NHTSA Complaint #10520363 — 2012 KAWASAKI ZX1400

WHILE RIDING MY NEW MOTORCYCLE THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND SPRAYED MOTOR OIL IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. I LOST TRACTION AND ALMOST CRASHED. THE OIL WAS ALSO ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND WAS SMOKING BADLY - IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THAT THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. THE OIL PUMP COVER LEAKS, WHICH CAUSES OIL STARVATION TO CRITICAL BEARINGS IN THE ENGINE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. AN AFTERMARKET COMPANY, MUZZY, SELLS A STRONGER OIL PUMP COVER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM... BUT I FEEL THAT KAWASAKI SHOULD CORRECT THEIR OWN DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE CONTACTED KAWASAKI ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY CLAIM TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT. I KNOW THAT THIS IS UNTRUE SINCE THEY HAVE HAD WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THEY SENT A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT ENGINE TO THEIR DEALER IN AUGUSTA, GA IN DECEMBER 2012 TO REPAIR THE MOTORCYCLE OF SOMEONE ELSE THAT THIS HAPPENED TO. I FEEL THAT THIS DESIGN FLAW POSES A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. BOTH THE RIDER AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD ARE AT RISK WHEN AN ENGINE EXPLODES AND OIL IS SPRAYED OUT. MY MOTORCYCLE IS A 2012 KAWASAKI ZX14R NINJA, PURCHASED NEW WITH 0 MILES. I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER APRIL 12, 2013 AND HAD IT ONLY 49 DAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. OIL AND FILTER WERE CHANGED AT 55 MILES, 550 MILES, AND 2400 MILES. *TR