2006 BMW R1200 GS: common problems

Owners of the 2006 BMW R1200 GS filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and wheels. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 9

What fails most often

1 Fuel/propulsion system 56% of all complaints
2 Wheels 22% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
5 Suspension 11% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (56% of all).
Wheels: 2 complaints (22% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Service brakes: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Suspension: 1 complaints (11% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

fuel system, fuel smell5 · 56%
oil leak or consumption1 · 11%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 11%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 11%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Fuel/propulsion system	5	0	0
Wheels	2	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Suspension	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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw r-1200 gs. The contact stated that upon start of the motorcycle, he noticed that fuel began to spew out of his motorcycle. The contact called wagner motorsports (700 plantation st, worcester, [ZIP]) where he was informed that he would have to bring in the motorcycle for inspection.
Fuel system · 2020-09-03 · NHTSA complaint #11353005
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw r 1200 gs. The contact stated that the rear wheel carrier was fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the flange needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
Wheels · 2014-11-03 · NHTSA complaint #10652059
My motorcycle has developed an oil leak from said assembly, and has been slowly leaking for the last 10,000+ miles. If the oil level drops low enough, I fear the rear wheel could lock while riding, resulting in a crash.
Wheels · 2014-04-09 · NHTSA complaint #10578505
With turning on the key, fuel leaked out of the left side of the motorcycle. The leak comes from the fuel line attachment to the fuel pump mount on the left side of the fuel tank. The fuel sprays out of the plastic fuel pump mount when the key is turned on. The plastic connection in the fuel line has cracked.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2013-08-15 · NHTSA complaint #10535545
Smell of gasoline while riding. Discoverd fuel leak from cracks in plastic flange where fuel line attaches to fuel tank. Found out this is a common failure. New models have a updated part.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2013-04-13 · NHTSA complaint #10508135
After stopping at local gas station to fill up with gas as per normal, noticed gas smell, but could not detect any visible leak. Rode for a short distance, returned home. After stopping engine and dismounting, noticed my left pant-leg was soaked in gasoline.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2013-01-15 · NHTSA complaint #10493015
Had the problem not been rectified in a timely manner, overheating of the brake system could have occurred leading to the breaks locking. Bmw is aware of this defect on these motorcycles and has apparently stopped making the replacement part. They have designed a part that can not interfere with the brake operation.
Service brakes · 2009-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #10276585

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20091
20122
20133
20142
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,368 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).

On average one model year of the R1200 GS has 16 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.

What to check before buying

Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW R1200 GS?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, wheels, fuel system. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (56%), oil leak or consumption (11%), overheating, coolant loss (11%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 BMW R1200 GS?

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 2006 BMW R1200 GS 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 2006 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.