# 2002 BMW K1200LT — STRUCTURE
> NHTSA complaint `417290` · 2003-07-10 · BMW of North America, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BMW
- **Model:** K1200LT
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** STRUCTURE
- **Miles at failure:** 50
- **Speed:** 2 mph
## Narrative
THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A BMW K1200LTS: IT IS TOP HEAVY AND WILL GET   AWAY FROM THE OPERATOR AND ROLL OVER (STANDING STILL OR DURING A VERY SLOW MANEUVER): IN SHORT IF IT EXCEEDS ITS VIRTICAL BALANCE IT WILL FLOP OVER SLAMING THE OPERATOR ONTO THE PAVEMENT. *AK    .    I CALLED NORMAND BRODEUR, (MANAGER DRIVER EDUCATION   PROGRAM, UNDER STATE OF MAINE, SECRETARY OF STATE, BUREAU OF MOTOR   VEHICLES) AND ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW ABOUT THIS MOTORCYCLE AND HE TOLD   ME HE'D OPERATED ONE AND THAT THEY ARE "TOP-HEAVY". HE KINDLY SENT ME   A WORK BOOK THAT COMPLIMENTED ANOTHER BOOK I'D BOUGHT ON MY OWN TO   CHECK MYSELF ON OPERATING TECHNIQUE (MOTORCYCLING EXCELLENCE AND HIS   A WORKBOOK THAT GOES WITH IT, WITH A MOTORCYCLE SKILL TEST PRACTICE   GUIDE ALL PUBLISHED BY THE MOTORCYCLE FOUNDATION). I PERFORMED THE   SKILL TEST PRACTICE GUIDE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE OPERATIONS. OF   COURSE I WAS MOVING BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MPH.    POOR ENGINEERING:   THE K1200LTS IS NOT ONLY TOP HEAVY, THE 'V' SHAPED HANDLE BARS, WHICH   REACH BACK ABOUT 20 INCHES FROM THE STEERING POST, GIVE THE OPERATOR   NO ABILITY TO APPLY FORCE WHICH WOULD HELP TO STABILIZE A SLOW MOVING   OR STANDING BIKE WHEN IT STARTS GOING OFF BALANCE; IN FACT THE FRONT   WHEEL, ONCE THE BIKE HAS REACHED A CERTAIN POINT IN THE FALL, TURNS   DUE TO FRICTION WITH THE ROAD SURFACE AND LITERALLY RIPS THE   HANDLE-GRIPS OUT OF THE OPERATORS HANDS. NOT ONLY THAT. THE FRONT   WHEEL ALSO ROLLS--NO 'ZIPS' AS IF IT WERE ON ICE-- OUT FROM
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*