AI Damage1999 BMW BMW Motorcycle: common problems
Owners of the 1999 BMW BMW Motorcycle filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 85% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (85% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 bmw k1200lti. The rear wheel separated from the motorcycle while driving between 20-25 mph. Consequently he and the passenger were ejected from the motorcycle . Both occupants sustained injuries. The insurance company notified the manufacturer of the failure.
The final drive failed due to the large crown gear ball bearing breaking apart leaving me on the roadside,this happens to alot of bmw k 1200 lt motorcycles owners as bmw used inferior components and poor designing methods for this heavy 860 pound motorcycle,it uses the same type of final that is used for the lighter…
Final drive on a 1999 bmw (not listed for motorcycles) k1200lt failed with under 45,000 miles.
Rear drive failure on bmw k1200 lt. Motorcycle started vibrating and rear end started wobbling.
Severe vibration, noise and loss of control due to rear end drive failure.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the BMW Motorcycle has 4 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW BMW Motorcycle?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, wheels. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (15%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 BMW BMW Motorcycle?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 BMW BMW Motorcycle from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.