NHTSA Complaint #10200444 — 2007 KAWASAKI ZX1400A7F

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 KAWASAKI ZX-14 MOTORCYCLE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 2007. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE MOTORCYCLE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE MANUFACTURE'S GUIDELINES. DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE, ON SMOOTH FLAT PAVEMENT, AT NO MORE THAN 50 MPH, THE REAR END DROPPED ABOUT THREE INCHES WITHOUT WARNING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE REAR TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. AFTER I SAFELY BROUGHT THE BIKE TO A STOP, I LOOKED DOWN AT THE REAR TIRE, IT WAS NOT FLAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I REALIZED THAT THE FRAME OF THE BIKE HAD FAILED. THE FRAME WAS INDEED BROKEN. THE BIKE HAS NEVER CRASHED INTO ANYTHING OR HIT ANY POTHOLES. THERE ISN'T A SCRATCH ON THE BIKE AND IT HAS NEVER HAD ANY STUNTS PERFORMED ON IT. THE BIKE IS AT AN AUTHORIZED KAWASAKI DEALER NOW AND THEY HAVE FOUND NO SIGNS OF ANY ABUSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TECHNICIANS HAVE CONCURRED THAT THE FRAME JUST CRACKED WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ONLY 5 SECONDS EARLIER WHILE THE BIKE WAS LEANED OVER IN A TURN THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. KAWASAKI HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE FRAME UNDER WARRANTY BUT HAS OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. NOR HAVE THEY GUARANTEED THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. SEVERAL DEALERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER REBUILDING THIS BIKE ON A NEW FRAME. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THESE DEALERSHIPS IN REGARDS TO THEIR RESERVATION AND DISAGREEABLE POSITION WITH KAWASAKI ON REBUILDING THEIR FLAGSHIP BIKE ON A NEW FRAME HAS NOT BEEN ENCOURAGING TO ME AS A RIDER. *TR