BMW R1150 RT · model year

2004 BMW R1150 RT

19 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004BMWR1150 RT carries 19 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.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 R1150 RT is power train with 9 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (2) and fuel/propulsion system (2). 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 2004 R1150 RT. 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.

19
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

19 filings

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

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN9
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE1
TIRES1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recalls (1)

04V30400023/06/2004

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, AN INCORRECT SEALING RING WAS MOUNTED TO THE PISTON OF THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.

Recent Complaints

20220615SERVICE BRAKES

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE .I COULD NOT STOP THE MOTORCYCLE.I WENT RITE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION,THANK GOD THERE WAS NO VEHICLES DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT THE SAME TIME.

20170611FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY MOTORCYCLE KEPT LOSING FUEL. I NEVER LEAVE IT LOW ON GAS, BUT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WENT TO RIDE IT AND THE TANK WAS EMPTY. SINCE THEN I FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO REPLACE WHAT BMW NEVER SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED, SAYING THIS IS COMMON IN CA BECAUSE BMW DID NOT USE METAL QUICK DISCONNECTS ON THE FUEL LINES; OUR GAS EATS THE PLASTIC. AT LEAST 10 GALLONS OF GAS DISAPPEARED OVER 4 MONTHS LAST SUMMER. THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD AND I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, I GUESS. IT ALSO IS NOT CHEAP TO FIX. THE PARTS ARE AROUND $100. BMW SHOULD FIX THIS, OR PAY FOR PARTS SO I CAN DO IT.

20130724FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECTS ON BOTH SUPPLY AND RETURN FAILED CAUSING FUEL LEAK ON TO ENGINE AND EXHAUST. EXTREME FIRE POTENTIAL. QUICK DISCONNECT SEALS AND COMPONENTS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO HANDLE EXPOSURE TO RAW FUEL, IT IS A POOR DESIGN AND BMWNA SHOULD RECALL R1150RT'S DUE TO THIS FAILURE AND FIRE RISK. *TR

Mileage: 14,000

20120719POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

THE REAR TIRE BECAME OIL COVERED AND SLICK BECAUSE OF A FAILED OIL SEAL IN THE FINAL DRIVE. THE OIL SEAL HAD FAILED AS RESULTS OF THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. THESE FAILURES CAUSED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS THERE WAS EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN THE REAR WHEEL AND THE REAR TIRE WAS OIL SOAKED FROM THE SEAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE GAVE LITTLE ADVANCED WARNING AS ROAD AND TIRE NOISE CHANGES AND SOUND SIMILAR. I HAVE HAD TWO FINAL DRIVE FAILURES ON THE SAME MOTORCYCLE, THE FIRST 06/04/2006 AT 33,095 MILES AT 25 MPH AND THE SECOND 07/13/2012 AT 74,341 MILES AT 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM.

Mileage: 33,095

20120719POWER TRAIN

THE REAR TIRE BECAME OIL COVERED AND SLICK BECAUSE OF A FAILED OIL SEAL IN THE FINAL DRIVE. THE OIL SEAL HAD FAILED AS RESULTS OF THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. THESE FAILURES CAUSED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS THERE WAS EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN THE REAR WHEEL AND THE REAR TIRE WAS OIL SOAKED FROM THE SEAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE GAVE LITTLE ADVANCED WARNING AS ROAD AND TIRE NOISE CHANGES AND SOUND SIMILAR. I HAVE HAD TWO FINAL DRIVE FAILURES ON THE SAME MOTORCYCLE, THE FIRST 06/04/2006 AT 33,095 MILES AT 25 MPH AND THE SECOND 07/13/2012 AT 74,341 MILES AT 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM.

Mileage: 33,095

20120710POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE REAR END TO SEVERELY KNOCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL SPILLED OUT FROM THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A 3-6 MONTH BACK ORDER ON THE PART THAT WAS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

Mileage: 17,000

20120204CrashPOWER TRAIN

FINAL DRIVE, CROWN GEAR BEARING FAILED. NO EARLY WARNING OF OIL LEAKAGE, JUST WENT SUDDENLY WHEN ON CROSS COUNTRY TRIP WHILE IN CO. FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO WOBBLE SIGNIFICANTLY, THE OIL SEAL TO FAIL AND REAR LUBE OIL LEAKED ALL OVER REAR WHEEL. (HAVE PICTURE) SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *KB

Mileage: 100,500

20120203POWER TRAIN

MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE GEAR BEARING FAILURE. GEAR OIL LEAKING FROM FINAL DRIVE. *KB

Mileage: 66,126

20120203POWER TRAIN

FAILURE OF FINAL DRIVE CROWN GEAR BEARING. THE BEARING SHATTERED CAUSING THE SEAL TO BE DAMAGED WITH OIL LOSS. *KB

Mileage: 42,000

20120108POWER TRAIN

ON I-5 SOUTHBOUND IN BELLINGHAM WA, LEFT LANE AT 60MPH. UP SHIFTED TRANSMISSION AND HEARD GRINDING NOISE, ON CLUTCH RELEASE. MANAGED TO GET TO RIGHT ROAD SHOULDER AND PUSH BIKE TO NEXT EXIT. FOUND CLUTCH DISK SPLINES STRIPPED AND TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT SPLINES VERY WORN. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF PROBLEM UNTIL THE SPLINES STRIPPED. UPON RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM, FOUND IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM OF THE BMW R1150RT. *TR

