NHTSA Complaint #10176495 — 2005 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A MOTORCYCLE TRAILER FROM KENDON INDUSTRIES, 3711 E. LA PALMA AVE, ANAHEIM, CA 92806. THE TRAILER WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR A LONG BIKE (CHOPPER STYLE). THE FIRST TIME I USED THE TRAILER, I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE TIE DOWNS FOR THE BIKE AND COME LOOSE AND THE BIKE VERY NEARLY CAME LOOSE FROM THE TRAILER INTO HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC. KENDON TRAILERS HAVE A FRONT WHEEL MOUNTING UNIT THAT OPERATES IN A WAY THAT AS YOU MOVE THE MOTORCYCLE FORWARD INTO THE MOUNTING UNIT THE MOUNTING UNIT ROCKS FORWARD SECUTING THE FRONT WHEEL AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER ALSO HAS FOUR TIE DOWN POINTS (TWO AT THE FRONT AND TWO AT THE REAR). THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILER IS THE FACT THAT THE FRONT TIE DOWN POINTS ARE BEHIND THE STEARING HEAD OF THE MOTORCYCLE. AS A RESULT, WHEN THE TRAILER HITS A BUMP, THE ACTION OF THE TRAILER IS TO PULL THE BIKE BACKWARDS (AWAY FROM THE FRONT SECURING UNIT). THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY I MUST HAVE HIT A BUMB WHICH CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO PULL OUT OF THE FRONT UNIT. THIS ALSO INCREASED THE SLACK IN THE TIE DOWNS WHICH ALLOWED THE BIKE TO FLOP FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND ALMOST CAUSED THE BIKE TO EXIT THE TRAILER (WHICH HAS NO SIDES OR REAR SECURITY). *NM