Just a thought... 
The owner said he replaced the brake pads with new ones, but didn't remove the caliper to do it.
In the Hayes BMW R1200GS(A) manual is suggests you remove the caliper (after pad removal) so that you can clean the pistons and push the pistons back, so that enough space is created to fit new pads.
If you don't remove the caliper from its mount, how did the owner push back the pistons with the caliper in situ, so that new pads could be fitted?
Knowing the alloy caliper mount is like cheese, and knowing the caliper bolts were steel and fully torqued up (in situ), could there be a case of lug fracture due to torsional twisting or flexing of the caliper (being heavy handed) while attempting to force the pistons back with the caliper in situ.
The pistons may have more resistance if there is pressure in the system or the brake reservoir wasn't unscrewed to allow the fluid to rise (or had been recently topped up)
If you were being heavy handed and were forcing the caliper in this way, would this leverage fracture the lugs or bolt mounts?
Or create a misaligned fitting which would be pulled and pushed each time the brakes are applied (like bending a spoon back and forth until it breaks).
The owner said he replaced the brake pads with new ones, but didn't remove the caliper to do it.
In the Hayes BMW R1200GS(A) manual is suggests you remove the caliper (after pad removal) so that you can clean the pistons and push the pistons back, so that enough space is created to fit new pads.
If you don't remove the caliper from its mount, how did the owner push back the pistons with the caliper in situ, so that new pads could be fitted?
Knowing the alloy caliper mount is like cheese, and knowing the caliper bolts were steel and fully torqued up (in situ), could there be a case of lug fracture due to torsional twisting or flexing of the caliper (being heavy handed) while attempting to force the pistons back with the caliper in situ.
The pistons may have more resistance if there is pressure in the system or the brake reservoir wasn't unscrewed to allow the fluid to rise (or had been recently topped up)
If you were being heavy handed and were forcing the caliper in this way, would this leverage fracture the lugs or bolt mounts?
Or create a misaligned fitting which would be pulled and pushed each time the brakes are applied (like bending a spoon back and forth until it breaks).

no copaslip on 2017 then
tioned above, could be the spokes or wheel failing...........