3 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
On these motorcycles, a seal on the reverse gear control unit can deteriorate over time and let moisture get inside the unit. If moisture gets in, the control unit can overheat. Dealers will replace the reverse gear control unit at no charge, and a follow-up letter will be sent once the final remedy is ready.
The link strut that connects the rear suspension to the frame on your BMW K1600 motorcycle may not be strong enough and can become damaged over time.
Some BMW K 1600 GT, GTL, and B motorcycles have transmission parts that may not have been made to the correct hardness level. This could affect how the transmission works, sometimes causing two gears to engage at the same time or causing damage to transmission parts.
Recalls and NHTSA owner complaints for each model year, side by side. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and better-selling or older years naturally collect more — read this as a record, not a ranking.
| Model year | Recalls | High / critical | Do-not-drive / park-outside | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls covering the 2018–2022 BMW K 1600 GTL. 3 of them are rated high or critical on this site. The most recent is "BMW K 1600 Motorcycles Reverse Gear Overheating Risk" (NHTSA campaign 26V214000), reported Apr 2, 2026.
The 2019 BMW K 1600 GTL has the most, with 3 recalls. The 2021 model year has the fewest of the years we cover, with 1. Newer model years have had less time to collect recalls, so a low count on a recent year is not a guarantee.
No. None of the 3 BMW K 1600 GTL recalls on file carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory from NHTSA.
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall often applies to only some vehicles of a model year, and the VIN lookup shows the ones still unrepaired on your car. Recall repairs are free at any franchised BMW dealer, including for second owners.
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: