AI Damage2002 BMW R1150GS: common problems
Owners of the 2002 BMW R1150GS filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 57% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 19% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 5% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 12 complaints (57% of all).
- Fuel system: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
Suspected electrical fire led to the motorcycle being engulfed in flames shortly after startup.
This is a total transmission failure and will need to be replaced. I was traveling at near 65 miles per hour on a vehicle with only two wheels and was very fortunate that I was not in heavy traffic and that the bike's rear wheel did not lock up.
While driving 50-55 mph, the contact smelled gas fumes and then noticed fuel leaking from the quick release mechanism. As of september 27, 2007, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. The manufacturer stated that they would replace the quick release mechanism for free. The current and failure mileages were 8,000.
During a 36,000 mile service, I reported a slight oil leak around the rubber boot on the final drive shaft. Bmw replaced the final drive bearing that was still under warranty. The entire final drive was replaced during the service at no charge.
The seal blew out and the shaft bearings disintegrated causing the wheel to hop up and down severely at about 70 mph. I was able to pull the bike over safely without a crash. The entire final drive will have to be replaced. Fortunately, it is still under warranty.
This motorcycle is equipped with a linked abs brake system. The rear wheel and front wheel work together. The motorcycle was without brakes for an undetermined period of time.
Bmwna has issued a tsb. They have made a correction for models after a certain vin. They are not repairing earlier models affected by the part. This is a dangerous situation.no safety defect mentioned.
Two of those starts produced a fuel leak. The leak originated on one of the fuel lines, adjacent to the right throttle body. The crimp-type clamps were loose when I tried moving them. On the third start, the fuel leak stopped. I took the bike to alamo bmw where a technician recrimped the two lower clamps.
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 8,077 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R1150GS has 8 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 BMW R1150GS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, powertrain. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (19%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), brake failure (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 BMW R1150GS?
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 2002 BMW R1150GS 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 2002 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.