BMW K 1600 GTL pulling problems

Filed Aug 24, 2020 · Steering, Suspension · 11,000 miles · IL

Iwhile operating at highway speed, it will pull to the left if you don't input effort to keep it going straight

Filed Apr 17, 2019 · Steering · 12 miles · FL

This is a new, 2018 motorcycle purchased from the dealer on 4/6/2019 with 6 miles on the odometer. After a short test ride through several short back-roads around the dealership I decided to purchase the vehicle. Upon leaving the dealership and heading home on the interstate at highway speeds the issue revealed itself. The motorcycle has a dangerously aggressive left pull. Constant pulling of the left bar and/or pushing of the right bar is required for the vehicle to track properly. Easing off of the pressure will result in the motorcycle initially leaning and turning left. If not corrected by reapplying the pulling/pushing of the handlebars the bike will aggressively pull left across lanes or into oncoming lanes. I notified the sales person of the issue and was advised to bring the vehicle in the following friday (4/12/19) to be checked. Upon arrival the service manager stated he didn't have time to look at the vehicle and scheduled another date (4/17/19) to bring the bike in. Upon inspection and a test ride the service manager stated that he couldn't find anything wrong with the vehicle but he said the wind was blowing strongly at the time of his ride. His solution was to adjust the front tire air pressure and send me on my way. This pulling is dangerous not to mention extremely fatiguing by constantly having to correct the tracking of the bike. Because of the constant effort involved to correct the tracking of the bike I do not feel safe driving this vehicle more than a few miles at a time. I have tried riding in different lanes and in different positions in those lanes all with the same results so the crown/grade of the road is not causing the issue.

Filed Sep 24, 2018 · Steering · 1 miles · ND

In motion at any speed and on any surface in any lane the motorcycle drifts to the left. This requires constant steering input to the right to counteract the pull to the left. This constant steering input leads to early fatigue of the rider's arms and causes a distraction that is completely unnecessary. This has happened since day 1 and whenever I mention it to a mechanic they either tell me I am wrong or that it is normal. I have owned many motorcycles over the last 30 years and this is the only one that has ever had this problem.

Filed Sep 22, 2018 · Steering, Suspension · 1,500 miles · NC

While riding the bmw motorcycle there is a pronounced pull to the left. This happens at all speeds. The higher the speed the greater the pull is. This is an ongoing problem since april 2014. Different tires and changing the recommended tire pressure makes no improvement in the left pull.

Filed Apr 1, 2018 · Steering · 100 miles · DE

Bmw introduced the k1600 motorcycle in 2011. At that time close to 50% of the units surveyed (210 out of 424) want to steer left (into oncoming traffic), unless you counter steer to the right. Here is a link to the online poll and subsequent discussion by the owners: http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-general-discussions/1425-bike-pulls-one-side-poll.html I just purchased a new 2018 k1600b bmw motorcycle and it too wants to drift into oncoming traffic, unless the bike is steered to the right. This requires constant pressure adjustment, so any distraction can cause the bike to veer to the left into oncoming traffic. Additionally, it will cause uneven tire wear, increasing costs to the consumer for new tires on a more frequent basis. Bmw has known about this issue since 2011 and has done nothing to correct it in over 7 years. Before I purchased the bike, I specifically asked the dealer to check to ensure the bike did not pull to the left and was assured it would be done. As it was only 20 degrees when I picked up the bike I had to trailer it home. But, upon doing the first ride, sure enough it drifts to the left. I would like bmw to issue a recall to fix the bikes that pull to one side.

Filed Apr 1, 2018 · Steering · 100 miles · CA

I owned a 2012 model of this bike few years back and I had the same symptoms only apparent in this model of bmw brand bikes. This problem well known in the bmw riders community as "pulling tothe left" issue only on k1600gtl model bikes since years. Some pulls extremely aggressive in nature and some milder. Bmw ignores it yet all service centers around the country are aware of the issue. At least half of the bikes of this models on the roads are effected. Bike requires constant pressure applied to the right in order to track a straight line on a straight away road. If pressure even slightly release bike moves on to the left and on a single lane roads it means towards to the oncoming traffic. I hope bmw is not waiting to look at this issue seriously until someone gets killed. If all current and past bmw k1600gtl owners were surveyed I am sure you'll find at least 50% of them will say yes they have this issue. But not many are aware that they can notify authorities like you guys and only complain it to their service centers and when bmw says "tough luck" they keep continue to ride their $30,000 bikes they are stuck with. No other similarly designed bmw touring bikes have this issue. So it is a model specific problem. Same was on a 2012 model and 6 years later still same problem exist on a 2018 model. This symptom causing fatigue on long rides which resulting less pressure being applied to the right side of the handle bar and as a chain reaction bike begins to pull left more and more aggressively.

Filed Jun 13, 2017 · Engine, Steering · 16,200 miles · CA

1. The motorcycles pulls to the left. Constant correction is stressful on highways and taxes one's muscles. 2. Engine has a ticking noise (valve chattering) at 3000-3500 RPM band (first noticed at 8000 miles) and dealer/manufacturer is unable to do anything about it. There are lots of k1600 on the road with this issue and bmw has no resolution for this. 3. Shifting to neutral - first observed at approx 16000 miles (immediately after third service) - the motorcycle does not slot into 2nd and neutral gears with precision. First gear has a loud clunk sound on engaging and sometimes clutch do not disengage fully enough though I would depress the lever fully. At times gear change requests are aborted as the gear change enters limbo state. The gearbox and clutch do not work in tandem for smooth upshifts. At stop-n-go traffic finding neutral by rocking gear lever is a pain. I have to constantly lot at gear indicator to confirm is upshift was executed from 1st to 2nd (or is it in a limbo - not even neutral). During this situation there is loud mechanical grinding noise when I would want to slot to second gear and couple of attempts to upshift go in vain. Been riding for years and I know all timing techniques but a missed upshift puts me at risk.

Filed Jun 10, 2015 · Steering · 13,467 miles · AZ

The motorcycle pulls hard to the left (toward oncoming traffic) when light pressure is used on the handlebars. The vehicle basically does not track straight on its own without significant pressure to counteract the effect. Bmw was contacted via my local bmw local dealership, who ruled out the possibility that it could be another factor with the bike (tires, excessive load on one side, etc.). Bmw's response was that I should add weight to the opposite side of the motorcycle to mitigate this problem and that all of these k1600 models have the same issue to varying degrees. My concern is that the bike does not track straight and significantly pulls toward oncoming traffic.

Filed Mar 31, 2014 · Steering, Wheels · 50 miles · FL

Since new in june 2013, the motorcycle has pulled to the left at all speeds requiring constant counter-steering. Fatigue in the right arm and shoulder is noticeable and a moment of inattention on a ride would lead to the motorcycle swerving into oncoming traffic. This is a tremendous safety hazard. The bmw dealer considers this to be normal.

Filed Oct 25, 2013 · Steering · 200 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 bmw k 1600 gt. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle began to pull to the left. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that they could not diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200. ## VIN passed ## bmw k 1600 gt 2012 ##