NHTSA Complaint #10241181 — 2008 SUZUKI BOULEVARD M109R

2008 SUZUKI M109R (AKA VZR1800) BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE LOUD RATTLE IN CLUTCH BASKET WITH BIKE IN NEUTRAL AT APPROXIMATELY 6000 MILES. THE RATTLE GET NOTICEABLY LOUDER UNDER ACCELERATION. I TOOK BIKE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING DEFECTIVE IN THE CLUTCH, AND THAT THE RATTLING WAS DUE TO TORSION SPRINGS IN THE CLUTCH HUB VIBRATING WITH THE ENGINE, AND THAT THIS WAS 'NORMAL'. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THIS IS TRULY 'NORMAL' OPERATION, THAT THE NOISE WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL NOISES COMING FROM THE CLUTCH UNTIL AFTER 6000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. INVESTIGATING AN ONLINE FORUM, I FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER RIDERS WHOSE BIKES EXHIBITED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MANY OF THEM HAVE ALSO BEEN HANDED THE 'ITS NORMAL' ANSWER FROM THEIR DEALERS. IF IT WERE 'NORMAL' OPERATION, ALL M109RS WOULD HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS, YET OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT THE CASE. *TR