2004 Honda GL1800

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE EXHIBITED FRACTURES ALONG THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE LOWER FRAME, LOCATED AT THE PASSENGER SIDE FOOT REST. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

TRANSMISSION "LOCKED UP" AND THE VEHICLE WILL NO LONGER MOVE. FORWARD OR REVERSE, NOTHING. THE REAR WHEEL WILL NOT TURN AT ALL. HAD JUST COME OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN IT STARTED MAKING A CHATTERING NOISE, THEN WHEN I GOT ON ROAD THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND ABOUT THE TIME I SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP COMPLETELY AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES THE MOTOR WOULD RUN AND CLUTCH WOULD WORK BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR..I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO BRING IT BACK TO MY HOUSE. I CANNOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF WHY THE TRANS/DRIVELINE IS LOCKED AND WHY THE VEH. WILL NO LONGER MOVE. FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO MOVE. IT IS JUST TOTALLY LOCKED UP. THIS IS A 2004 VEH. I PURCHASED NEW AND IT ONLY HAS 7K MILES ON IT. ALL MAINT. HAS BEEN PERFORMED AS SPECIFIED BY FACTORY. SEARCHING THE INTERNET SHOWED A FEW OTHER CASES OF THIS HAPPENING TO ALL YEARS FROM 2002-2011 BUT HONDA APPARENTLY DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE THIS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. IT ONLY HAPPENS TO A SELECT FEW AND I BELIEVE MINE HAS THE LOWEST MILES ON IT OF ALL OF THEM. I HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED HONDA MOTOR CO. BUT WILL AS SOON AS I GET A CHANCE. I AM 73 YRS. OLD AND THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE LAST MOTORCYCLE I WOULD PURCHASE AS I INTEND TO STILL RIDE FOR ANOTHER 10-15 YRS. AT LEAST AND THEY USUALLY LAST WELL OVER 100,000 MI.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PADS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

HJC SYMAX II MODULAR HELMET COMPLAINT BOTH MY FRIEND AND I, [XXX] (WITNESS), BOTH RIDING 30 YEARS, WERE TRAVELING.ON THE BLUE RIDGE PKWY ENTERING THE PARKWAY AT WAYNESBORO, VA TO AVOID THE SKYLINE DRIVE. AROUND 7:15 WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO ROANOKE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE CELL AND INTERNET. HEADED SOUTH ON BRP. I HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT DEER. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD FORCING BOTH OF US TO BRAKE HEAVILY. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, SEVERAL MORE DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. 2 COMPLETED THE CROSSING A 3RD REVERSED DIRECTION. 5 MINUTES LATER AS WE APPROACHED (SOUTHBOUND) AN OVERLOOK, 3 MORE DEER DASHED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE LEFT. AS BEST I CAN REMEMBER THEY WERE ADOLESCENCE. ONE PASSED IN FRONT OF MY GOLDWING, POSSIBLY CLIPPING HIS FRONT WHEEL AND DESTABILIZING HIM. A SECOND PASSED BEHIND, AND THE THIRD SLAMMED INTO THE SIDE OF THE BIKE. I WAS EJECTED FROM THE BIKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I BARREL-ROLLED TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE GRASS SHOULDER. THE JAW PROTECTOR FROM HIS CONVERTIBLE FULL FACE HELMET HAD BROKEN OFF HIS HELMET (HJC SYMAX II (AN APPARENT HELMET FAILURE). THOUGH THE BRACKET WAS STILL FULLY INTACT, THE RIGHT SIDE PLASTIC ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE 3/4 FACE HELMET BROKE OFF LEAVING ME WITH JUST A 3/4 FACE HELMET FOR 9 OF 10 ROLLS ON THE PAVEMENT. IF IS CLEAR THAT THE SYMAX II FAILURE RESULTED IN ME ROLLING FROM THE 2ND TO THE 10TH ROLL AS IF I WAS WEARING A 3/4 FACE HELMET. I WAS TOTALLY UNPROTECTED EXCEPT FOR A HOOD. THIS HELMET IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE VOLUNTARILY RECALLED BY HJC AND REPLACED WITH AT LEAST A SYMAX III, AT A MINIMUM, WHICH HAS A BOLT ATTACHING THE PLASTIC MALFUNCTIONED PIECE GOING THROUGH IT TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. WEARING THE RIGHT GEAR, ALL THE TIME IS ESSENTIAL AND THE HJC SYMAX II IS NOT SAFE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE GL1800 MOTORCYCLE HAS A REVERSE ON IT. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE, WHEN IN NEUTRAL & NEVER WHILE RUNNING. I FOUND A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT ALLOWED IT TO START ENGAGING, AND POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I NOT ACTED QUICKLY. THE STEPS FOR THIS ARE: -BIKE IS IN 1ST GEAR -BIKE IS STARTED -THE REVERSE SWITCH IS ACCIDENTALLY HIT WHILE PRESSING THE START BUTTON (RIDING GLOVES MAKE THIS SOMEWHAT SIMPLE IN THE DARK - IT IS LOCATED RIGHT BY YOUR STARTER AND YOUR CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS) -YOU TAKE OFF IN 1ST GEAR (IN MY SCENARIO I WAS STRAIGHT, THEN WAS TAKING OFF AND MAKING A SOMEWHAT RIGHT SHARP TURN) -BEFORE THE BIKE IS STRAIGHTENED COMPLETELY (BUT MOSTLY), YOU TRY TO SHIFT TO 2ND GEAR -NEUTRAL WHICH IS RIGHT IN BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND SEEMED TO GRAB HOLD AND NOT LET ME GO INTO 2ND -REVERSE ENGAGED WHILE AT SPEEDS OF 10-20 MPH -REVERSE STARTED WHINING/ENGAGING, LUCKILY I GOT IT OFF QUICKLY (~1 SEC) WHEN REALIZING I WAS NOW IN NEUTRAL AS IT DIDN'T SEEM TO LET ME GET TO 2ND, AND SEE THE 'R' LIGHT ILLUMINATED -YOU COULD SMELL THE MATERIAL WHERE IT HAD "GROUND" I TRIED REPORTING THIS TODAY TO HONDA, AND THEY SEEMED TO BLOW IT OFF. I SPECIFCALLY ASKED IF IT WAS JUST A FLYWHEEL TYPE ITEM OR IF IT WAS TRUE GEARS THAT WOULD ENGAGE. THEY NOTED IT WAS GEARS. THIS CONCERNS ME EVEN MORE AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS BIKE ACCIDENT (LUCKILY IN MY CASE IT DIDN'T GET THAT FAR AND NOBODY WAS BEHIND ME). *TT

