NHTSA Complaint #10064341 — 2002 HONDA HONDA MOTORCYCLE

I HAVE A 2002 HONDA SHADOW VLX MOTORCYCLE. I STARTED IT, WAS SITTING ON IT, IT HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND MOTOR WAS HOT AND PIPES WERE HOT -- GASOLINE STARTING GUSHING DOWN INTO THE V-ENGINE BELOW THE SEAT. UNDER RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE IGNITED/BLOWN. THE GAS ON/OFF SWITCH BOLT HAD COME LOOSE (WHICH IS ON A ROD THAT GOES UNDER THE SEAT) ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW ONTO THE MOTOR. WAS QUITE SCARY. WANTED IT TO BE DOCUMENTED IN CASE THERE WAS AN EXPLOSITION UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES -- SOMEWHAT OF A DESIGN DEFECT IF A BOLT BECOMES LOOSE ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW. I'M GLAD I WASN'T DOING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN AN ENCLOSED AREA, ETC. *AK