NHTSA Complaint #10504318 — 2010 TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD

I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD MOTORCYCLE TO WORK AND THE ASSEMBLY THAT ATTACHES THE THROTTLE CABLE TO THE THROTTLE GRIP FROZE. I HAD NOT THROTTLE CONTROL AND HAD TO COAST THE BIKE TO A SAFE STOP ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF A HIGHWAY. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE OF THE FACTORY HEATED GRIPS. AFTER REPEATED HEATING, THEY GET BRITTLE AND THE ATTACHMENT TO THE THROTTLE CABLE BREAKS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN A YEAR. WHAT WAS PARTICULARLY SCARY ABOUT THIS INCIDENT IS THAT MY THROTTLE WAS STUCK IN THE "OPEN" POSITION AND I HAD TO TWIST THE GRIP REALLY HARD TO GET IT UNSTUCK, WHICH BROKE THE ASSEMBLY. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, TRIUMPH REPLACED THIS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME, THEY COVERED THE COSTS AS WELL FOR CUSTOMER GOODWILL, FOR WHICH I AM GRATEFUL. IN READING THE TRIUMPH FORUMS, IT IS COMMON FOR THIS ASSEMBLY TO BREAK. I'M ATTACHING A LINK TO THE RELEVANT FORUM ARTICLE HERE. HTTP://WWW.TRIUMPHRAT.NET/THUNDERBIRD-CRUISER-CHAT/183312-BUSTED-THROTTLE.HTML PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AS THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AND COULD LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. *TR