BMW R 1200 and R 1250 - GS / GSA / R / RS / RT
FREE Drive Shaft Replacement Programme.

Drive Shaft Replacement Mileage: 60,000 km (approximately 37,500 miles)

Is it TRUE ?, YES, it is…

BMW announced this change to our maintenance plan in October 2023 (see full official text at the bottom), but many owners are still confused. So, I have been talking to BMW Motorrad in Munich over the last 3 days, and with their help, you can now understand exactly what this announcement means and how it applies to you and your Motorbike (GS, GSA, R, RT & RS)

Motorbikes / Models:

R 1200 / 1250 GS – K50
R 1200 / 1250 GS Adventure – K51
R 1200 / 1250 RT – K52
R 1200 / 1250 R – K53
R 1200 / 1250 RS – K54

If you have any questions, just leave me a comment and I will reply…

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Best Wishes, Carl

00:00 Start
00:40 Which Models ?
02:22 When ?
03:25 Who will receive it ?
04:23 Owner Examples
05:21 Service History Missing ?
06:25 R 1300 GS
09:11 Why ?
11:32 Official Announcement
12:00 Thank You

BMW Motorrad has decided to make a change to the maintenance plan for the R 1200 / R 1250 models in order to improve customer satisfaction. Through ongoing field observations, it has been found that occasional damage can occur to the cardan shaft of these models, which can compromise the functionality of the drive system. In some cases, this can result in a loss of propulsion.

These issues are more prevalent in the R 1200 GS / R 1250 GS models and in the authorities vehicles of the series, compared to the standard road models. In view of this, a service campaign has already been planned for these models in 2022. As part of this campaign, the cardan shaft will be replaced at 60,000 km. And at lower mileages a specially developed testing method will be used to check for any pre-existing damage to the universal joints.

Cardan shaft damage is extremely rare in the road-oriented models of the R 1200 / 1250 family. The more moderate chassis geometry (with smaller angles of the cardan shaft in the swinging arm) and the absence of offroad use contribute to significantly lower stress levels on the component.
However, BMW Motorrad has decided to adjust the maintenance plan for all models in order to ensure customer satisfaction, longevity, and as a preventive quality measure.

The mileage-related replacement of the cardan shaft is provided free of charge to customers throughout the lifetime of the vehicle, even if the replacement threshold is reached multiple times and regardless of the age of the vehicle.

Affected customers with vehicles up to model year 2023 will receive an insert for the owner's manual either during their next workshop visit or will be sent it directly with an information letter, depending on the country.
From model year 2024 onwards, the maintenance plan will already be included in the owner's manual, and affected customers will no longer be separately notified.

The replacement of the cardan shaft has also been taken into account in the maintenance plan for the successor model R 1300 GS. In contrast to the R 1250 GS, where the cardan shaft is replaced at 60,000 km, the cardan shaft of the R 1300 GS is replaced at 80,000 km.