BMW R1200GS
Real ownership data from 3,761 UK R1200GS motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common R1200GS problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 9% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 4.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 3.5% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 3.2% |
| Suspension | major | 2.2% |
| Other | prs | 0.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | minor | 0.7% |
| Electrical | prs | 0.6% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
R1200GS mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 269 | 20,151 mi | 2,420 | 96.45% |
| 2017 | 331 | 21,139 mi | 2,014 | 96.49% |
| 2016 | 387 | 22,778 mi | 2,285 | 95.23% |
| 2015 | 265 | 24,722 mi | 2,245 | 94.55% |
| 2014 | 232 | 24,874 mi | 2,029 | 94.66% |
| 2013 | 356 | 26,974 mi | 1,947 | 95.43% |
| 2012 | 189 | 30,326 mi | 2,388 | 95.82% |
| 2011 | 323 | 34,916 mi | 1,657 | 97.13% |
| 2010 | 284 | 36,274 mi | 1,418 | 92.54% |
| 2009 | 298 | 32,370 mi | 1,498 | 94.07% |
| 2008 | 226 | 39,036 mi | 1,731 | 90.09% |
| 2007 | 175 | 32,147 mi | 949 | 90.91% |
| 2006 | 182 | 30,434 mi | 985 | 95.41% |
| 2005 | 133 | 40,388 mi | 1,344 | 91.48% |
| 2004 | 106 | 48,903 mi | 1,445 | 95.55% |
R1200GS questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the BMW R1200GS?
Across 3,761 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (9% of all recorded faults), brakes (4.5% of all recorded faults), brake discs and pads (3.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a BMW R1200GS?
The median BMW R1200GS in the UK has covered 28,500 miles, and typically rides about 1,789 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 19,373 and 42,687 miles.
Is the BMW R1200GS reliable?
94.29% of BMW R1200GS MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.21 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 3,761 BMW R1200GS motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.