AI Damage2008 BMW F800 ST: common problems
Owners of the 2008 BMW F800 ST filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 23% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (23% of all).
- Fuel system: 3 complaints (23% of all).
- Wheels: 3 complaints (23% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
In rush-hour traffic, (clear weather, 45 degrees, sunny, dry) I was following behind a dump truck. He stopped, and I applied my motorcycle's brakes. They grabbed, as they always do, but then released. I continued to squeeze the brakes, hoping the abs would re-apply, but it never did.
While riding my bmw f800st on a long road trip, I noticed a loud squeaking sound coming from the rear wheel. My drive belt also seemed to be shifting out from the wheel.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw f800 st. The contact stated that the abs warning indicator illuminated and remained lit. In addition, the odometer stopped working and the rear wheels wobbled. The vehicle was not included in a recall. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified.
The rear wheel bearing on the 2006-2009 f8000st is a known failure item. Bmwna issued a recall. See: 13v549. Unfortunately, the recall does not contain the problem. The recall requires bmw to inspect the drive axle and if the vehicle doesn't exhibit any symptoms, the recall is marked as complete.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw f 800 st. The contact stated the rear wheel drive bearing malfunctioned. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,054.
The rear wheel bearings failed, and produced excessive rear wheel wobble. I detected the problem and took it to the dealer - north tx house of motorcycles in hurst tx. They said the bearings, shaft, brake pads and other associated parts need replaced for a cost of usd1,832.
The contact stated that he was unable to start the engine as a grinding noise emitted from the motorcycle. The motorcycle was towed to the dealer for inspection where failure was located as the starter signal, which destroyed the generator, the battery and burned the wires.
Rear view mirrors are functionally useless. The location of the mirrors on the vehicle is such that, when properly adjusted, vision to the rear is almost completely obstructed by the image of the operators hands and forearms in either mirror.
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 F800 ST has 8 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW F800 ST?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, fuel system, wheels. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (31%), fuel system, fuel smell (23%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 BMW F800 ST?
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 2008 BMW F800 ST 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 2008 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.