BMW->ke1398 of North America has put the recall clamps 2013 to 2015 models of the G650GS motorcycle and 2013 to 2014 models of the G650GS Sertao motorcycles over issues involving the motorcycles’ engine control unit. A total of 1,070 units of the G650GS and G650GS Sertao have been identified with the defects, specifically models of the G650GS built from March 8, 2013 to March 2, 2015 and models of the Sertao variant built from March 8, 2013 to May 23, 2014.

According to BMW, affected models are more than likely to stall when they are idling and the clutch lever is pulled in. This scenario poses a threat because the engine itself may stall completely, thus increasing the risk of the bike crashing. Owners of the G650GS and G650GS Sertao bikes are being advised to wait for the official notification to come from BMW. Once the notice arrives, owners are encouraged to bring their bikes to their respective dealers, which will then install a revised version of the ECU software at no cost to the owner. BMW has mode no official announcement on the start of the recall, opting only to say that it is “expected” to commence on October 16, 2015.

Owners are also being advised to contact BMW’s customer service through phone (1-800-525-7417) or e-mail (CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com) to learn more about the incoming recall.

Continue reading to read more about BMW’s recall of its G650GS and G650GS Sertao motorcycles.

Why it matters

The issue isn’t that serious compared to other recalls we’ve seen in the past. But just because there’s a quick fix to this problem, that doesn’t mean owners can just ignore them completely. I highly advise owners of the G650GS and the G650GS Sertao to have this problem addressed quickly before it becomes the late. The thing with the ECU software is that the problems don’t manifest themselves physically so some owners might not even realize that their bikes need to get fixed.

So as always, please take this new recall from BMW North America seriously. Contact your local dealerships so you can determine the proper course of action that needs to be taken to properly address the problem. It’s not going to cost any of you anything anyway. BMW will be footing the bill for the replacement of the ECU software so take the time to get it done.