It is not clear which brake component is failing. It seems to be either the master cylinder or the ABS control module, but nothing seems to be conclusive. The failure alters the power of and force required to apply the rear brakes, changing the riding characteristics of the motorcycle that could lead to serious injury or miscalculations in application of both front a rear brakes to minimize stopping distance. Apparently the component has been inspected by the manufacturer, however there has been no concrete solution that would guarantee a permanent solution. There are no warning lamps or visual indicators to prepare riders that the rear brakes may be compromised or dysfunctional. There have been multiple incidents of this failure from new.
BMW R1200 GS abs comes on
14 of the 248 owner complaints about the BMW R1200 GS describe aBS light or ABS activating, most of them for the 2007 model year.
- owner complaints
- 14
- worst model year
- 2007
- typical mileage
- 45,000
Is there a fix? There are 6 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
What owners say
First reported front brake failure to BMW Motorcycle dealer in Chattanooga TN in fall of 2019. Lever went to grip and had to be pumped several times to engage. Dealer could not replicate problem or find anything wrong. June 2022, experienced rear brake failure though several pumps would recover system but only temporarily. Dealer suspected rear master cylinder was culprit but a new one made no difference. Now I’m told it is the ABS servo which is very expensive. Motorcycle has been maintained according to schedule by this dealer. Brakes are a vital part of this motorcycle.
Abs pump failure.
Brake failure warning, no speedometer, no brake lights, no odometer, battery dies. The ABS unit has failed happened upon key on without starting vehicle.
Abs control shut itself off in the middle of the ride, resulting in reduced braking capability and rear wheel lock. After turning off the engine, ABS turned back on, but after couple of miles shut itself off again. Every time the engine is turned off and back on, the ABS activates itself, but then shuts itself off during the ride, reducing the braking capability of the motorcycle.
I experienced a 100% no brakes situation coming into a slow speed 90 degree turn on a back road. Luckily I hadn't been going to fast and was able to down shift and scrub a little speed but forced with only engine braking and a very old asphalt road covered in gravel I had to lay it down to stop from going into a 60ft+ ravine. I've put 250-300k of street riding under my butt and this is the first time I've laid a bike down. I did hurt my left leg and I have a huge bruise there now and my crash bars prevented any major damage to the bike but it did still cause about $500 in damages. I'm well aware of the problems that the 05-06 servo bikes have had with brake failure but I've always read that the residual brakes are still there if the servos fail. I can attest I had zero brakes! Lever went to the bars and rear just fell down and had nothing. I've actually practice a couple panic stops with the ignition off to experience what just the residual brake feel like and I was able stop fairly normal with just some increase effort. This was not that! After the crash I turned off the bike and another rider helped me pick it up. Upon turning it back on I still had zero brakes the lever just went to the bars and rear had nothing. When I turned the bike back on I had the ABS and brake failure lights flashing and the servo never kicked on to do its bit cycle. So me and the other guy sat there talking about what just happened and about 2 minutes or so went by and all of a sudden the servos kicked on and all the warning lights went off and my brakes where back to normal!!! I turned the bike off and now I had residual brakes again! This failure could have very well killed me if it happened in multiple areas earlier in the ride. A quick google search shows that this has happened to numerous people.
Failed ABS pump/modulator.
The ABS unit failed as well as the stop light, headlight, speedo, odometer, turn signal cancel and battery. Dealer said that its all caused by the ABS pump unit. After a $200 diagnosis, estimate to re[pair is $2500. This has been an ongoing issue with bmw motorcycles. Unsafe, no warning of failure! Twice the dealer has replaced brake lines to the ABS unit due to recall but this has not addressed the root problem, the ABS unit.