Mileage: 35,680

20111125POWER TRAIN

LOST TRANSMISSION SPLINES AND CLUTCH DISK SPLINES GOING DOWN THE ROAD SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. LOST ALL DRIVE TO REAR WHEEL AND HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD, THANKFULLY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 16,491

20110916TIRES

SHINKO RAVEN 009 SIZE 120/70 ZR 17 DEVELOPED BLISTERS AROUND 75% OF THE CIRCUMFERANCE OF THE TREAD. THE BLISTERS RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES IN SIZE AND ARE EVENLY SPACED ALONG THE TREAD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CENTER LINE OF THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY THE TIRE DID NOT FAIL BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED AND THERE WAS NO CRASH. APPROX 12,500 MILES ON THE TIRE. *TT

20100103POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

FINAL DRIVE FAILED ON MY 2004 BMW R1150RT. MOTORCYCLE HAS 31,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 31,050

20091221POWER TRAIN

THE WAS NO WARNING THAT A FAILURE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA GA WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HAD I BEEN IN A MIDDLE LANE, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE ENDANGERING SITUATION. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AND COASTED TO A STOP ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CLUTCH SPLINES OF DRIVE SYSTEM STRIPPED OUT AT 50,000 MILES. ACCORDING TO OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE, THESE FAILURES CAN OCCUR AS OFTEN AS EVERY 10-15K MILES BUT MOST FREQUENTLY AROUND 20-25K. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WITH ABOUT 28K MILES AND SUSPECT THE PREVIOUS OWNER MAY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I DISASSEMBLED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE CLUTCH PARTS AND THE TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR EVEN THOUGH I DID MOST OF THE LABOR. TOTAL COST FOR ME WAS JUST OVER $1200. THE ONLY PART I HAVE IS THE INPUT SHAFT THAT I USED AS A CLUTCH CENTERING TOOL TO INSTALL THE NEW CLUTCH. *TR

Mileage: 50,720

20080826POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH / TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT SPLINES POTENTIALLY CAUSING MOTORCYCLE TO LOOSE FORWARD DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. FAILURE OCCURRED WITH 28,210 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RIDING SLIGHTLY UP GRADE AT 50 MPH. SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED FAILURE CAUSED LOSE OF FORWARD DRIVE AND BEING STRANDED IN TRAFFIC. THIS REQUIRED PUSHING THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF TRAFFIC TO A SAFE LOCATION AND BEING TOWED TO THE REPAIR LOCATION. THIS IS NOT UNPRESIDENTED IN THIS SERIES OF MOTORCYCLES AND APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE MISALIGNMENT OF THE ENGINE / TRANSMISSION INTERFACE AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. REPAIR INCLUDES THE REMOVAL AND REPAIR OF THE TRANSMISSION; WHICH CAN TAKE AS LONG AS 10 HOURS TO COMPLETE. REPAIR PARTS COST ABOUT $900 DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND IDENTIFYING THE CAUSE. THE DEALER COST TO HAVE THIS REPAIR RUNS $2000 PLUS. *TR

Mileage: 28,200

20080727FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2004 R1150RT BMW MOTORCYCLE FAILED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK ON AN EXPRESSWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, BUT WAS IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE PASSING HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I BACKED THE BIKE ABOUT 1/8 MILE TO THE PREVIOUS EXIT AND PUSHED IT TO A GAS STATION AND CALLED FOR A TOW. *TR

Mileage: 68,900

20080721POWER TRAIN

2004 BMW R1150RT FAILURE OF FINAL DRIVE BEARING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, DENIED BY BMW, AND COULD CAUSE A POTENTIALLY FATAL CRASH IF IT LOCKED UP AT SPEED. OUT RACE FAILS, EVENTUALLY THE BEARING RETAINERS FAIL, AND BEARING COLLAPSES, POTENTIALLY LOCKING UP THE REAR WHEEL. *TR

Mileage: 38,612

20080606FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2004 BMW R1150RT MOTORCYCLE- FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT FAILED. BIKE STARTED LEAKING SMALL DROPS OF FUEL. TOOK SIDE FAIRING OFF AND FOUND THE LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT. I DISCONNECTED THE LINE AND FUEL BEGAN POURING FROM THE LINE. THE WHOLE IDEA OF A QUICK DISCONNECT IS FOR THE LINE TO NOT LEAK WHEN DISCONNECTED. CALLED BMW DEALER BIKE SHOP AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE PLENTY REPLACEMENTS IN STOCK BECAUSE THEY FAIL QUITE OFTEN. *TR

Mileage: 33,000

20080203POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH FAILURE AS A RESULT OF MISALIGNED TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE, CAUSED BY MANUFACTURER DEFECT. COST TO REPAIR; PARTS AND LABOR = $2,000.00. *TR

Mileage: 27,485

Compare 2004BMWR1150 RT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 BMW R1150 RT have?
The 2004 BMW R1150 RT has 19 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 BMW R1150 RT?
Yes, the 2004 BMW R1150 RT has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW R1150 RT?
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW R1150 RT is POWER TRAIN with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2004 BMW R1150 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 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.