NHTSA Complaint #10342495 — 2003 HONDA GL1800

I WAS RIDING MY 2003 GOLDWING GL1800 MOTORCYCLE AND CAME TO AN AREA OF THE ROAD WITH CONSTRUCTION, THERE WHERE SEVERAL SIGNS INDICATING FOR MOTORCYCLES TO USE CAUTION AND BUMPS. AFTER RIDING THRU THIS AREA AND GETTING BACK TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE NORMAL ROAD SURFACES, I CAME ACROSS A CUT OUT IN THE ROAD ABOUT 2 FEET WIDE WITH 3 SMALL WASH BOARDS POTHOLES. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RIDE THRU THIS CUT-OUT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE AS TO BE AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF THIS BUMP IT WAS LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE. THERE WAS A LOAD BANG AND GRINDING AS I TRIED TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT AND COME TO A STOP. THE BIKE BEHIND ME NOTED A LOAD NOISE AS WELL AS SPARKS FROM THE BIKES SUSPENSION AND PIPES BOTTOMING OUT. I LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY WITHOUT CRASHING AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED, THAT IT WAS NOT A FLAT TIRE, NOR A SUSPENSION ISSUE. BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FRAME HAS BROKEN IN 2 PLACES, ALLOWING THE REAR TIRE TO GO UP INTO THE FENDER WELL OF THE BIKE, WITH THE CENTER STAND AND EXHAUST PIPES DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT A PLACE OTHER THAN WHERE I WAS GOING PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A TERRIBLE CRASH. I AM THANKFUL THAT I AM UNHURT BUT LEFT WITH A BIKE THAT IN MY ESTIMATION IS JUNK AND I WONDER HOW I COULD EVER FEEL SAFE RIDING THIS BIKE AGAIN. I PURCHASED THIS BIKE FROM A PRIVATE PARTY WHO HAD INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS BIKE HAD BEEN IN FOR THE FRAME RECALL AS WELL AS THE BIKE BEING OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY A HONDA EMPLOYED AND TRAINED TECHNICIAN. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE MOTORCYCLE AT A HONDA DEALER AND AM AWAITING THE ANSWER FROM HONDA ABOUT IF THEY WILL FIX. I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS BIKE HAD NEVER BEEN RECALLED OR INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AND WONDER WHY I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT THIS MOTORCYCLE HAD NEVER BEEN FIXED. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR 3 YEARS NOW. I AM LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT HURT SERIOUSLY AND HONDA DOES RIGHT AND FIXES THIS BIKE WITHOUT ANY COST TO ME. HOW CAN I KNOW IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR