NHTSA Complaint #10246602 — 2002 SUZUKI DL1000

I OWN A MOTORCYCLE WITH A WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM OF SHUDDERING BADLY BETWEEN 3,000 AND 3,800 RPM. LAST MONTH I WAS HORRIFIED TO DISCOVER THAT 4 OF THE 5 WELDS HOLDING MY SWING-ARM AXLE-MOUNTING BRACKET WERE COMPLETELY CRACKED. THE CRACK IS ON THE CHAIN-DRIVE SIDE, NEXT TO THE SPROCKET. HAD I NOT DISCOVERED THIS IT WOULD HAVE BROKE, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL AND SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE SWING-ARM IS ALUMINUM, AND I BELIEVE THIS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE LONG-TERM SHUDDERING PROBLEM. THE BIKE WAS RIDDEN ONLY ON THE STREET, STORED INDOORS, LOOKS LIKE NEW. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN MAGAZINE ARTICLES AND BLOGS. SUZUKI REPLACED THE BROKEN SWING-ARM BUT REFUSED TO FIX THE SHUDDERING PROBLEM. AFTER DISCOVERING THE CRACK WELDS THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE DRIVE CHAIN. NEW TIRES AND A NEW DRIVE CHAIN WERE INSTALLED, NEITHER ELIMINATED OR HELPED REDUCE THE SHUDDERING PROBLEM. THIS BIKE WAS REDESIGNED IN 2003 TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM, SO SUZUKI HAS A FIX. I AM CONVINCED THIS MOTORCYCLE IS UNSAFE AND WILL SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL ME OR THE NEXT OWNER. I HAVE MANY PICTURES OF THE CRACKED SWING-ARM AND COPIES OF THE MAGAZINE ARTICLE AND BLOGS. SUZUKI CLAIMS THE SHUTTERING CAN NOT CAUSE THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY EXPLANATION FOR THIS FAILURE. I HAVE OWNED OVER 100 MOTORCYCLES IN MY LIFE, AND THIS IS THE ONLY MOTORCYCLE THAT EXPERIENCED CRACKED SWING-ARM WELDS. *TR