NHTSA Complaint #10147674 — 2005 HONDA CRF450X

ON DEC 17TH I RECEIVE THE LICENSE PLATE FOR MY MOTORCYCLE HONDA CRF450X IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE DUAL SPORT KIT AND BE ROAD LEGAL. ON THIS SAME DAY I HAD CHANGED BOTH THE TRANSMISSION OIL AND ENGINE OIL ACCORDING TO THE HONDA MANUAL. THIS WAS THE 2ND CHANGE IN 175 MILES SINCE IT WAS NEW. I STILL HAVE THE OIL JUGS LEFT WITH SOME IN THEM. THE BIKE WAS LOADED INTO OUR TRAILER FOR THE 1200 MILE TRIP TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (GLAMIS) TO RIDE DUAL SPORTS AND SAND DUNES FOR 8 DAYS. DECEMBER 22ND WE LEFT AND ARRIVED IN GLAMIS ON DECEMBER 24TH. DEC 26TH MYSELF AND 5 OTHERS PUT OUR RIDING GEAR ON FOR A 110 MILE RIDE. 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD WE HIT THE PAVEMENT AND TURNED WEST ON HWY 78. 3.4 MILES OF CRUISING AT 65 MPH ON THE HWY THE REAR TIRE OF THE MOTORCYCLE LOCKED UP, THE BIKE WENT SIDEWAYS AND EVEN WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PULLED IN THE REAR TIRE WAS LOCKED UP. FINALLY RECOVERING AND GETTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I FOUND THAT I ONLY HAD 3RD GEAR TO MAKE IT BACK TO CAMP. AFTER RETURNING TO CAMP AND FIGURING THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. WE LOADED THE BIKE BACK ON THE TRAILER JAN 1ST AND HEADED HOME A COUPLE DAYS EARLY. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM IN MARCH 2005 AND THEY TOOK IT APART AND FOUND THAT THE 3RD GEAR WAS SEIZED ONTO THE COUNTER SHAFT. THE TECH THOUGHT THAT THE TOLERANCES MIGHT HAVE BEEN TO SMALL OR SOMETHING WAS TIGHTENED TO MUCH BY THE MANUFACTURER. HONDA WAS CALLED AND THERE CLAIM IS A LACK OF LUBRICATION. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS BETWEEN THE DEALER, HONDA OF AMERICA AND MYSELF, HONDA WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THERE MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ON THE NET AND FOUND AT LEAST 7 OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE THE SAME RESULTS FROM HONDA. BUT THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 MORE THAT HONDA HAS DONE WARRANTIES ON BUT WILL NOT ADMIT IT TO THE OTHERS THAT CALL THERE CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER. *NM......*AK