BMW F 800 GS Complaints (2009)

29 consumer complaints on file.

#11643900February 20, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
The contact owns a 2009 BMW F800 GS. The contact stated while riding 70 MPH, the motorcycle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted the motorcycle. After restarting the motorcycle, the motorcycle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the Engine Control Unit (ECU). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11377487December 2, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON THIS MOTORCYCLE IS KNOWN TO HAVE A MATERIAL OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE FORM OF A LATERAL CRACK ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TANK. THE FUEL TANK IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY OVER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM UNDER THE SEAT. I DISCOVERED THIS DEFECT ON MY MACHINE AFTER SMELLING GAS DURING A CASUAL RIDE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE FOR "F800GS FUEL TANK CRACK" IMMEDIATELY RETURNED SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS AND OWNERS' DOCUMENTATION OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, INCLUDING SOME DISCOVERED BIKES STILL ON THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN RIDERS BEING BURNED AND POSSIBLY KILLED. I ALSO HAVE A WALK AROUND VIDEO THAT SHOWS THE PROBLEM VERY WELL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN GET THAT TO YOU. THANK YOU
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10648759October 20, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR HAS BURNED CAUSING DIMINISHED NIGHTTIME VISIBILITY. OEM STYLE BULBS HAVE BEEN THE ONLY EQUIPMENT USED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10596974June 8, 2014
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN TRAFFIC STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. AS I ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE TO SLOW DOWN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED. I HAD TO COAST THROUGH MULTIPLE LANES OF HIGH SPEED FREEWAY TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. I SAW THAT NO WARNING/ CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS HAD COME ON, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A TANK, THE KILL SWITCH WAS IN THE RUN POSITION, AND THE KICK STAND WAS SECURELY UP. WHILE COASTING TO THE SHOULDER I NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER SHOWED ABOUT 1,000 RPM EVEN THOUGH THE CLUTCH WAS IN AND THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THE TACHOMETER JUMPED TO ZERO ONCE I INCREASED THE THROTTLE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD TO BE FULLY CYCLED FROM OFF TO ON USING THE KEY BEFORE IT WOULD START. AFTER RESTARTING IT IN FIRST GEAR, I BEGAN ACCELERATING, WHEN I REACHED APPROXIMATELY 35-45 MPH THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I NOTICED THAT THE LONGER I KEPT THE BIKE OFF THE LONGER IT WOULD LET ME RIDE BEFORE DYING. THE INFO DISPLAY INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS IN THE NHTSA DATABASE AS WELL AS ON OWNER WEBSITES, THAT MULTIPLE OTHER RIDERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT SAME SCENARIO. I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE USED WITH APPROXIMATELY 9,600 MILES. I CONTACTED BMW WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME SCENARIO, AT 108 MILES AND 8,995 MILES. BOTH TIMES BMW REPORTED REPAIRING AND/OR REPLACING COMPONENTS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SITUATION AFTER THE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10587345May 8, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
STATOR / FLYWHEEL NO LONGER CHARGING BATTERY. RAN ON BATTERY POWER UNTIL ENGINE QUIT ON FREEWAY AT 65 MPH. COASTED TO SHOULDER AND WAITED FOR TOW. 2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME AT 28,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10546886October 5, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE GAS TANK IS CRACKED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BIKE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING ON MANY BMW F800'S. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544715September 21, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE CLEANING THE MOTORCYCLE YESTERDAY, I NOTICED THE FUEL TANK IS BREAKING AT ITS SEAM ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE TANK. THE CRACK IN THE TANK IS WELL OVER 12 INCHES ON EACH SIDE. I ALSO NOTICED TODAY THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN THE PAST AND EVEN AFTER HAVING THE FUEL TANK REPLACED, THE CRACKS TO THE PLASTIC DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN. THE CRACKS ARE LINEAR AND ALONG THE SEAM OF THE TANK. