NHTSA Complaint #10156915 — 2003 BMW F650 CS

THE IGNITION SWITCH ON A 2003 F650 GS BMW MOTORCYCLE IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING HEAD. THIS SWITCH HAS A LOOM OF FOUR ELECTRICAL WIRES THAT CONNECT TO IT AND GOES TO RELAYS THAT OPERATE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ONE OF THE WIRES, A GREEN ONE, IS A 16 GAUGE COPPER WIRE WITH 19 STRANDS. THIS WIRE IS THE LINK FOR ALL THE ELECTRIC CURRENT TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE. WHEN THIS WIRE FAILS, THE ENGINE DIES, THE LIGHTS GO OFF, AND ALL THE POWER TO THE MOTORCYCLE IS LOST. THE WIRE LOOM CONTAINING THIS GREEN 16 GAUGE WIRE IS DESIGNED TO FAIL BECAUSE EVERY TIME THE HANDLEBARS ON THE BIKE ARE MOVED, THE WIRE LOOM FLEXES AND OVER TIME THIS GREEN WIRE BECOMES BRITTLE, DUE TO MOLECULAR CHANGES IN THE COPPER, AND BREAKS. THIS WILL HAPPEN ON EVERY BIKE THAT HAS THIS 16 GAUGE 19 STRAND WIRE, AS THIS WIRE IS NOT ENGINEERED TO BE FLEXED CONSTANTLY. IN FACT, THIS WIRE WILL BREAK BY HOLDING IT STATIONARY IN ONE HAND, BY A CONNECTOR, AND BENDING IT WITH THE OTHER HAND. IT WILL BREAK WITHIN 30 UP AND DOWN BENDS AND THIS IS THE WIRE THAT TRANSMITS ALL THE POWER TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE. MY MOTORCYCLE IS A 2003 MODEL THAT WAS PUT INTO USE AT 06/16/2003 WITH 6230 MILES. THAT IS WHEN I LOST POWER MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE MOTOR STOPPED AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. LUCKILY IT WAS DAYTIME AND NO TRAFFIC. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON A DARK COUNTRY ROAD OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. I REPAIRED THE HARNESS BY REPLACING ALL FOUR WIRES WITH A 16 GAUGE 62 STRAND COPPER WIRE THAT IS ENGINEERED TO FLEX. I HAVE THE OLD WIRES AND PICTURES OF THE WIRE LOOM BEFORE I REPAIRED IT. I WILL FURNISH YOU WITH THE ORIGINAL WIRES AND PICTURES UPON REQUEST. *NM