BMW R1200 GS · model year

2004 BMW R1200 GS

4 NHTSA complaints, and 2 recall campaigns 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 2004BMWR1200 GS carries 4 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.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2004 R1200 GS is power train with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and suspension:rear (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns 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 2004 R1200 GS. 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.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

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

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recalls (2)

06V13400024/04/2006

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, IF CERTAIN PROCEDURES ARE PERFORMED THAT INVOLVES REMOVAL OF THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE CALIPER, THE ABS SENSOR CABLE CAN BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND WHEN THE CALIPER IS REINSTALLED, THE SENSOR CABLE CAN COME INTO CONTACT AND RUB AGAINST THE FRONT BRAKE DISC. OVERTIME, IF THE CHAFIN

06V16400015/05/2006

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, UNDER RAPID, REPEATED, AND UNUSUALLY HARSH BRAKING, LOSS OF ABS CAPABILITY COULD TEMPORARILY OCCUR.

Recent Complaints

20110115SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

RIDING THE BIKE SLOWLY (ABOUT 40 KPH) AND BRAKED HEAVILY. DISINTEGRATION OF REAR WHEEL CARRIER (FLANGE) ON BMW GS1200 (2004) . THIS BILLET ALUMINUM FLANGE IS THE SINGLE COMPONENT CONNECTING THE REAR WHEEL WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. AND ALSO THE BRAKE DISK. THE PART BROKE APART UNDER HEAVY BRAKING AND THE BRAKE DISK DETACHED, RESULTING IN NO REAR WHEEL BRAKING AND DAMAGE TO THE ABS UNIT. CRITICAL FAILURE WILL CERTAINLY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. BMW AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN ADVISED AND OFFERED NO RECOURSE TO CORRECT RO ADVISE OTHER OWNERS. ABS MODULE ALSO FAILED, WITH AN INTERNAL LEAK (POSSIBLY CAUSED BY PRESSURE SPIKE FROM FLANGE DISINTEGRATING). NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAULTS ON ADVENTURE RIDERS WEBSITE. VIN NO IS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 45,000

20091210SUSPENSION:REAR

STRESS FRACTURE ON BMW GS1200 (2004) REAR WHEEL ATTACHMENT FLANGE. THIS BILLET ALUMINUM FLANGE IS THE SINGLE COMPONENT CONNECTING THE REAR WHEEL WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. CRITICAL FAILURE WILL CERTAINLY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. BMWNA INDICATE THAT THIS IS A NORMAL WEAR ITEM AND OFFER NO RECOURSE TO CORRECT. *TR

Mileage: 36,250

20070704UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I HAVE A 2007 BMW R1150 GS MOTORCYCLE WITH A FAILING SIGHT GLASS. IT HAS NOT MELTED, BUT HAS A WHITE HALO AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGE WHICH INDICATES OVERHEATING OF THE SIGHT GLASS. ACTION NUMBER ON THIS ISSUE IS PE07031.

Mileage: 6,000

20060901POWER TRAIN

FINAL DRIVE SEAL BLEW OUT AFTER ONLY 30K MILES. *JB

Mileage: 29,500

Compare 2004BMWR1200 GS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 BMW R1200 GS have?
The 2004 BMW R1200 GS has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 BMW R1200 GS?
Yes, the 2004 BMW R1200 GS has 2 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 2004 BMW R1200 GS?
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW R1200 GS is POWER TRAIN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SUSPENSION:REAR.
Is the 2004 BMW R1200 GS 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 2004 BMW R1200 GS; 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.