash gauge indicating the amount of fuel available until the low fuel warning light comes on malfunctions and eventually fails. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On three separate occasions (two on 55 mph + roads with two + lanes of traffic and once on a local 35 mph one lane road) I was driving and the fuel level indicated a sufficient amount to travel to my destination when the tank abruptly ran dry with no warning and I had to coast to the side of the road stranded and had to call for roadside assistance. The problem occurred within two to three years of the vehicle being in service. The factory warranty covers 3 years/3600 miles. To the best of my knowledge, the problem first occurred in 2011 or 2012. I am not sure if the first occurrence was covered under the original manufacturers factory warranty but I would not pay out of pocket cost to have the fuel strip replaced. After many com
20210921ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The fuel strip located inside the tank which sends an electronic signal to the dash gauge indicating the amount of fuel available until the low fuel warning light comes on malfunctions and eventually fails. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On three separate occasions (two on 55 mph + roads with two + lanes of traffic and once on a local 35 mph one lane road) I was driving and the fuel level indicated a sufficient amount to travel to my destination when the tank abruptly ran dry with no warning and I had to coast to the side of the road stranded and had to call for roadside assistance. The problem occurred within two to three years of the vehicle being in service. The factory warranty covers 3 years/3600 miles. To the best of my knowledge, the problem first occurred in 2011 or 2012. I am not sure if the first occurrence was covered under the original manufacturers factory warranty but I would not pay out of pocket cost to have the fuel strip replaced. After many com
20210921UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The fuel strip located inside the tank which sends an electronic signal to the dash gauge indicating the amount of fuel available until the low fuel warning light comes on malfunctions and eventually fails. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On three separate occasions (two on 55 mph + roads with two + lanes of traffic and once on a local 35 mph one lane road) I was driving and the fuel level indicated a sufficient amount to travel to my destination when the tank abruptly ran dry with no warning and I had to coast to the side of the road stranded and had to call for roadside assistance. The problem occurred within two to three years of the vehicle being in service. The factory warranty covers 3 years/3600 miles. To the best of my knowledge, the problem first occurred in 2011 or 2012. I am not sure if the first occurrence was covered under the original manufacturers factory warranty but I would not pay out of pocket cost to have the fuel strip replaced. After many com
20191008FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FLANGE CRACKED, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BIKE AND ONTO HOT COMPONENTS WHILE RIDING. THIS ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A BMW RECALL - BUT APPARENTLY THE "INSPECT AND REINFORCE" SOLUTION ISN'T REALLY ADEQUATE LONG-TERM. THIS PUMP HAD BEEN "INSPECTED AND REINFORCED" - AND THE FLANGE STILL CRACKED AND CAUSED A DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR BODILY INJURY OR WORSE.
Mileage: 35,000
20130224FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED THAT I HAD 40 MILES LEFT AND WAS ON RESERVE AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TWO MILES LATER, ON THE WAY TO STOP FOR GAS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SPUTTERED ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AND DIED. I HAD NO POWER AND MANAGED TO SAFELY COAST THROUGH TRAFFIC TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SLOSH THE TANK BACK AND FORTH AND START THE ENGINE AGAIN AND MADE IT SAFELY TO A GAS STATION 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD WHERE I FILLED UP A BONE DRY TANK STILL TELLING ME I HAD 38 MILES LEFT ON THE TANK. THIS WAS THE FIRST STRIP TO MY KNOWLEDGE ON THIS BIKE THAT FAILED. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR $300 BY BMW. THE SECOND ONE FAILED IN A SIMILAR FASHION, EXCEPT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE SHOULDER I CRASHED INTO A RETAINING WALL. SEE ODI NUMBER : 10498389 FILED AFTER THAT EPISODE. *TR
Mileage: 15,000
20120507FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL STRIP (FUEL LEVEL SENSOR) FAILS RENDERING A FALSE "EMPTY" READING ON MY FUEL GAUGE. THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL SENSOR STRIP THAT HAS BEEN USED IN VARIOUS BMW "R" MODELS. *TR
Mileage: 6,009
Compare 2009BMWR 1200 R to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 BMW R 1200 R have?▼
The 2009 BMW R 1200 R has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 BMW R 1200 R?▼
Yes, the 2009 BMW R 1200 R has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 BMW R 1200 R?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 BMW R 1200 R is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2009 BMW R 1200 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.