The brake failure light came on at the beginning of an extended trip. I pulled over, shut the motorcycle off, restarted the motorcycle, and the brake failure light continued. Bmw service said the ABS control module had failed, and as a result no ABS brakes were available on the motorcycle, which could have resulted in a crash. Bmw charged $1000 for the part, plus labor, and has on two occasions since the replacement, refused to partially reimburse for this part or acknowledge that they may have a serious safety issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 bmw gsr1200 motorcycle. The contact stated that the rear wheel seized abnormally. The contact opened the reservoir for the brake chamber and found that the rubber was severely worn. The contact allowed the vehicle to cool down and the failure was corrected temporarily. The failure recurred later while the contact was driving at highway speeds. The steering wheel seized abnormally and the vehicle was flipped over. The contact sustained injuries to the knees. The contact later disconnected the ABS brake system and the failure was corrected. The contact spoke with the dealer and was told that they were not familiar with the type of failure that the contact had encountered and offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired for the failure. The failure and current mileages were 46,000.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Bmw is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 r 1200 and k 1200 series motorcycles manufactured from august 2006 through may 2009. Due to the current routing of the front brake lines, it is possible that during riding, and therefore associated vibration. The brake lines could be under strain. If the vibration/strain is significant, the brake line could split and start to develop a leak.
- Risk
- If this goes unnoticed, and the brake fluid reservoir runs empty, the front brakes could fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Bmw will notify owners and dealers will install new brake lines, containing a "sleeve" along a portion of the lines free of charge. The safety recall began on september 20, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 10V276000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Bmw is recalling 4,922 my 2007-2008 r1200r, my 2006-2007 r1200 gs, my 2007 r1200 st, and my 2008 r1200 gs adventure motorcycles. Due to the current routing of the front brake lines, it is possible that during riding, the brake lines could be under strain. If the vibration/strain is significant, the brake lines could split and start to develop a leak. If the leak became significant, brake fluid could escape. If this happened, the level of fluid in the reservoir of the front brake system could drop.
- Risk
- If fluid level drops significantly, the front brakes could fail increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and install new brake lines with a modified routing free of charge. The recall began during august 2008. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.
Recall number 08V254000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, under rapid, repeated, and unusually harsh braking, loss of ABS capability could temporarily occur.
- Risk
- Temporary loss of ABS braking could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will add a physical restriction, in the form of a banjo bolt with a flow restrictor to the brake line, and on certain models dealers will install new front brake discs of a slightly larger thickness free of charge. The recall began on june 5, 2006, and will be a phased mailing through october 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.
Recall number 06V164000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, if certain procedures are performed that involves removal of the front left brake caliper, the ABS sensor cable can be routed incorrectly and when the caliper is reinstalled, the sensor cable can come into contact and rub against the front brake disc. Overtime, if the chafing becomes severe, it is possible to lose the ABS function.
- Risk
- Loss of ABS function could increase the risk of a crash during certain riding conditions.
- Remedy
- Dealers will attach additional retaining clips free of charge to the ABS sensor cable, which will provide a more secure connection to the wheel carrier. The recall began on june 5, 2006, and will be a phased mailing through october 2006. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.
Recall number 06V134000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, an adapter in the rear brake line connects a rigid section to a flexible section. If the rigid section is not properly engaged in the adapter, it is possible for a leak to develop.
- Risk
- Brake fluid loss could result. The rear braking capability would not be possible, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear brake line and adapter. If the inspection reveals that the rigid section of the brake line is not properly engaged in the adapter, then the entire adapter will be replaced. The recall began december 15, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.
Recall number 04V576000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the integral anti-lock brake system (iabs) sensor sealing o-ring connection at the rear axle housing may be damaged. An oil leak may develop.
- Risk
- If this happens, oil could contact the rear wheel and the rear wheel brake disk, and the rider may not be able to control the motorcycle. A crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear wheel iabs sensor sealing o-ring. The recall began july 14, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117.
Recall number 04V297000 · Recall details
Questions about the BMW R1200 GS abs
Why does the abs come on in the BMW R1200 GS?
Owners who report it most often also describe brake failure, multiple warning lights and steering wheel locks up.
Which BMW R1200 GS years have aBS light or ABS activating problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2007 (6 complaints), 2005 (5 complaints) and 2004 (1 complaints).
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