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10525994July 21, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE CHARGING SYSTEM RESULTING IN STALLING THE INABILITY TO RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A MULTILANE HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE BIKE STARTED AFTER JUMP STARTING, BUT A TEST WITH A MULTIMETER SHOWED NO INCREASE IN SYSTEM VOLTAGE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, RESULTING IN NO CHARGE BEING APPLIED TO THE BATTERY, PREVENTING THE EFI AND IGNITION SYSTEMS FROM FUNCTIONING. IN THE WEEK LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT I EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT SURGING, SPUTTERING, AND STALLING, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE INCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE TO START THE BIKE. THIS FAILURE LEFT ME STRANDED IN DANGEROUS TRAFFIC, REQUIRING ME TO PUSH THE BIKE ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES OF TRAFFIC AND DOWN THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY TO GET ASSISTANCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10508795April 19, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RIDING HOME AT NIGHT IN TRAFFIC, MY MOTORCYCLE STALLED AND DIED LOCKING UP ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDING LIGHTS. I FOUND MYSELF AT A DEAD STOP IN TRAFFIC WITH NO LIGHTS FOR VISIBILITY. IT WAS QUITE DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10458740May 16, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE STATOR OF THE ALTERNATOR FRIED, SO THE BATTERY STARTED DISCHARGING AND WHEN EMPTY THE COMPUTER AND THE ENGINE STALLED. I HAD THE STATOR REWINDED AND THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATED 5000 MILES LATER. I HAD IT REWINDED A SENCOND TIME AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I AM INTO MY 3RD REWIND AND JUST EXPECTING THE PROBLEM TO REAPPEAR...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10458309May 14, 2012
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
REAR WHEEL BEARING IN EARLY STAGES OF FAILURE. NOTICED ROUGH ROTATION DURING TIRE CHANGE. BEING REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10410935July 7, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THROTTLE RESPONSE IS TOO SHARP AND TAKES YOU BY SURPRISE WITHOUT WARNING DURING NORMAL OPERATION. THIS RESPONSE CAN BE RAPID ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION WHEN A DEFORMITY IN THE ROAD IS DRIVEN OVER. THE RAPID RESPONSE IS EVEN MORE EXACERBATED AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER RESIDENTIAL SURFACE ROADS. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WITH NO KNOWN REPAIRS. I HAVE HAD A COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE SEARCHED MANY ADVENTURE TYPE FORUMS WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH NO KNOWN REPAIR FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE HAD ONE CLOSE CALL WHERE THE VEHICLE THROTTLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED WHILE COMMITTED IN A TURN WHERE I LOST MY LINE AND WENT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351946August 26, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW F800 GS MOTORCYCLE. WHILE TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT FROM SIXTH TO FIFTH GEAR AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER WAS UPDATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOLLOWING REPAIRS. THE DEALER THEN PERFORMED A SECOND COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPDATE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10330369May 13, 2010
WHEELS
WHEEL BEARING ON CHAINRING SIDE OF REAR HUB WORE OUT PREMATURELY AT 9,000 MILES. OTHER BEARINGS ON FRONT AND REAR HUBS WERE FUNCTIONING WELL. HAD I NOT CHECKED THIS BEARING, AFTER READING ABOUT MULTIPLE SUCH INCIDENTS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED LEADING TO PERSONAL INJURY AND POTENTIALLY INJURY TO OTHERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328856May 4, 2010
WHEELS
FAILURE OF CHAIN AND REAR WHEEL BEARING AT 7139 MILES ON A 8 MONTH OLD BMW F800GS. BIKE WAS TAKEN INTO BMW DEALER FOR NEW CHAIN AS OLD CHAIN WAS LOSING 'O' RINGS REAR WHEEL WAS REMOVED AND AT MY REQUEST BEARINGS CHECKED AS I HAD HEARD OF FAILURES ON FROM THE INTERNET. REAR BEARING WAS FOUND TO BE HIGHLY WORN AND 'GRITTY' FEELING. DEALER REPLACED BEARING UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320268March 16, 2010
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
AFTER 9000 MILES THE CLUTCH ON MY 2009 F800GS SUDDENLY STARTED TO SLIP ON THE FREEWAY WHEN DOWNSHIFTING AND ACCELERATING. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS OF ANY PROBLEMS IN THE DRIVE TRAIN/CLUTCH APART THAT THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CLUTCH WAS TO THE LAST LIMIT (ALL SERVICE DONE BY BMW DEALER). SINCE THEN ANY ACCELERATION MAKES THE RPM JUMP 1000+ RPM BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN AND ACTUAL ACCELERATION OCCURRING. THIS CAN BE A SAFETY PROBLEM AS A LOSS OF ACCELERATION CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH ON A MOTORCYCLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315247March 1, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL TANK ON NEW (600 MILES) BMW F800GS MOTORCYCLE HAS DEVELOPED A SIX (6") CRACK. SEPARATION IS APPROX 1/16". RETURNED MOTORCYCLE TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED AND ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RECTIFIED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315328March 1, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NOTICED A CRACK ON THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK IS SPLIT OPEN. THIS SEEMS TO GREATLY INCREASE THE RISK OF EXPLOSION DUE TO GAS FUMES IF ANY HEAT SOURCE/SPARK MADE GETS CLOSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297259December 28, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
GAS TANKS HAS CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296723December 22, 2009
WHEELS
REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 6000 MILES. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO CATASTROPHIC INJURY HAD I NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. CHECKING THE WHEEL BEARING IS NOT ROUTINE AT 6000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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