NHTSA Complaint #10308906 — 1999 YAMAHA ROAD STAR

ON MY YAMAHA ROAD STAR MOTORCYCLE THERE IS WHAT I THOUGHT A SOLID RUBBER BUMPER ON THE SHOCK ABSORBER. THIS IS THERE AS A CUSHION IN CASE THE SUSPENSION SHOULD BOTTOM OUT. THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS MOUNTED INSIDE THE SPRING AND IS A SINGLE UNIT MOUNTED UNDER THE MOTORCYCLE. NOT LIKE THE DUAL SHOCK/SPRINGS SEEN ON SOME MOTORCYCLES. ON MY MOTORCYCLE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SOLID RUBBER BUMPER TURNED OUT TO BE A SPONGY LOOKING MATERIAL WITH A BLACK COVERING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SOLID RUBBER. THE BLACK COVERING HAS NOW DETERIORATED AWAY AND THE SPONGY LOOKING MATERIAL IS NOW EXPOSED AND FLAKING AWAY PIECE BY PIECE. AUTOMOBILE SUSPENSION BUMPERS ARE IN FACT MADE OF SOLID RUBBER AND LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND BEYOND. MINE IS NOT THE ONLY MOTORCYCLE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THIS: WITH THE BUMPER GONE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE MOTORCYCLE SUSPENSION TO BOTTOM OUT METAL TO METAL WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO BREAK SOMETHING. A SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION AT SPEED COULD EASILY RESULT IN A CRASH THAT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY INJURE THE RIDER AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. I AM ASKING OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE TO REPORT TO YOU. YAMAHA SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO IMMEDIATELY ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL AND REPAIR THE DEFECT ON THE AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES. ALSO, NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS SHOULD BE PROCESSED IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE ALMOST 40 YEARS OF TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD AND I KNOW THIS CAN BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY TO UNSUSPECTING RIDERS. MY MOTORCYCLE IS A 1999 BUT THE OTHER ONE I HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO OWNS A NEWER MODEL. *TR