NHTSA Complaint #10587445 — 2006 HONDA VTX1800N

THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A BRAKE INTERLOCK THAT APPLIES 2 OF THE FRONT BRAKE'S 6 PISTONS WHEN THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ON ANY SLICK SURFACE OR ON SOFT SURFACES, THE FRONT BRAKE CAN LOCK WITH A LIGHT TOUCH TO THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL ONLY, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL, AND THE MOTORCYCLE FALLING OVER. HONDA CALLS IT A SAFETY DEVICE. IT ALMOST KILLED ME ON A WET ROAD ONE DAY. I STEPPED ON THE REAR BRAKE TO TEST THE TRACTION AVAILABLE, AND SINCE THE REAR WHEEL DIDN'T SKID, I PRESSED A BIT HARDER, UNAWARE OF THE BRAKE CONNECTION SYSTEM. BOTH WHEELS IMMEDIATELY LOCKED, AND BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IN A SPLIT SECOND THE BIKE WENT DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE, TRAPPING MY FOOT UNDER IT AND REMOVING SKIN FROM MY LEG, ANKLE, ELBOW, AND HAND, AS I WAS DRAGGED ALONG, CRASHING INTO A WOODEN POST BY THE ROAD, AND BREAKING THE HEADLIGHT OFF AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LEVER AND MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE FRONT BRAKE AND OTHER NASTY SCRATCH DAMAGE. THIS MOTORCYCLE WEIGHS OVER 750 POUNDS, AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT FROM UNDER IF IT FALLS ON YOU, HENCE THE BODILY INJURY. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ENGINEER AND SUPPLY A KIT TO ELIMINATE THE BRAKE CONNECTION SYSTEM. THE APPLICATION OF REAR BRAKE ALONE ON A REGULAR MOTORCYCLE STABILIZES THE BIKE AND ALLOWS FOR FEEL OF REAR TRACTION, TELLING THE OPERATOR IF IT IS SAFE TO APPLY THE FRONT BRAKE, AND HOW HARD YOU CAN APPLY BOTH OR ONE OF THE MOTORCYCLE BRAKES. THIS SYSTEM DEFEATS SAFETY OF SEPARATELY APPLIED FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WHICH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON MOTORCYCLES FOR SAFETY AND CONTROL REASONS. IT MUST BE RECALLED AND CHANGED. THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS ON A GRAVEL ROAD AT ABOUT 15 MPH. *TR