IllustrationBMW K1200LT REAR DRIVE FAILURE. 32000 MILES REAR CROWN BEARING FAILED ON EXTENDED TRIP.*AK
1999 BMW K1200LT
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 BMW K1200LT do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 21.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all K1200LT years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
70–25K
2025–50K
550–75K
275–100K
0100–150K
1150K+
35 reports with mileage · 15 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports
Power Train complaints
37 reports1999 BMW K1200LTI REAR DRIVE FAILURE. *AK
REAR DRIVE FAILED ON BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. BEARING IN REAR DRIVE OF SHAFT DRIVE MOTORCYCLE HAS FAILED CAUSING GRINDING NOISE, MAKING VEHICLE UNRIDABLE.*AK
REAR DRIVE FAILURE, K1200LT BMW MOTORCYCLE. THE REAR DRIVE ON THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED, CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO BE INOPERABLE. THE BEARING COLLAPSED FROM INSIDE OUT. THE RACE HOLDING THE ROLLERS BROKE IN SEVERAL PLACES. *NLM
BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE - FINAL DRIVE WENT OUT. THE FINAL DRIVE STARTING MAKING NOISE THEN DUMPED ALL FLUID ONTO THE REAR BRAKE AND TIRE. *AK
SUFFERED A REAR DRIVE ASSY FAILURE ON A 1999 BMW K1200LT-C, BETWEEN 14-16K MILES. *AK
REAR DRIVE FAILURE ON 1999 BMWK1200LT MOTORCYCLE
SHIFT LINKAGE BROKE ON 1999 BMW K1200 LT ICON MOTORCYCLE. VIN [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
1999 BMW MOTORCYCLE, REAR DRIVE FAILURE ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK ONTO REAR TIRE AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTOR. *NLM
REAR DRIVE BEARING FAILURE. *TT
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP12001 · M/c Final Drive Ball Bearing Failure
Opened Jan 20, 2012 · Closed Jun 20, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition requesting that it open an investigation into model year (MY) 1998-2009 BMW KLT series motorcycles for final drive bearing failures.The petitioner asked NHTSA to issue an order that [BMW] be required to recall the affected models for inspection ofcomponent wear and proper assembly of the [final drive] bearing.ODI has reviewed the petition, assessed relevant consumer complaints, and gathered other data in the course of investigating this issue.Based on its review, ODI does not believe that a safety-related defect trend currently exists for final drive bearing failures in the subject motorcycles.Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied.However, the agency will continue to monitor information related to this issue and will take further action if warranted.For detailed information, see the Federal Register notice: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-13779.