Tl* the contact owns a 1998 bmw r1200c motorcycle. The contact was traveling 35 MPH when the tail lights failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the tail light assembly was cracked and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 27,600. Updated 07/06/12 *bf updated 07/16/12.
The worst 1998 BMW R1200C problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine5
- Lights5
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Fuel system1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine5
- Lights5
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Fuel system1
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
Recalls 2
Structure: frame and members
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles equipped with chrome-plated frames. Copper residue can remain in the tapped hole where the upper fork bridge attaches to the frame. Moisture can cause corrosion to occur between the copper residue and the aluminum frame. The stress of the connecting bolt attaching the upper fork to the frame could then decrease, leading to loosening, and ultimately, breakage of the bolt.
- Risk
- If this happened, the dynamic stability of the motorcycle would be affected and a loss of control could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will ream the hole in the frame head and install a helicoil thread insert and a new bolt. Owner notification began december 13, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1‑800‑831‑1117, option #4.
Recall number 01V217000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. The adjusting screw for the pressure point of either the brake or clutch levers may not be sufficiently tight, due to grease contamination of the threads.
- Risk
- The screw(s) can back out over time while the vehicle is being operated causing a change in the pressure point of the master cylinder for the clutch and/or front brake increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will check the adjustment screws of the front brake and clutch levers for movement. If the screws are tight, no further action will be taken. If a screw is found to be loose, it will be removed, cleaned and reinstalled with new loctite.
Recall number 97V134000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 BMW R1200C 1
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
What 1998 BMW R1200C owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The final drive started leaking gear oil all over my rear disc brake and rear tire and rim. It is unsafe to ride like this.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 bmw r1200c. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH and trying to decelerate, he noticed that the brakes were failing. He placed the gear into neutral and coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and they advised him that the clutch master cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 25,000. Updated 03/29/11 *bf updated 08/15/11
The hose connecting the fuel unit to the left side of the engine collapsed, causing immediate lost of power. The incident occurred at coos bay, oregon while I was on a multi-day trip. I had to rent a u-haul truck to transport the bike to the portland bmw dealership. The mechanic at the dealership told me that two other r1200c motorcycles were repaired for the same problem during the prior week. This may be the same problem reported by another complaint odi id# 537575.
Fuel leaked from fuel distribution spider directly onto the catalytic converter and onto the rear tire. Discussed the problem with the dealer who said the motorcycle is out of warranty and charged me for the parts necessary to fix it. Updated 04/19/06. *nm updated 04/28/06.
I 0wn a 1998 bmw r1200c cruiser motorcycle, I bought it new. My tail light assembly wich includes brake light and blinkers creates a crack on the left side causing the assembly to eventually crack in two parts loosing the left blinker assembly. I have replaced this faulty part once before 2 years and approximently 3000 miles ago. My motorcycle was out of warenty so it cost me $180.00 for a new part plus installation. The new part is cracked again.
Tail light assy keeps cracking on the upper left bolt, I am on my 4th tail light and it is also broken. On the same assy the turn light stalks can brake off and just hang by the wires, this has happen twice to me. On the front turn signal the left turn light broke off and was hanging by the wires, this has happen twice to me and is still broken at this time, temp fix with a hose clamp.
Exhaust burned my leg, my passengers leg and the leg of others who have been passengers on my motorcycle.
My bmw 1998 r1200 c, had oil leaking from the engine seals since at least 300 miles. The bike was bought new in 1998. I complained of a blue smoke coming out of the tail pipe, but the owner of the store told me it was normal for bmw's. The taillight broke on the bike and were replaced by bmw, but I was told by the owner that I could not claim any other problems on the motorcycle. Bmw has offered to pay for half of the labor cost to repair the bike, but not the full cost. The current new owner of the shop said that it should have been taken care of under warranty by the old owner.
Leaving workplace, about 200 yards @ approx 35 MPH, front left telescope disengaged and separated from the crossbar mechanism. Instantly the handlebars turned right and the 'cycle collapsed onto its right side, pitching me to the ground. The cycle and I skidded to a stop, resulting in substantial damages.motorcycle had been recently serviced under bmw manufacturer recall for a related suspension component that required the disassembly and re-assembly of the component that failed. Against my firm requests that the crossbar not be taken apart until a bmw representative was present, the dealer (sale and sole servicer) proceeded to open the crossbar. The nut that was to hold the telescope into the crossbar was present, however, according to the dealer, he could not thread it onto the upper telescope bolt. The dealer questioned the mechanic who had worked on the recall work order, and said, "he (the mechanic) said, 'no way he didn't torque all three nuts'..." (the service manual does not indicate that this nut is a "torque component" .. Ie does not specify "torque force" to be used.. (begging the question "how does this nut 'lock'?" ... And no one has answered this question...) bmw did not respond to calls until I escalated the issue. I understand that the bmw west coast rep was sent digitized photos of the unit, and apparently denied any bmw responsibility to the dealer. When I finally spoke with the bmw west coast rep, he informed me that the dealer had instructed him not to speak with me. This situation would almost certainly have been fatal if it had occured "plus or minus" 1 mile, as I use this vehicle for transportation on congested freeways to and from work. No explanation regarding this failure has been provided to me, the shop service manual does not indicate how the telescope components "lock" in place. I fear that the combination of circumstances, product features, and lack of service failsafes might very well result in future serious accidents.
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Questions about the 1998 BMW R1200C
Is the 1998 BMW R1200C reliable?
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 1998 BMW R1200C, 2.8 times a typical R1200C model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 BMW R1200C?
Engine and cooling, with 5 complaints. Next is lights (5).
How many recalls does the 1998 BMW R1200C have?
2 recalls, covering structure and service brakes, hydraulic.
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