1997 BMW R850 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 BMW R850, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 BMW R850
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Electrical system: wiring
Vehicle description: motorcycles. A sheet metal plate mounted to the front of the frame below the instrument cluster can cause the wiring harness to be stretched too tight as the handlebars are turned fully to one side. In addition, the wiring harness is attached to another harness with a cable tie that is placed too far forward…
Remedy: Dealers will relocate the wire tie connecting the two wiring harnesses to a point further back from the original location so that the ignition switch wiring harness has sufficient freedom of movement. Also if the…
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 BMW R850 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“When making a right turn motorcycle cuts completely off.*ak”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 11, 2002 · Engine and engine cooling
Compare BMW R850 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW R850 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 BMW R850 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 BMW R850 | 1 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1997 BMW R850
How do I know if my 1997 BMW R850 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 BMW R850; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 97V237000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
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Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.