AI Damage2009 BMW G 650 GS US reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2009 BMW G 650 GS US filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
Engine frequently stalls at idle, including when slowing from highway speeds. Sometimes it stalls between gears if not shifting fast enough, creating a dangerous engine off scenario on a highway. Dealer could not find a problem. It seems to be a persistent problem with owners of this motorcycle.
My motorcycle will start and run for a while but will randomly shut off when the engine gets down to idle. This problem is not persistent and seems to happen one day, be fine for a few days, and then arise again.
The contact was braking from 5-10 mph and the rear foot brake failed. The vehicle would not respond and the contact had to utilize the emergency hand brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer twice prior to the failure and the rear brake master cylinder was replaced each time.
My husband took the seat off and lifted the cover to the fuel pump and gas was pouring out of the fuel pump hose. Turns out the clamp on the fuel pump hose had never been crimped and eventually the hose had worked its way loose. I lucked out because I could have gone down in a blaze of glory.
The contact stated when driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall without warning. Once the vehicle was restarted, it would not idle. The dealer advised that the failure was due to ethanol in the fuel system and there were no recalls for the failure. There were no repairs made to the vehicle.
Motor then failed to start. Brought vehicle into service. Fix was: "used gt1 to reset all adaptation values".
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 12,234 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 38% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 BMW G 650 GS US?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (33%), brake failure (17%), fuel system, fuel smell (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 BMW G 650 GS US?
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 2009 BMW G 650 GS US 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 2009 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 2026-11-06.