AI Damage2013 BMW R1200 GS: common problems
Owners of the 2013 BMW R1200 GS filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 42% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (42% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
The contact stated that the motorcycle jerked forward. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that NHTSA had not associated the contact's VIN with Technical Service Bulletin Number: 21 001 13 (021). The contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline.
I smelled strong fuel smell while riding but was unable to stop until almost home. At home inspected bike and discovered leak even while at idle but have not dug in to identify exact leak location. having it trailered into BWM repair facility when appointment available.
There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately pulled over to inspect the motorcycle but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact started to slowly exit the highway, the drive shaft, rear drive, and swing arm failed and fractured apart with the rear wheel locking up.
The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the fuel pump failed and leaked fuel all over the motorcycle and onto the contact. The contact was able pull the motorcycle off the highway and with the assistance of his son; the motorcycle was loaded onto a trailer and taken to a dealer.
Dealer notified me that a "floating shaft" exists in the gearbox, meaning the shaft moves back and forth axially, as opposed to radially. This is typically caused by incorrect torque procedures or a design flaw to the nut holding the clutch basket on the shaft.
Leaks detected on both left and right forks/suspension. Requires replacing the fork seals and rebuilding the forks when the motorcycle has less than 26,000 miles.
While the vehicle was parked outside a fuel station, the contact noticed a fuel leak on the fuel pump. The contact also smelled a fuel odor. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact associated the failure with nhtsa campaign number: 13v617000 (fuel system, gasoline).
My 2013 bmw r1200gs had a frame failure where the front suspension/handle bars are mounted to. Frame tore at the triple tree mount on a bike used as a commuter for 54k. The bike was at idle on the driveway and fell. The only point of contact was the engine guard.
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 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R1200 GS has 16 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 12, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- 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
- R1200 GS 20044 sources
- R1200 GS 200551 sources
- R1200 GS 20069 sources
- R1200 GS 200742 sources
- R1200 GS 200832 sources
- R1200 GS 200930 sources
- R1200 GS 20108 sources
- R1200 GS 20117 sources
- R1200 GS 201210 sources
- R1200 GS 201414 sources
- R1200 GS 201510 sources
- R1200 GS 201630 sources
- R1200 GS 201716 sources
- R1200 GS 201817 sources
- R1200 GS 201914 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 BMW R1200 GS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, powertrain, fuel system. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (33%), jerking, harsh shifts (8%), won't start (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.