1996 BMW R100RT

THIS DEFECT EXISTS IN MODEL YEAR 1996 BMW R100RT MOTORCYCLES. SPECIFICALLY, THE THROTTLE CABLE IS KNOWN TO FRAY AND HANG OPEN, CAUSING THE RIDER TO BE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE AND STOP THE MOTORCYCLE FROM ACCELERATING. I RECENTLY WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE THROTTLE HUNG IN THE FULL-OPEN POSITION. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE MOTORCYCLE BY USING THE KILL-SWITCH AND COAST TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD I BEEN ON ANY OTHER TYPE OF ROAD, ESPECIALLY A MOUNTAINOUS ROAD WITH CURVES, I COULD EASILY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND CRASHED. AFTER MY DEALER REPLACED THE CABLE (AT A COST OF $200), I LEARNED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. AMAZINGLY, BMW REQUIRES THIS CABLE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 18,000 MILES. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE AN INDICATION THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF POTENTIAL CABLE PROBLEMS. MY CABLE HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR ONLY 15,000 MILES, 3,000 MILES SHORT OF THE NORMAL SERVICE POINT. MY DEALER HAS A COLLECTION OF THROTTLE CABLES OVER HIS DESK, ALL OF WHICH FAILED IN SERVICE. BMW CHANGED THE CABLE ROUTING FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE BEGINNING WITH MODEL YEAR 1997, BUT NEVER ISSUED A RECALL TO FIX THE 1996 MODELS. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, WHICH IF NOT REMEDIED, COULD RESULT IN A RIDER SUFFERING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.*AK