AI Damage2004 BMW K1200 GT: common problems
Owners of the 2004 BMW K1200 GT filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 17% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 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.
This resulted in a dump of motorcycle luckily at low speed and no real injury but it has happened at higher speed while anticipating a problem and was able to counter control bike to keep it up and other times the bike would have no brakes at all.
With reference to complaint number 10630065 filed on 2 september 2014, the following is added: when the defective abs pump on these bmw motorcycles is replaced by dealers, the new pumps supplied are no better than the ones it replaces and prone to the same failures. Please do something about this.
At a speed of 50 mph, I applied both front and rear power assisted brakes and the rear brake did not work. I was able to slow using the front brakes to avoid hitting a car in front of me. A master caution light came on as well as a rapidly blinking brake failure light.
Final drive crown bearing wore prematurely and caused the rear wheel to make noise and wobble slightly when ridden. Could have become a very serious situation if I had not been attentive to exactly how the bike was sounding and acting.
This could be a serious problem since gasoline was also sprayed on my leg and boot and any ignition source could have set me and the cycle on fire.
Final drive unit, crown gear outer bearing failure. Found during inspection during service.
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 13,281 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the K1200 GT has 14 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW K1200 GT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (33%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), warning lights, check engine (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 BMW K1200 GT?
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 2004 BMW K1200 GT 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 2004 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.