The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·19V692000·Announced 2019-10-01

BMW Recalls 2017-2020 K 1600 Series Motorcycles for Transmission Defect

BMW is recalling 2017-2020 K 1600 GT, GTL, and B motorcycles because transmission parts may not be hard enough, risking rear wheel lockup and crashes.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect in the transmission that can cause rear wheel lockup and increase the risk of a crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2017-2020 K 1600 GT, 2018-2020 K 1600 GTL, and 2018-2020 K 1600 B motorcycles. The recall affects 4,672 vehicles in the United States.

The defect involves certain transmission parts that may not have been produced to the appropriate hardness level. This issue could affect the function of the transmission, possibly causing double engagement of two gears and/or damage to transmission parts. Double gear engagement or transmission damage can cause the rear wheel to lock up, affecting vehicle stability and increasing the risk of a crash.

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 were mailed on 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 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
BMW K1600B, K 1600 GTL, K 1600 GT
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Motorcycle
Hazard
Affected units
4,672

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (3)

  • K1600B
  • K 1600 GTL
  • K 1600 GT

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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