Key highlights
- 2026 BMW R 1300 RT recalled in the US
- Likely affected by an insufficiently hardened cardan shaft
- Bikes affected are being replaced with the new parts
BMW has initiated a recall for the R 1300 RT cruiser in the global market. The recall is due to a manufacturing defect that may cause fatal injuries. Read more below.
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2026 BMW R 1300 RT recalled – Here’s why
As per the recall report submitted by BMW to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on October 15, 2025, its R 1300 RT cruiser bike has a potential manufacturing defect in the cardan shaft, which is likely to cause “loss of propulsion”.
The recall has been initiated, and the affected motorcycle owners are being contacted by BMW. The new parts will be fitted free of cost. Speaking of the details, BMW noted this problem in July 2025, when one bike showed up at the service centre with a universal joint slipping in the shaft and losing power.
Since then, BMW formed an internal team and studied different bikes to find the root cause of this issue. As per the company, the cardan shaft on select motorcycles has not been hardened as per the required specifications. This leads to slippage of the universal joint and the bike suddenly losing power.
While there are no reports of someone getting into an accident due to this issue, BMW has initiated the process of quickly replacing the affected models with rthe ight parts. The brand has also recommended the affected owners not to use the bikes until they are fixed.
