2016 BMW C650 GT Maxi-Scooter Recalls & Complaints

Incident: January 30, 2023 · Filed: January 30, 2023

I own a 2016 BMW C650GT. {VIN WB10C1507GZ315600}. {ENGINE # 70037975} There is a RECALL 14V-264 that applies to earlier models - with ENGINE numbers up to - 70020276. The reason for the recall was that the the mechanical CHAIN TENSIONER would wear excessively leading to failure. My 2016 C650GT has a MECHANICAL CHAIN TENSIONER {part dated - 20150819 or AUGUST 19th, 2015} that failed and caused catastrophic failure...including but not limited to the VALVE hitting the piston. The current ESTIMATE is still being prepared but is expected to be over $7,500- I will provide all documents as they become available. I request that my MOTORCYCLE be included on the list of covered vehicles under RECALL 14V-264. THANK YOU RICHARD GRANO 619.987.6483 [email protected]

Incident: January 9, 2020 · Filed: February 11, 2020

MY 2016 BMW C650GT SCOOTERS' MECHANICAL TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED, ALLOWING MY TIMING CHAIN TO JUMP, CAUSING MY VALVES TO SLAM INTO MY PISTONS WHICH BENT THE VALVE STEMS, CAUSING A REPAIR COST OF $3800.00 U.S. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE FREEWAY (HAD JUST EXITED I-5 IN SEATTLE AND WAS STARTING TO RE-ACCELERATE TO 25 MPH ON 45TH AVE W. WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED CAUSING A VERY LOUD CLACKING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY A STALL AND THE INABILITY TO RESTART) THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A DANGEROUS ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS HARM, IF NOT DEATH TO MYSELF, OR ANY RIDER IN THIS SITUATION. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY BMW, AND WAS A RECALL ON EARLIER MODELS (2013 & 2014) AND REMEDIED BY REPLACING THEM WITH A HYDRAULIC TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, HOWEVER BMW CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE LATER BIKES USING THE MECHANICAL TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. A QUICK GOOGLE OR FACEBOOK SEARCH OF BMW C650GT OWNER/ GROUPS/FORUMS, TURNS UP MANY DISCUSSIONS FROM OWNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. IN SOME CASES, BMW HAS PAID 100% OF THE REPAIR, BUT IN MANY BMW WON'T PAY ANYTHING. IN MY CASE THEY ARE PAYING 50% HOWEVER THEY SHOULD BE PAYING 100% OF THE REPAIR BILL AS THIS KNOWN ISSUE. BMW IS NOT EXACTLY CONSISTENT IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE HANDLING THESE REPAIR COSTS AND ITS TIME THEY DO WHAT IS RIGHT, OR BE FORCED TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. IT'S DANGEROUS FOR ANY VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY BUT IT'S EXTRA DANGEROUS FOR A MOTORCYCLE RIDER IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE MOVING IN FAST TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR ANY BMW C650GT OWNER W/ A MECHANICAL TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER INSTALLED ON THEIR BIKE. I'VE READ FACEBOOK POSTS FROM OWNERS WITH 2017 C650GTS WHOSE BIKES WERE MANUFACTURED W/ THE MECHANICAL TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER! HOW CAN BMW DO THAT IF THEY'VE RECALLED THIS ISSUE ON EARLIER YEARS AND FIXED THE ISSUE WITH HYDRAULIC TENSIONERS? HELP!

Incident: January 9, 2020 · Filed: January 22, 2020

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY FOR APPROX 20 MIN, AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY AND COMING TO A STOP AT A STOPLIGHT AND THEN RE-ACCELLERATING TO 25MPH, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MOVED, MAKING A LOUD CLACKING SOUND ALLOWING THE TIMING CHAIN TO JUMP, RESULTING IN BENT VALVE STEMS ETC. SYMPTOMS WERE A LOUD CLACKING SOUND AT STARTUP - THIS NOISE WOULD GO AWAY AND RETURN INTERMITTENTLY. I ASKED NOBLE RUSH BMW LAKE CITY WA (NOW OUT OF BUSINESS) ABOUT THIS SOUND WHEN MY BIKE WAS IN FOR THE 6,000 MILE SERVICE/BMW BRAKE RECALL SERVICE THIS PAST SUMMER, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL AFTER THEY TOOK MY BIKE FOR A TEST RIDE, ESPECIALLY AT STARTUP, AND THERE WAS NO ISSUE. WOW WERE THEY EVER WRONG! MY BIKE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AND I AM LOOKING AT AT LEAST A $3600.00 REPAIR BILL. A QUICK GOODLE ABOUT THIS SOUND AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER ISSUE, YIELDS QUITE A FEW STORIES FROM UNHAPPY BMW C650GT OWNERS ALL ACROSS THE US AND CANADA. PREVIOUS BMW C650GT MODEL YEARS WERE RECALLED DUE TO THIS SAME ISSUE, HOWEVER I CANNOT FIND A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE FOR MY BIKES YEAR, BUT I CAN HOWEVER FIND MANY 2016 OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

Incident: December 19, 2018 · Filed: January 17, 2019

MI SCOOTER HAS INSTALLED ON TWO RANDON OCASSIONS WHILE COASTING OR SITTING AT A STOP SIGN. ACCORDING TO MY MAKE AND MODEL FORUMS THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM THAT BMW HAS NO FIRM FIX

Incident: June 15, 2016 · Filed: June 15, 2016

STALLING IN TRAFFIC AT STOP LIGHT/SIGN, AND ENGINE IDLES DOWN AND STALLS. SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN STARTING OFF AFTER A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT. HAD IT CHECKED AT DEALER, ISSUE CONTINUES. HAPPENS A FEW TIME DURING MY DAILY COMMUTE.

Incident: March 25, 2016 · Filed: April 21, 2016

THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN SLOWING FOR A STOP OR FOR A TIGHT TURN. IT CAN THEN BE RESTARTED, BUT THE IDLE MAY BE INCONSISTENT AND CAN AFFECT THE CVT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHEN DECELERATING IN TRAFFIC. I PURCHASED THIS MOTORCYCLE NEW IN MARCH (3/25/16). WHEN I DROVE IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH STALLING, THEY HAD TO TRAILER IT TO THE SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THIS BIKE IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH, "RESEARCHING" THE ISSUE WITH THE FACTORY TECHNICAL REPS.