NHTSA Complaint #10041807 — 2003 HONDA GL1800

I HAVE A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING GL1800 MOTORCYCLE WITH ABS, VIN NUMBER [XXX]. ON 9/6/03 I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO MY DEALER, HINSHAW'S MOTORCYCLE STORE, 1611 WEST VALLEY HWY, AUBURN, WA 98001, FOR SERVICE. ON 9/9/03 I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HINSHAW'S. WHEN I RETURNED HIS CALL ON 9/10/03 I WAS TOLD THAT MY MOTORCYCLE WAS AN AFFECTED UNIT IN A RECALL BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR A CRACK IN A CROSS MEMBER OF THE FRAME. I WENT TO THE DEALER ON 9/10/03 AND LOOKED AT THE FRAME AND TOOK SEVERAL PHOTOS OF THE CRACK. I WAS TOLD BY A MEMBER OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT A MEETING WAS HELD WITH A HONDA REPRESENTATIVE CONCERNING MY MOTORCYCLE. I WAS SHOWN THE "REPAIR" THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE FRAME UNDER THE TERMS OF THE RECALL HAD THERE BEEN NO CRACK BUT THAT NO DETERMINATION HAD YET BEEN MADE AS TO WHAT WOULD BE DONE WITH MY MOTORCYCLE. ON 9/13/03 I WAS TOLD THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD BE SHIPPED TO HONDA'S MANUFACTURING PLANT IN MARYSVILLE, OHIO, THE NEXT MORNING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT AS FAR AS HE KNEW THE FRAME WOULD EITHER BE REPLACED OR PLACED IN A JIG FOR REWELDING. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF HONDA, AS YET, CONCERNING THIS MATTER NOR HAVE I GIVEN ANY AUTHORIZATION THAT I AM AWARE OF FOR THESE SO-CALLED REPAIRS TO BE MADE. I HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF ANY REPAIRS THAT MAY BE MADE TO THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE AND WONDER WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS MATTER. I'VE HEARD THAT SOME GOLDWING OWNERS RECEIVED NEW REPLACEMENT MOTORCYCLES, OTHERS HAVE HAD JUST THE FRAMES REPLACES, AND STILL OTHERS HAVE HAD NOTHING DONE BY HONDA BECAUSE THEIR VIN NUMBERS WERE OUTSIDE THE RANGE STATED BY THE MANUFACTURER EVEN THOUGH THE SAME SIGNS OF CRACKING/FAILURE IN THE FRAME WERE EVIDENT. MY CONFIDENCE IN THE QUALITY OF THIS VEHICLE, AND IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE MANUFACTURER (HONDA) TO THIS POINT, HAS SEVERELY DIMINISHED. I HOPE THAT A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION CAN AND WILL BE ACHIEVED. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)