NHTSA Complaint #10214697 — 2007 PIAGGIO MP3 250

STEERING HANDLEBAR CLAMP BOLT LOOSENED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I EXITED MY DRIVEWAY ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 6TH, 2007, TURNED THE HANDLEBAR OF THE SCOOTER TO THE RIGHT AND ACCELERATED FROM A STANDSTILL. THE SCOOTER HEADED STRAIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT THE REAR OF A NEIGHBORS VEHICLE. THE SCOOTER SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO REPAIR. THE SCOOTER IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD AND HAS 511 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. UPON EXAMINATION AFTER THE INCIDENT, I DISCOVERED THE LOOSENED BOLT. THERE IS NO OTHER BACKUP RETAINING SYSTEM TO PREVENT HANDLEBAR LOOSING CLAMPING FORCE ON THE STEERING TUBE. THE DESIGN NEEDS TO BE ALTERED TO MAKE THE HANDLEBAR SECURE ON THE STEERING TUBE EVEN IF THE CLAMP BOLT LOOSENED. THE NEIGHBORS VEHICLE SUFFERED MINIMAL DAMAGE, A SMALL DENT AND LOOSENED FENDER TRIM. THE SCOOTER IS A PIAGGIO MP3 250I.E. AND NOT A BV 250 AS INDICATED IN VEHICLE DETAILS SECTION. THE MP3 IS NOT IN THE LIST. *TR