NHTSA Complaint #10135765 — 2003 HONDA GL1800

I OWN A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW LATE IN MAY OF 2003, VIN#[XXX]. IT IS STILL, AT THIS TIME, WITHIN THE FACTORY WARRANTY PERIOD. SINCE IT WAS NEW, THE FRONT FORK AND HANDLEBARS HAVE HAD A STRONG WOBBLE AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH-45 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL HONDA MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND AM TOLD THAT MANY GOLDWINGS DO THIS AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. AT MY OWN EXPENSE, I HAVE HAD THE FRONT TIRES RE-BALANCED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE AND REAR TIRE. HAD THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS READJUSTED TO FACTORY SPECS, AND HAVE ADDED A FORK BRACE, ALL TO NO EFFECT. I HAVE CALLED HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN CALIFORNIA THREE TIMES ABOUT THIS SITUATION, AND EACH TIME I AM TOLD "IT IS A TRAIT OF THE MOTORCYCLE, HONDA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, AND THAT I SHOULD KEEP BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE GRIPS AT ALL TIMES TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT". THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION AT ALL, SINCE EVEN WITH BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE GRIPS, THE FORK STILL WOBBLES STRONG ENOUGH TO NUMB MY WRISTS. AS AN AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONAL, I KNOW THAT THIS WOBBLE CAN NOT GO ON AND NOT EFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RELATED PARTS SUCH AS THE FORK TUBES, FRONT AXLE BEARINGS, STEERING HEAD BEARINGS, FRONT TIRE AND THE REST OF THE MOTORCYCLE FOR THAT MATTER. BY RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE AT GL1800RIDERS.COM, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD GREAT RESULTS WITH REPLACING THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT STEERING HEAD BALL TYPE BEARINGS WITH AFTERMARKET PRODUCED TAPERED ROLLER TYPE BEARINGS. I, MYSELF, AM HAVING THIS CHANGE MADE AT MY LOCAL DEALER, AGAIN, AT MY OWN EXPENSE, AS I TYPE THIS REPORT. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND THE FACT THAT HONDA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOK INTO THE SITUATION TO SEE IF ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BY HONDA. I WOULD HATE TO SEE SOMEONE HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE THIS WENT UNRESOLVED. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(