Total Complaints
3 filings
BMW R1100 RS · model year
1998 BMW R1100 RS
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMWR1100 RS carries 3 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 1998 R1100 RS is power train:manual transmission with 2 filings, followed by suspension:rear (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 1998 R1100 RS. 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.
3
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:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061113SUSPENSION:REAR
BMW MOTORCYCLE - FAILURE OF THE 'BIG' BEARING IN THE REAR DRIVE. NOISE FROM THE REAR DRIVE - FOLLOWED BY THE WHEEL COCKING - AND THE BIKE BECAME SERIOUSLY UNSTABLE. WAS RIDING SLOWLY - ON MY WAY TO A DEALERSHIP - SO NO FALL DOWN. HAD THE BIKE CARRIED THE REST OF THE WAY AND HAD THE REAR DRIVE REBUILT (NEW BEARING AND SEAL). PARTS WERE LEFT AT THE DEALERSHIP. *NM
Mileage: 112,000
20000905POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES WONT ALLOW SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR, VERY UNSAFE WHEN PASSING ON TWO LANE ROAD. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES FALLS OUT OF 3RD GEAR, VERY UNSAFE WHEN PASSING ON TWO LANE ROAD.
20000905POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES WONT ALLOW SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR, VERY UNSAFE WHEN PASSING ON TWO LANE ROAD. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES FALLS OUT OF 3RD GEAR, VERY UNSAFE WHEN PASSING ON TWO LANE ROAD.
Compare 1998BMWR1100 RS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW R1100 RS have?▼
The 1998 BMW R1100 RS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW R1100 RS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW R1100 RS is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:REAR.
Is the 1998 BMW R1100 RS 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.