NHTSA Complaint #10000621 — 2002 HONDA GL1800

WHEN STUCK IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC GOING INTO THE CITY THE COOLANT TEMP GAUGE WENT DEEP INTO THE RED. WITH NOWHERE SAFE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD I WAS FORCED TO PROCEED WITH THE FEAR OF THE ENGINE BOILING OVER. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AT THE GL1800 WEB SITES IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY FAULTY MANUFACTURING. HONDA DESIGNED THE RADIATOR FANS TO BLOW THE AIR FOWARD UP TO A SPEED OF 15 MPH. ANY FASTER THAN THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED TO SHUT OFF AND ALLOW THE AMBIENT AIR TO PUSH THROUGH THE RADIATORS IN THE NORMAL DIRECTION. APPARENTLY THIS WAS DONE TO TRY TO KEEP SOME HEAT OFF OF THE RIDER AT LOW SPEEDS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAVELLING 10MPH IN WARM CONDITIONS THE 10MPH INCOMING AIR IS FIGHTING AGAINST THE AIR FROM THE FANS. THIS CAUSES LITTLE OR NO AIR GOING ACROSS THE RADIATOR FINS, THUS CAUSING THE OVERHEATING CONDITION. IF THE BIKE IS STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER, THE FANS WILL PUSH THE AIR FOWARD AND ALLOW THE BIKE TO SLOWLY COOL DOWN. THERE IS NOT ALWAYS A SHOULDER TO PULL ONTO, AND IF THE BIKE OVERHEATS THE COOLANT OVERFLOW FROM THE RADIATORS IS AIMED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL. A SITUATION THAT CAN CERTAINLY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE FANS NEED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RADIATORS SO THEY CAN PULL THE AIR THROUGH. IN THE DIRECTION THAT NATURE INTENDED. WILL IT TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED FOR THEM TO REMEDY THIS. I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT, BUT SO FAR THEY ARE IN DENIAL THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO RIDE. I AM NOT WILLING TO RISK ME AND MY WIFES LIFE. THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT WITH PLEASURE IN MIND. IF NOTHING IS DONE TO ALLEVIATE THIS I WILL HAVE HONDA BUY THE BIKE BACK FROM ME WITH NEW JERSEYS TOUGH LEMON LAW.