Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 15 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel/propulsion System. 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
18 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2011
Tires
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. AP…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10425716
31,050 miles · Jan 3, 2010
Power Train
FINAL DRIVE FAILED ON MY 2004 BMW R1150RT. MOTORCYCLE HAS 31,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10297919
50,720 miles · Dec 21, 2009
Power 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 …
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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
NHTSA ODI #10296529
28,200 miles · Aug 26, 2008
Power Train
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…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10239865
68,900 miles · Jul 27, 2008
Fuel 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 …
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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
NHTSA ODI #10235920
38,612 miles · Jul 21, 2008
Power 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
NHTSA ODI #10235119
33,000 miles · Jun 6, 2008
Fuel 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.…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10230109
27,485 miles · Feb 3, 2008
Power Train
CLUTCH FAILURE AS A RESULT OF MISALIGNED TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE, CAUSED BY MANUFACTURER DEFECT. COST TO REPAIR; PARTS AND LABOR = $2,000.00. *TR
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, AN INCORRECT SEALING RING WAS MOUNTED TO THE PISTON OF THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF ONLY THE REAR BRAKE WERE APPLIED DURING RIDING, INSUFFICIENT BRAKING PRESSURE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO SLOW THE MOTORCYCLE, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RECALL BEGAN JULY 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2004 BMW R1150 Rt Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year