NHTSA Complaint #10404584 — 2007 MOTO GUZZI NORGE 1200

THE COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2007 MOTO GUZZI NORGE MOTORCYCLE WITH ~17,000 MILES. DURING THE COURSE OF ROUTINE RIDING/OPERATION IN APRIL 2011, THE RING NUT MAINTAINING TENSION ON THE PINION GEARS INTERNAL TO THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT CAME LOOSE AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY STRIPPED OF ITS THREADS. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, DURING DECELERATION, SEVERE GEAR CLASH AND A HIGH-PITCHED SCREECH WAS AUDIBLE FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALER (IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE) FOR EVALUATION, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A "STAR-WASHER", OR LOCKING WASHER, HAD EITHER NOT BEEN ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY TO RETAIN THE RING NUT, OR THE WASHER HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE COURSE OF NORMAL OPERATION. THE NET RESULT WAS THAT THE RING NUT WAS ABLE TO LOOSEN AND EVENTUALLY BE DAMAGED, LEADING TO A LOSS OF PRELOAD/TENSION ON THE INTERNAL PINION GEARS OF THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH THE RING NUT AND STAR WASHER, AND THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AT THE END OF MAY, 2011. ON JUNE 1, 2011, THE FAILURE REAPPEARED, MANIFESTING ITSELF IN THE SAME MANNER: SEVERE GEAR LASH AND A LOUD HIGH-PITCHED SCREECH ARE BOTH AUDIBLE FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. THE MOTORCYCLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE ARE THAT THE PINION GEARS INTERNAL TO THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT COULD BECOME DAMAGED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE, LEADING TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. *TR