2004 GOLDWING OCTOBER 2003 BUILD DATE. AT ROUGHLY 12,000 MILES SPRING 2005, THIRD GEAR ENGAGEMENT, UP OR DOWN, WOULD OCCASIONALLY RESULT IN A SINGLE LOUD CLUNK AS THROTTLE POWER WAS APPLIED. BY THE TIME THE BIKE WAS AT 55,000 MILES SUMMER 2009, THIS CONDITION OF CLUNKING (SKIPPING A GEAR DOG) WAS 100% LIKELY. I HAVE IN THAT TIME BEEN MINDFUL OF THIRD GEAR AND GENERALLY SKIP IT OR ONLY APPLY MODERATE THROTTLE WHEN I KNOW I AM IN THIRD GEAR; BUT BY 55,000 MILES EVEN SLIGHT ACCELERATION FORCE WOULD RESULT IN THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPING A DOG AND CLUNKING. IN THAT INTERVENING TIME, I RECALL THREE INCIDENTS WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS IN SECOND OR FOURTH, APPLYING POWER THROUGH A TURN AND THE CLUNK WOULD RESULT IN A SHORT SKID OR THE LOSS OF TEMPORARY POWER AND WOULD REQUIRE ME TO QUICKLY FIND A NEW TURN TILT EQUILIBRIUM. I DID NOT LOOSE CONTROL, BUT I DID HAVE TO TAKE EMERGENCY CORRECTIVE ACTION. IN FALL 2009 HONDA AGREED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION UNDER FACTORY EXTENDED WARRANTY, STILL AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. HONDA'S WARRANTY POLICY IS TO KEEP ALL REPLACED PARTS. *TR

REAR BRAKES INEFFECTIVE ON ALL MODELS OF HONDA GOLDWING 1800 MOTORCYCLES. MANY, MANY WING OWNERS COMPLAIN OF HAVING TO PUMP THE REAR BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK. IF YOU'RE IN A PANIC SITUATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. I'VE HAD MINE TO THE DEALER TWICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION. THEY CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND WERE GIVEN NO HELP. MINE HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW AND IT IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD. MANY WING OWNERS STATE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA THE INTERNET. THE "INCIDENT DATE" IS INVALID BUT YOUR WEB PAGE WON'T ALLOW CONTINUATION WITHOUT IT. *NM

WHILE RIDING MY HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLE, THE FRONT TIRE RAN OVER A FLAT PIECE OF METAL APPROX. 1" X 8". THE METAL STRIP FLIPPED UP AND PUNCTURED THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW TANK, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO SPILL ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE TANK IS DIRECTLY INFRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. LUCKILY, THE PUNCTURE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TANK, AND THE FLUID SPILLED ONTO THE ROADWAY APPROX. 2" TO THE RIGHT OF THE TIRE. HAD THE PUNCTURE BEEN 2" - 3" FURTHER LEFT, THE RESULT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, OR DEATH. HONDA NEEDS TO PROTECT THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK WITH SOME TYPE OF SKIDPAN OR OTHER TYPE OF COVER. I PLAN ON INSTALLING AN AFTERMARKET "BELLY PAN" IN HOPES OF PREVENTING ANY SIMILAR INSTANCES IN THE FUTURE. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT, HOWEVER, HIS OIL FILTER WAS RUPTURED, AND HE HAD OIL SPILL ONTO THE ROADWAY. HONDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS POTENTIALLY DANGERIOUS SITUATION.

THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW TANK ON THE HONDA GL1800 IS UNDER THE BIKE AND IS LOWER THEN THE FRAME. THE FRONT TIRE CAN KICK UP ROAD DEBREE AND IT WILL KNOCK A HOLE IN THE TANK. THIS HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND TO MY BIKE. WHEN THE TANK HAS A HOLE IN IT, THE ANTIFREEZE RUNS OUT ON TO THE GROUND AND UNDER THE REAR TIRE ON A TWO WHEEL BIKE. I ASKED THE DEALER WHAT HONDA IS DOING ABOUT THIS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT HONDA WILL NOT PAY TO FIX IT. I CAN PUT A NEW TANK ON THE BIKE, BUT THE NEXT TIME THE FRONT TIRE KICKS UP ANY THING I'LL HAVE ANOTHER HOLE IN THE TANK. I ONLY HAVE 4389 MILES ON THE BIKE. HONDA NEEDS TO REDESIGN THE TANK TO GET IT HIGHER THEN THE FRAME OR PUT A GUARD ON IT TO PROTECT IT.