The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2026 R 1300 RT motorcycles. The cardan shaft may not have been sufficiently hardened, causing the universal joint to slip within the shaft and result in a loss of drive power.
The risk
A loss of drive power while riding increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the cardan shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters will not be mailed because BMW called the one owner on October 30, 2025 and remedied the motorcycle on 11/21/25. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW R 1300 RT | 2026 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW R 1300 RT | 2026 | 1 | 1 |
Other power train recalls in 2025
41 of the 891 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2025 concerned the power train; BMW of North America, LLC filed 347 campaigns in all.
| 25V881000 18 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V866000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V860000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V863000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V723000 23 Oct 2025 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| 25V705000 16 Oct 2025 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 25V702000 15 Oct 2025 | International Motors, LLC |
| 25V703000 15 Oct 2025 | International Motors, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2025