March 27--BMW plans to issue a safety recall on more than 40,000 of its motorcycles. Affected models have a defective rear flange that could cause the brakes to fail or the rear wheel to fall off.
The recalls are for the 2005 through 2010 model years of the company's popular R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure bikes, plus some R 1200 RTs and other models from 2005 to 2011.
BMW representatives did not respond to requests for further information. But a company official who was not authorized to speak publicly said the rear wheel flange on the affected machines can develop hairline cracks that over time may result in extra wear on the brakes or cause the rear wheel to fall off.
Dealerships have been watching for the hairline cracks for some time, the official said, and have been replacing the flanges at no cost to consumers.
The recall is expected to formally begin on April 21. Owners can visit the BMW website to learn whether their motorcycles are included.
The R 1200 is among BMW's most popular motorcycles and, along with the KTM Adventure, is largely credited with popularizing the growing "adventure" dual sport motorcycle segment.
