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2002 BMW R1200C

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

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: 2 of 5 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.

  • Seats. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

5 reports
29,963 miles · Feb 3, 2012
Power Train

MY FINAL DRIVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT 29,963 MILES ON 12/18/08. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CROWN GEAR OR BEARINGS DETERIORATED, CHEWED UP THE SEALS, AND CAUSED GEAR OIL TO LEAK ONTO MY REAR WHEEL. A BMW DEALER REBUILT THE DRIVE USING OEM PARTS, AND IT FAILED AGAIN AT 32,164 MILES ON 6/25/09. IT WAS REBUILT A 2ND TIME AND …

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MY FINAL DRIVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT 29,963 MILES ON 12/18/08. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CROWN GEAR OR BEARINGS DETERIORATED, CHEWED UP THE SEALS, AND CAUSED GEAR OIL TO LEAK ONTO MY REAR WHEEL. A BMW DEALER REBUILT THE DRIVE USING OEM PARTS, AND IT FAILED AGAIN AT 32,164 MILES ON 6/25/09. IT WAS REBUILT A 2ND TIME AND RECENTLY FAILED A 3RD TIME ON 9/29/11 AT 47,647. THIS TIME I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW FINAL DRIVE FROM BMW IN GERMANY FOR ALMOST $1400 RATHER THAN REBUILDING AGAIN, HOWEVER, I'M AFRAID ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. LAST TIME I NEEDED TO GET TOWED HOME AND BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND. EACH TIME THE REPAIR WAS PAID FOR OUT OF MY POCKET AS THE BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. EACH TIME THE DEALER AND BMW DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF FINAL DRIVE INTEGRITY ISSUES WITHOUT EH BMW R1200C MODELS. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10446551

5,500 miles · Apr 28, 2004
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

I OWN A 2002 BMW R1200C THAT HAD ABOUT 5500 MILES ON IT BEFORE THE FOLLOWING FAILURE; THE BEARING ON THE END OF THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON FAILED, SPINNING THE SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON IN IT'S BORE, BURNED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BLED ALUMINUM PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH CIRCUIT. THIS RENDERED THE CLUTCH LEVER INOPE…

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I OWN A 2002 BMW R1200C THAT HAD ABOUT 5500 MILES ON IT BEFORE THE FOLLOWING FAILURE; THE BEARING ON THE END OF THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON FAILED, SPINNING THE SLAVE CYLINDER PISTON IN IT'S BORE, BURNED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BLED ALUMINUM PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH CIRCUIT. THIS RENDERED THE CLUTCH LEVER INOPERABLE AND I COULD NO LONGER PUT THE MOTORCYCLE IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND LET THE BIKE STALL IN GEAR, WHICH HAD A TENDENCY TO LOCK UP THE REAR TIRE. BMW FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I'VE FOUND OUT THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAPPENS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY. IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THE NEW COMPONENTS FAIL.

NHTSA ODI #10068016

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2002
Seats

WHILE RIDING BACK REST FELL OFF.*AK OUTSIDE SCOPE OF RECALL_ID 11776 (00V-289)

NHTSA ODI #8013668

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2002
Seats

WHILE RIDING, BACK REST FELL OFF.*AK *YH

NHTSA ODI #8013666

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2002
Seats

WHILE RIDING BACKREST FELL OFF.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8013664

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

PE03054 · Fuel Line Leakage

Opened Dec 1, 2003 · Closed Jan 23, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

BMW IS CONDUCTING A RECALL (04V-028).AN INFORMATION REQUEST(IR)RESPONSE WAS NOT RECEIVED. UPON BMW'S RECEIPT OF THE IR, AND AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, BMWDETERMINED THAT A RECALL WAS NECESSARY. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE O-RING CONTAINED WITHIN THE FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING COULD BECOME DAMAGED.FURTHER, THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM INVOLVING CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS, WHICH CAN ALSO RESULT IN A SMALL FUEL LEAK.DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, ADJUST ALL CRIMP-TYPE HOSE CLAMPS.ALSO ALL FUEL LINE QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLINGS WILL BE INSPECTED.IF A LEAK IS DETECTED, THE QUICK-DISCONNECT O-RING WILL BE REPLACED.IF DAMAGED, THE COUPLING WILL BE REPLACED.OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2004.