NHTSA Complaint #10598459 — 2012 KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14

IN NOVEMBER 2013 I PURCHASED A NEW NON-CURRENT INVENTORY 2012 KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14 MOTORCYCLE. PRIOR TO RIDING IT THIS SPRING I INSTALLED A LARGER AFTERMARKET NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FOR INCREASED WIND PROTECTION. DURING MY FIRST RIDE I WAS SURPRISED AT THE AMOUNT THAT THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FLEXED IN WIND. WITHIN 20 MILES OF RIDING THE EXCESSIVE FLEXING RESULTED IN THE ORIGINAL KAWASAKI PLASTIC WINDSHIELD MOUNTS BREAKING. I PURCHASED ANOTHER SET OF KAWASAKI MOUNTS, THEY LASTED 35 MILES AND ALSO CRACKED. WHEN COMPARING THE THICKNESS OF THE OEM ORIGINAL KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD TO THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM AFTERMARKET WINDSHIELD I FOUND THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD TO BE .018 INCHES THINNER THAN THE ORIGINAL KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD. THE LARGER SURFACE AREA AND THINNER CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD COUPLED WITH THE REDUCED CLAMPING PRESSURE PROVIDED BY THE OEM KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD MOUNTS (DUE TO THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELDS THINNER CONSTRUCTION) APPEAR TO CAUSE EXCESSIVE FLEXING RESULTING IN WINDSHIELD MOUNT FAILURES. I AM FEARFUL THE MOUNTS COULD COMPLETELY FAIL CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO BECOME DISLODGED RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL CRASH. I HAVE SINCE REINSTALLED THE OEM KAWASAKI WINDSHIELD AND ANOTHER SET OF NEW PLASTIC MOUNTS AND HAVE RIDDEN THE BIKE 1500 MILES IN IT'S STOCK CONFIGURATION WITHOUT ISSUE OR SAFETY CONCERNS. I BELIEVE THE NATIONAL CYCLE V-STREAM WINDSHIELD FOR THIS MODEL POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK. *TR