Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 BMW R 1250 GS, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes7
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 2020 R 1250 GS vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2023 R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, and R1250RTP motorcycles. In certain engine operating and riding conditions, the gearbox input shaft may become damaged or break, possibly resulting in a blocked rear wheel.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R 1250 GS, GS Adventure and R 1250 RT, 2020 S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR motorcycles. The front brake calipers may leak brake fluid when parked. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2020 RnineT Scrambler and RnineT, 2020 R1250R and R1250RS, 2019-2020 Rnine T Pure, R1250GS,R1250GS Adventure and R1250RT and 2018 RnineT Racer motorcycles. The brake fluid reservoir cap may not clearly state the required type of brake fluid and the process for filling the reservoir, possibly leading to an improper maintenance procedure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 122, "Motorcycle Brake Systems."
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 R1250GS and R1250RT motorcycles. The pivot pin that connects the final drive to the swing arm may be damaged, causing the connection between the final drive and swing arm to loosen.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 F900R, F900XR, S1000RR, F750GS, F850GS, F850GS Adventure, R1250GS, R1250GS Adventure, R1250RS, R1250R, RnineT, RnineT Pure and RnineT Scrambler and 2019-2020 S1000R motorcycles. The brake light may flash instead of remain steady during emergency braking. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2020 BMW R 1250 GS: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11006753 | Driveshaft Maintenance Schedule Change |
| 10249027 | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 10242536 | Vehicle goes into emergency operation mode and a warning light illuminates on the instrument cluster. |
| 10236239 | LED headlights were temporarily unavailable from the Factory and some R 1250 GS and R 1250 GSAdventure units were built with the halogen headlight in order to ensure safe use. |
| 10236237 | Multiple factors may cause the driveshaft to become damaged; among them are corrosion in certain parts ofthe driveshaft, and wear and tear exacerbated by certain climatic conditions. |
| 10235207 | Frame and mounting parts |
| 10228448 | BMW Motorrad is aware of a number of cases in which the screw connections of the Paralever link and/or the rear brake caliper have loosened in customer vehicles while driving. |
| 10218351 | Multiple factors may cause the driveshaft to become damaged; among them are corrosion in certain parts of the driveshaft, and wear and tear exacerbated by certain climatic conditions. |
| 10214997 | BATTERY EMPTY DESPITE CHARGER. |
| 10211897 | The motorcycle will not start. The vehicle battery is empty even though the battery charger was permanently connected to the 12V power socket. |
| 10205109 | Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special accessories catalog for the GS models. |
| 10201170 | When diagnosing fault codes (0x3A13D7, 0x3A13D9), technicians erroneously condemn the electronic throttle grip, which analyses show is rarely the culprit. |
| 10200496 | During operation of the rear wheel foot brake lever, the rider feels a soft pressure point or perceptibly longer lever travel |
| 10200254 | BMW Motorrad USA is pleased to announce the launch of the BMW Motorrad Ultimate Care Program, effective June 23 , 2021. Three different plans will be offered for consumer bikes, as well as two Authority-specific plans. Model-year 2020 and newer BMW Motorcycles from the time of retail up to the first scheduled ?break in? service are eligible. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)