It hasn’t been a good summer for BMW when it comes to motorcycle recalls. Already, we’ve reported on recalls for the R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure, C650GT and C Evolution scooters, as well as a recall on the police-spec R1200RT-P Authority. We can now add the R NineT to the list of recalled BMW motorcycles, to repair a problem with loose bolts on the swingarm pivot pin. The recall affects 3,368 units in the U.S.. As of this writing, only the R NineT is affected by this recall; the Scrambler, Racer, Urban G/S and Pure variants are not listed in the recall documentation.
According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Association, the bolts connecting the right-side swingarm pivot pin to the frame may loosen. BMW attributes the problem to a production process error by supplier Walter Automobiltecnik, where the chamfer cutting process in the frame was not performed to specification. As a result, the specified torque for the bolts may not provide sufficient clamping force. A loose right-side swingarm pivot pin may affect the handling and stability of the R NineT, increasing the risk of a crash. Bikes with this issue may produce an unusual noise or rattling sound.

The problem was first reported in April 2016 with an R NineT in Turkey. BMW began field monitoring after this initial report. From May to November 2016, BMW received three more complaints regarding handling issues and a loose pivot pin. BMW received two more complaints from April to June 20...