At highway speeds when approaching any large vehicle the motorcycle oscillates to the point of loss of control. This occurs at distances up to 300 yards. In brisk cross winds on open road the same condition exists, but is multiplied in close proximity to other vehicles. I had the bike inspected and serviced by a BMW dealer and nothing mechanical was found. My background is in aviation, and in my 30 years experience this acts and feels like an aerodynamic instability issue. I have been riding for 40 years and outside of "tank slap," when racing I have never experienced anything like this on a road bike under normal riding conditions. There are many forum posts with the same concerns, but no viable solutions. BMW has not been helpful.
The worst 2020 BMW K1600B problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering1
Recalls 3
Power train: manual transmission: seals/gaskets
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017-2025 K 1600 GT, GTL, B and 2018-2025 Grand America vehicles. The seal for the reverse gear control unit may deteriorate and allow moisture inside the control unit, which can result in the unit overheating.
- Risk
- An overheated reverse gear control unit increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the reverse gear control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning May 25, 2026.
Recall number 26V214000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 K1600 GT, K1600 GTL, and K1600 B motorcycles. The link strut connecting the rear suspension to the frame may have insufficient strength, which can cause the link strut to become damaged.
- Risk
- A damaged link strut can cause the rear of the motorcycle to contact the rear wheel, affecting riding stability and control, and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear link strut, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters to inform owners of the safety risk were mailed on March 11, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed June 21, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 22V023000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017-2020 K 1600 GT and 2018-2020 K 1600 GTL and K 1600 B motorcycles. Certain transmission parts may not have been produced to the appropriate hardness level. This could affect the function of the transmission, possibly causing double engagement of two gears and/or the damage of transmission parts.
- Risk
- Double gear engagement or transmission damage can cause the rear wheel to lock up, affecting the vehicle stability and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift forks, the selector sleeve of 5th/6th gear and the gear wheel of 6th gear, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed November 1, 2019. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 19V692000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2020 BMW K1600B 9
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Sealing ring on the differential cover of the reverser is leaking
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few...
- Due to a hardware change to the angular rate sensor, certain sub functions will not be active until after...
- Due to a hardware change to the angular rate sensor, a specific function "Front Wheel Lift Detection" of...
- Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the N63 engine
- Emission Control Information.?
- When diagnosing fault codes (0x3A13D7, 0x3A13D9), technicians erroneously condemn the electronic throttle...
- BMW Motorrad USA is pleased to announce the launch of the BMW Motorrad Ultimate Care Program, effective...
- The bike does not shut down with a short press of the keyless ride button
What 2020 BMW K1600B owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Compare the 2020 BMW K1600B
Other model years
Questions about the 2020 BMW K1600B
Is the 2020 BMW K1600B reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2020 BMW K1600B, fewer than a typical K1600B model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 BMW K1600B?
Steering, with 1 complaint.
How many recalls does the 2020 BMW K1600B have?
3 recalls, covering power train and suspension.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2020 BMW K1600B?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history