NHTSA Complaint #10212209 — 2001 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

REAR WHEEL SPOKE BROKE WHILE RIDING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH - LEFT, OUTER SPOKE. SPOKE THEN PIERCED THE INNER TUBE CAUSING A FLAT TIRE AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER AND MANEUVER THE MOTORCYCLE TO A NEARBY GAS STATION TO ARRANGE FOR PICKUP. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE WHEEL, I NOTICED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HUB FLANGE IS ANGLED OUTWARD, PUTTING ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE SPOKES WHERE THEY BEND AT THE HUB, CAUSING THEM TO ALL CURVE OR BEND, RATHER THAN GO STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE HUB AND THE RIM. THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN ALL OTHER MOTORCYCLES I'VE OWNED SINCE 1971 AND APPEARS TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. I HAVE SPOKEN OR HAD CORRESPONDENCE WITH APPROXIMATELY 90 OTHER OWNERS OF 2001-2007 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLES WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR FAILURES HOWEVER VERY FEW HAVE REPORTED THEM TO THE NHSTA. MORE INFORMATION ON THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE NHSTA PRIVATELY UPON REQUEST. *TR