AI Damage2001 BMW K1200RS: common problems
Owners of the 2001 BMW K1200RS filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 29% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 29% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
Failure of the rear integral abs braking abilities being intermittent and unavoidable. Bike has been meticulously maintained with the abs flush performed every two years per bmw service bulletin. Problem began with 35,000 miles on the bike.
Same failure as described in odi no. 10439549, and currently being investigated under campaign dp12001.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 bmw k-1200 rs. While driving 30 mph gasoline began leaking from the sides and bottom of the vehicle without warning. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. The current and failure mileages were 32000.
Exhaust pipes are positioned below foot pegs so that when you come to a stop and put your foot down you will brush up aganist hot pipe.
Motorcycle will roll off of side stand on level ground. Potential hazard for property damage and personnel. If a curious child were to jostle the motorcycle they could be crushed if it rolled onto them (834lbs).
1. First incident occured a approximately 5 minutes after the motorcycle had been parked outside the garage on level ground. The sidestand folded and the motorcycle fell over just a few feet from the nearest person that had a to jump away not to get hit by an 800+ lbs motorcycle.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the K1200RS has 6 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 7, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 2001 BMW K1200RS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, fuel system. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 BMW K1200RS?
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 2001 BMW K1200RS 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 2001 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.