2003 Honda GL1800A

IN :MARCH, 2016, I PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING 1800A FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, A PRIVATE PARTY. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE IN REPAIRS, AS IT WAS DAMAGED. THE MECHANIC FOUND A CRACK IN THE REAR FRAME NEAR A WELD, AND REFERRED ME TO REDLANDS HONDA. I SPOKE TO WES IN SERVICE WHO INSPECTED THE FRAME AND CALLED HONDA. HONDA SENT REDLANDS HONDA A FRAME. ON 6/23/2016, WES INFORMED ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR TO REPLACE THE FRAME, ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $2500. AS A SAFETY RECALL, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY PARTS OR LABOR TO HAVE THE SAFETY RECALL PROCEDURE PERFORMED. NO FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TO DATE. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CRACK.

IF THE REAR FOOT PEDAL BRAKE IS APPLIED WITHOUT ALSO USING THE FRONT HAND BRAKE THE BIKE SHUDDERS, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, AND THE BRAKING POWER IS DIMINISHED .APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKE USUALLY ELIMINATES THE SHUDDER. THE GREATER THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE THE WORSE THE PROBLEM GETS. (OVER 105 DEGREES IT BECOMES UNRIDEABLE) ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN CHECK BY THE DEALER AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. HONDA TECH DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM AND TELLS THEIR DEALERS TO INSTRUCT RIDERS TO APPLY BOTH BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. ALL MC RIDERS KNOW THAT APPLYING THE FRONT BREAK IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS CAN CAUSE A CRASH. *TR

A FRIEND ON MINE ALSO RIDING A GL1800 FOUND A FRAME TUBE CRACKED ON HIS MOTORCYCLE. AFTER CHECKING MANY BULLETIN BOARDS ON THE INTERNET HE FOUND THIS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM IN THE SAME MODEL YEARS OF BIKES THAT HONDA PUT OUT A RECALL ON IN 2005 BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE WELDS. HIS ENTIRE FRAME WAS REPLACE BY HONDA. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS ONE OF THE ONES REQUIRING RE-WELDING OF THE FRAME. HE CAME TO MY HOME YESTERDAY AND EXAMINED MY BIKE AND WE FOUND THE SAME FRAME CRACK IN MY BIKE AS WAS ON HIS BUT MINE IS BIGGER. WE HAVE PHOTOS OF THIS CRACK ON THE FRAME. BECAUSE OF THIS CRACK I AM NOW AFRAID TO RIDE THE BIKE FOR FEAR IT MAY FAIL COMPLETELY AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR MY WIFE. I ONLY HAVE 32000 MILES ON THIS BIKE. OF THE DOZEN OR SO BIKES MY FRIEND HAS EXAMINED MINE HAS THE LOWEST MILEAGE OF ALL OF THEM. I WANT THE FRAME REPLACED OR PROVIDED WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT BIKE. *TR

SHIFT SHAFT SEAL DISLODGED FROM ENGINE/TRANSMISSION, CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO BE DUMPED ONTO ROADWAY AHEAD OF REAR TIRE. FIRST OCCURRENCE-SEAL REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND OCCURRENCE-OWNER CHARGED FOR REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAUSE OF PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED, THEREFORE SAFETY HAZARD REMAINS SHOULD PROBLEM RECUR.*JB

ENGINE APPEARS TO BE OVERHEATING DURING SLOW SPEED OPERATION. TEMPERATURE GAUGE ENTERS THE RED DANGER ZONE DURING "PARADE MODE RIDING" (HEAVY TRAFFIC). COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BRAKE (LIGHT) OPERATION HAVE DRAMATIC IMPACT ON GAUGE INDICATION WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. ACCORDING TO HONDA'S RECORDS THE HEATING SYSTEM RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. LOCAL DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OR ITS SOLUTION. *JB

NOTICE OF GL1800/A GOLD WING FRAME WELD RECALL WAS RECEIVED FROM NHTSA ABOUT MARCH OF 2005. TOOK NOTICE AND BIKE TO DEALER: BEND RECREATION, OF BEND OREGON. APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO REPAIR WELDS. APPOINTMENT WAS CANCELLED BY BEND RECREATION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A "HONDA CERTIFIED WELDER". WHEN CHALLENGED ON THIS MATTER AFTER HONDA SENT OUT ANOTHER NOTICE OF RECALL, BEND RECREATION SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET TO ME AS SOON AS THEY HAD THE TIME. THAT WAS THREE MONTHS AGO, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY INTEREST IN DOING THE RECALL ORDERED WORK. THEY REFUSED COMPLETELY UNTIL I TOLD THEM I BOUGHT THE 2003 WING IN THEIR DEALERSHIP. AND HAVE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO PORTLAND, OREGON FOR THE REQUIRED WORK.