On February 29, 2024, BMW North America submitted a safety recall report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding certain 2024 R 1250 RTs and K 1600 GT, GTL, and B bikes.
On bikes produced within a certain date range, the Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) front spring strut that came from a supplier to BMW may not meet BMW's specifications. As a result, the proportional valve may come unscrewed over the life of the strut, thus rendering its damping function nonexistent. Riding stability, particularly at higher speeds, may be negatively affected, which could increase the risk of a crash.
What's The Problem?
According to BMW North America's records, approximately 191 bikes in total could potentially be affected. This represents around 80 percent of the population.
The way that number breaks down between the 2024 BMW R 1250 RT and the 2024 BMW K 1600 GT/GTL/B is this:
| Bike | Number of Potentially Affected Units | Affected Production Date Range |
| 2024 BMW R 1250 RT | 140 | August 18, 2023 through September 15, 2023 |
| 2024 BMW K 1600 GT/GTL/B | 51 | September 5, 2023 through September 15, 2023 |
On affected ESA front spring struts, the proportional valve in the damper may have been made from an incorrect material, which does not meet BMW's specifications. Because this is the case, it can potentially unscrew itself over the life of the damper, which could make it not work as it should (and maybe not work at all).
The problem was first identified on September 14, 2023, when the supplier was conducting internal quality controls and discovered one spring strut where this condition had occurred. It began an engineering investigation and eventually identified the cause of the problem.
As of February 22, 2024, BMW says that it has not received any reports regarding crashes or injuries arising from this issue. However, it is conducting a voluntary safety recall to remedy the problem.
What Happens Next And What Owners Should Do
BMW sent notification to its authorized dealer network on March 1, 2024. The official Service Information Bulletin contains detailed instructions regarding how dealers should examine the ESA front suspension struts and what parts should be replaced if indeed, a front suspension strut is determined to require replacement under this recall.
Owners will be notified via letters that will be sent on or about April 22, 2024.
In the US, owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Additionally, owners may contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
