NHTSA complaint: 2005 BMW R1200 GS — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I HAVE RIDDEN OVER 100,000 MILES ON SIX DIFFERENT BMW MOTORCYCLES, ALL PURCHASED NEW. I RIDE YEAR-ROUND AND HAVE ALWAYS USED AN ELECTRIC VEST TO AVOID HYPOTHERMIA. IN SEPTEMBER, 2005 I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE. DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY RIDE IN MAY, 2006, MY NON-BMW BRAND ELECTRIC VEST FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING RAIN AND COLD TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED IN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE NEXT DAY, I EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL FATIGUE, WENT OFF THE ROAD IN KANSAS, TOTALED THE BIKE AND BROKE MY LEG. I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND OUT BY READING A MOTORCYCLE PUBLICATION THAT BMW DELIBERATELY ENGINEERED THE STANDARD 12 VOLT OUTLET ON THE FAIRING TO SHUT DOWN WHEN USING A NON-BMW ELECTRIC VEST. I BELIEVE BMW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO WARN OWNERS ABOUT THIS UNEXPECTED LACK OF PERFORMANCE WHICH IN MY MIND WAS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO MY PROPERTY LOSS AND PERSONAL INJURY. ON MY REPLACEMENT BIKE, I WILL GO TO THE EXPENSE OF INSTALLING A 12 VOLT FAIRING OUTLET DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation