NHTSA Complaint #10047328 — 2003 HONDA GL1800A

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE RECALL BEING DONE BY AMERICAN HONDA CORP. (AHC) ON THEIR GOLD WING GL1800 TO REPAIR POSSIBLE FRAME AND WELD DAMAGE. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED 4/24/03. IT IS LESS THAN 7 MONTHS OLD. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS REJECTED FOR THEIR 'NORMAL' RECALLS SERVICE BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS TOO HEAVILY DAMAGED FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED IN THE FIELD. AHC WANTS TO SHIP THE BIKE BACK TO THE FACTORY IN OHIO (FROM NJ) AND EITHER REPAIR THE CRACKS THEY DISCOVERED OR REPLACE THE FRAME ON THE BIKE. THEY ARE GIVING ME NO CHOICES EXCEPT TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT. MY PROBLEM WITH THEM FIXING IT AT THE FACTORY, IS TWO FOLD: 1. THE PEOPLE AT THE FACTORY ARE USED TO PUTTING A BIKE TOGETHER FROM SCRATCH, ON AN ASSEMBLY LINE, ACCORDING TO STRICT ENGINEERING GUIDELINES, BUT PROBABLY HAVE NEVER TAKEN ONE APART BEFORE AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. I, DO NOT WISH TO BE THE "GUINEA PIG". 2. I HAVE OVER $5000 IN ADDED ACCESSORIES ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND THEIR SOLE REPRESENTATIVE (A "STEVE" WHO WILL NOT PROVIDE HIS LAST NAME BUT GIVES HIS ID AS MT56: A. REFUSES TO GIVE ME ANY WRITTEN ASSURANCE THAT ALL MY ACCESSORIES WILL WORK WHEN I GET THE BIKE BACK. B. INSISTS THAT THE ONLY WAY I MAY GET THAT INSURANCE IN WRITING IS TO HAVE A LAWYER CONTACT HIS COMPANIES LEGAL DEPT. C. WILL NOT GIVE ME A NAME TO CONTACT. D. THREATENED ME THAT IF I DID NOT HAVE THEM DO IT NOW, THAT IT "MAY TAKE THEM A LOT LONGER TO DO IT LATER." E. ADMITTED THAT MANY OTHER BIKES HAD DAMAGE TO THE FRAME WAS MUCH WORSE THAN THEY EXPECTED AND ARE FINDING THAT MANY BIKES WILL HAVE TO BE SHIPPED BACK TO THE FACTORY TO BE REPAIRED. THIS "STEVE-MT56" (WHOEVER HE IS) WILL ONLY GIVE ME 'HIS' WORD THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE HANDLED CORRECTLY AND THAT I MUST CHECK OUT THE BIKE FULLY BEFORE I PICK IT UP AFTER THE REPAIR, TO HAVE DAMAGE THEY DO, COVERED BY AMERICAN HONDA. I AM QUITE UPSET BY THEIR TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT ATTITUDE AND LACK OF WRITTEN ASSURANCE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE IN THIS MATTER? *LA