NHTSA Complaint #10403181 — 2009 SUZUKI AN650

THE VEHICLE I AM REPORTING IS A 2009 SUZUKI BURGMAN 650 SCOOTER. IT IS THE LARGEST SCOOTER SOLD IN THE COUNTRY AND IS OFTEN USED AS A TOURING BIKE. THE BIKE HAS 8500 MILES SO IT IS FAIRLY NEW. ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2011, I WAS RIDING ON A SECLUDED ROAD, EXCEPT FOR TRAFFIC, FROM GALVESTON TEXAS TO FREEPORT TEXAS. I WAS ABOUT 80 MILES FROM HOME. IT'S A TWO LANE ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER AND DRAINAGE DITCH ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD. TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, I STARTED TO FEEL A LOSS OF POWER, THEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS OUT AND WITHOUT ANY OTHER NOTICE, THE ENGINE DIED. THERE IS NO CLUTCH ON A SCOOTER SO THE BIKE STARTS TO STOP FAIRLY QUICK, AND WITH NO WHERE TO GO TO GET OUT OF THE ROAD EXCEPT THE DITCH. TRAFFIC CAME UP BEHIND ME QUICKLY. IN SHORT NOTICE I REALIZED THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER IN THE BIKE. AFTER GETTING THE BIKE HOME AND TO THE SUZUKI DEALER, I WAS TOLD THE RECTIFIER HAD MALFUNCTIONED, AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS BIKE AS THERE WAS ON THE SUZUKI BURGMAN 400 SCOOTERS FOR THE SAME PART. I FOUND A WEBSITE CALLED BURGMANUSA.COM WHERE BURGMAN OWNERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE WERE REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM IN GREAT NUMBERS. MANY NOT WANTING THE SAME FATE AS I, HAVE BEEN REPLACING THEIR OWN WITH COMPONENTS FROM ANOTHER MANUFACTURE. I FEEL SUZUKI SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE RECTIFIERS BEFORE A FAILURE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSTATE LEAVES SOMEONE INJURED OR WORSE. THANK YOU