2008 BMW R1200 RT Fuel/propulsion System Problems

THIS SERIES OF MOTORCYCLES HAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CRACKS IN THE THROTTLE PULLEYS ON THE THROTTLE BODY. FAILURE OF THIS PLASTIC PART WILL RESULT IN INSTANT LOSS OF POWER. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND DECIDED TO INSPECT THE TWO THROTTLE BODIES ON MY MOTORCYCLE AS A PRECAUTION. BOTH OF MINE WERE CRACKED. ONE OF THE PULLEYS HAS THREE CRACKS IN IT, AND WOULD LIKELY HAVE FAILED WITHIN A SHORT TIME. SEE PHOTOS INCLUDED WITH THIS REPORT.

Mileage: 42,000

FUEL PUMP LEAKING FROM A CRACK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE OUTPUT LINE SPRAYED GASOLINE ON THE INSIDE OF THE FAIRING, MOTOR AND MY LEG. THE PUMP SPRAYS GASOLINE ANYTIME THE KEY IS IN THE ON POSITION.

Mileage: 12,000

VEHICLE HAS 6000 MILES ON IT. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD A RECEIPT FROM THE DEALER SHOWING THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. FUEL INDICATOR SHOWS 1/4 TANK OF FUEL, AND ENGINE COMPUTER SHOWS 92 MILES RANGE. VEHICLE STALLED AT AN INTERSECTION, OUT OF FUEL. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF TRAFFIC, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Mileage: 6,000

THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/4 TANK OF FUEL, BUT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF FUEL ON A VERY BUSY SECTION OF INTERSTATE 95 IN DELAWARE JUST BEFORE THE I 95 / I 295-I 495 SPLIT. I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT HAND TRAVEL LANE AND WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF ONTO A WIDENED LEFTHAND SECTION OF BREAKDOWN LANE THAT WAS LED INTO THE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT DELAWARE DOT SALT/SAND BARN. THE SUDDEN DECELERATION WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED, AND I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST JUST AS I WAS MOVING INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, IN SPITE OF PULLING IN THE CLUTCH TO COAST SO AS NOT TO CONTINUE WITH THE STRONG ENGINE BREAKING THAT RESULTED. HAD TO CALL AAA SERVICES TO GET FUEL ENOUGH TO GET TO A REFUELING STATION. FUEL TANK SENSOR WAS ULTIMATELY REPLACED BY LOCAL BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, BUT FAILED AGAIN LAST WEEK!!! THIS SENSOR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR BMW, AND CONTINUES TO BE, AS SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES EACH. IF I WERE TO RUN OUT OF GAS ON A DANGEROUS HIGHWAY, OR IN A REMOTE LOCATION - IN EITHER EXTREME COLD OR HOT, WITHOUT A WAY TO CONTACT HELP, IT COULD PROVE TO BE DANGEROUS. THE SUDDEN DECELERATION ALONE ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE REAR-ENDED, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. *TR

Mileage: 10,400

THE FUEL STRIP INDICATOR HAS NOW FAILED 3 TIMES, TWICE LEAVING ME STRANDED WITH AN EMPTY FUEL TANK. *TR

Mileage: 8,602

FUEL GAUGE FAILED, AGAIN, CAUSING POTENTIAL STALLING IN TRAFFIC CREATING DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

Mileage: 7,864

MOTORCYCLE GAS GAUGE SHOWED HALF FULL WHEN IT STOPPED RUNNING, HAD TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. BIKE WAS OUT OF GAS....THIS HAS HAPPEN 5 TIMES NOW ( RUNNING OUT OF GAS ).. ONE DAY SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED BECAUSE BMW WILL NOT STEP UP AND RECALL THE FUEL STRIP CAUSING THE PROBLEM.. *TR

Mileage: 17,000

A FUEL LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE PLASTIC FUEL PUMP FLANGE AT THE FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING. I SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IN MY GARAGE WHERE MY NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER IS LOCATED. HAVING HEARD OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM ON BMW SPORT TOURING FORUM, I REPAIRED CRACKS IN THAT FLANGE WITH JB WELD AND A $30 CLAMP MADE JUST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AVAILABLE ONLINE. I AM REPORTING THIS NOW TO ADD MY INCIDENT TO YOUR DATABASE ON THIS ISSUE. IF MY GARAGE HAD BEEN SMALLER OR THE LEAK A LITTLE WORSE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. *TR ## VIN FAILED

Mileage: 27,000

I DISCOVERED THAT MY FUEL PUMP WAS DEVELOPING CRACKS AROUND THE FUEL LINE FITTING. I DISCOVERED THE CRACKS BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURRED. I DID NOT SUFFER A FAILURE ONLY BECAUSE I HAD LEARNED OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD FROM FRIENDS, ONE OF WHOM HAD HIS LEFT LEG SOAKED WITH GASOLINE AS A RESULT OF GASOLINE SPRAY COMING FROM BENEATH THE LEFT SIDE BODY PANELS. MY FRIEND, A MECHANICAL ENGINEER, ADVISED THAT BMW USED PIPE THREADS IN THE FITTING THAT RESULTED IN OUTWARD FORCE UPON TIGHTENING, AND FAILURE WOULD LIKELY OCCUR ON ALL MODELS. I PURCHASED A "FIX" KIT FOR THIS WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEM FROM BEEMER BONEYARD, NAMELY A METAL CLAMP TO PLACE AROUND THE BASE OF THE PLASTIC FUEL PUMP FITTING. I HOPE IT HOLDS THE CRACKS FROM GROWING ANY WORSE. THIS FUEL PUMP SHOULD BE RECALLED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 28,500

DISCOVERED SEVERAL CRACKS AT FUEL PUMP OUTLET FLANGE. REPAIRED AT MY OWN COST IN ORDER TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FIRE. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THIS FUEL PUMP. *TR

Mileage: 14,500

BIKE DIED ENTERING INTERSECTION. ONLY SPACING AVERTED ACCIDENT. BOUGHT USED LESS THAN ONE WEEK AGO. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED JUST UNDER 1/2 TANK AND 120 MILES TO EMPTY. GAS TANK WAS EMPTY WITHOUT WARNING. GAS GAUGE STRIPS IN TANK FAIL - BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR YEARS, ARE YOU? AND, IF "GERMAN ENGINEERING" IS MORE THAN MARKETING, WHY HAVEN'T THEY FIXED IT? *TR

Mileage: 8,350