NHTSA Complaint #10627336 — 2013 CAN-AM SPYDER RT

AFTER RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE FOR AS LITTLE AS 15 MINUTES IN WEATHER ABOVE 70 DEGREES F. (IN WARMER WEATHER THE CONDITION OCCURS MORE QUICKLY AND MORE SEVERELY) THE LOCATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BIKE WHERE YOUR LEG IS POSITIONED BECOMES UNBEARABLY HOT. IN WARMER WEATHER 80 DEGREES F. OR MORE IT ACTUALLY BECOMES PAINFUL TO BARE SKIN. IT BECOMES SO HOT YOU MUST MOVE YOUR LEG AWAY AND INTO THE WIND TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF. THIS FORCES YOU TO TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE FOOTREST AND AWAY FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, AFTER RIDING THE BIKE AS STATED ABOVE AND STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC OR TO STOP AND GET OFF YOU CAN CLEARLY SMELL GASOLINE VAPORS. WITH THE PANELS REMOVED I OBSERVED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THE FUEL TANK. THE HEAT FROM THIS COMPONENT APPEARS TO BE HEATING UP THE FUEL TANK AND CREATING THE FUEL VAPORS YOU SMELL NEAR THE BIKE. TO REFUEL THE BIKE YOU MUST LIFT THE SEAT TO ACCESS THE FUEL CAP, AFTER RIDING IN THE CONDITIONS STATED ABOVE THIS FUEL CAP ALSO BECOMES VERY, VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH. AGAIN, ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS ARE MORE PRONOUNCED THE WARMER THE WEATHER. I BELIEVE BOTH THESE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE A DANGER TO THE CONSUMER. THE FIRST CONDITION COULD CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION OR POSSIBLY EVEN A SLIGHT BURN TO THE SKIN. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE A DELAY IN REACHING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH HEAT CAUSING YOU TO MOVE YOUR LEG FROM THE VICINITY OF THE BRAKE. THE SECOND CONDITION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A FIRE. BOTH THESE CONDITIONS SEEM TO RELATE TO ONE ROOT CAUSE, TOO MUCH HEAT UNDER THE BODY PANELS AND NO PLACE FOR IT TO GO. THE PROXIMITY OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO THE FUEL TANK IS ALSO A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THESE CONDITIONS. BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE BODILY HARM AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR