NHTSA Complaint #10118171 — 2003 HONDA VFR800

MOTORCYLE ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER, START, AND RUN STRONG, BUT WOULD DIE AFTER THE STARTER BUTTON WAS RELEASED. LOOKING OVER INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUMS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE, 2002-2005 HONDA VFR800, REVEALED A SUBSTANSIAL*AK NUMBER OF OWNERS EXPERIANCED THE SAME PROBLEM, MOST OF THE OWNERS ARE IN WET CLIMATES, EG., SEATTLE, PORTLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, ETC. FOLLOWING THE TROUBLE SHOOTING METHODS RECOMMENDED ONE THE DISCUSSION FORUM (REMOVED THE HEADLIGHT FUSE AND THE BIKE WOULD START AND RUN FINE UNTIL EITHER THE FUSE WAS REPLACED OR THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ACTIVATED) THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE GROUND WIRE FOR THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS WIRE COVERS THE HEADLIGHTS, INGINTION, INSTRUMENTS, ETC. THE PIN FOR THIS WIRE INSIDE THE MAIN WIRING CONNECTOR BLOCK HAD CORRODED AND GOTTEN HOT AS EVIDENCED BY MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR BLOCK AROUND THE PIN. THE OTHER 23 PINS IN THE CONNECTOR BLOCK WERE SHINY, CLEAN, AND APPEARED NEW. IF THIS FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR DURING OPPERATION, THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD STALL, AND THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT, AT NIGHT THIS COULD CAUSE THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL AS HE/SHE COULDN'T SEE THE THE ROAD OR ANY HAZARDS, NOR COULD OTHER MOTORISTS SEE THE MOTORCYCLE.