BMW has rolled out a mega recall for the R 1250 GS, R 1250 GS Adventure and the R 1250 RT. The gearbox input shaft can break, potentially resulting in a rear wheel lockup and a crash.
As early as October 2020, BMW Motorrad received a report of a 2019 R 1250 GS in Italy, where a customer had complained about a broken gearbox input shaft and rear wheel locking. In October and November of the same year, BMW Motorrad received two more similar reports from Italy and the Netherlands, with a 2019 R 150 GS.
An investigation was launched at BMW and the supplier was contacted. Although it soon became apparent that the three affected engines had all been produced in June 2019, a review of the production process did not reveal any specifics.
Extensive laboratory research including X-rays, material analysis, microscopic examination and surface treatment yielded nothing, so that the anatomical cause of the fracture could not be determined.
In July 2021, BMW Motorrad received another report, this time of a 2019 R 1250 GS Adventure, whose gearbox input shaft had broken, but this time this had not resulted in a rear wheel locking.
The investigation was continued, additional investigations were carried out at the supplier and tests were also carried out on the test bench and on public roads, including scenarios involving improper use. Dynamic tests with force and torque and load changes again failed, the reason for the break could not be determined.
In June 2022, BMW Motorrad received reports of an incident involving a 2019 R 1250 GS in the UK, which resulted in a crash. BMW intensified the investigation and in August 2022 received a report of an incident in the Czech Republic involving an R 1250 GS, which resulted in a crash without injuries.
Research continued, including a review and comparison of engine, gearbox and powertrain design and operating parameters between the various R 1250 models and previous R 1200 models.
The conclusion of the investigation was that under certain driving conditions and circumstances (an abrupt difference in speed between the engine and the drive train), it could happen that the gearbox input shaft was overloaded, resulting in damage or breakage of the transmission. input shaft, which may have resulted in a locking rear wheel.
The recall now being rolled out by BMW affects the R 1250 GS (K50) produced between August 27, 2018 and December 14, 2022, the R 1250 GS Adventure (K51) produced between September 18, 2018 and December 14, 2022, and the R 1250 RT (K52) produced between July 11, 2018 and December 2, 2022 produced.
The problem can only arise in the GS, GS Adventure and RT models of the R 1250 family, because the software of the ECU allows a significantly higher difference in speed than in the R 1200 models. The software will be updated at the BMW dealer, the gearbox itself will not be inspected.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.