NHTSA Complaint #10638483 — 2011 CAN-AM SPYDER RT

THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED ON THREE STRUTS -- THE MIDDLE ONE CONTROLS THE UP AND DOWN POSITION OF THE SHIELD AND HOLDS IT IN POSITION; THE OUTER TWO MOVE FREELY UP AND DOWN WITH NO RESTRAINT. THE CENTER STRUT BROKE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO SUDDENLY FLY UP AND BACK AND THEN SETTLE IN AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE MOTORCYCLE. IN THAT POSITION, FULL WIND FORCE IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. FURTHER, THE OUTER TWO STRUTS ARE FREE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN SO ANY PASSING TURBULENCE SUCH AS ANOTHER CAR OR TRUCK CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO LITERALLY FLAP IN THE BREEZE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT ONLY NOW BECAUSE ON 09/20/2014 I OBSERVED THAT THE NEW REPLACEMENT STRUT WAS CRACKED OVER HALF-WAY THROUGH. THERE ARE APPROX 8475 MILES ON THE NEW REPLACEMENT STRUT (TOTAL MILEAGE ON VEHICLE 37575). I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE UNEXPECTED TOTAL FAILURE OF THE STRUT AND THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY FLYING UP AND BACK COULD EASILY CAUSE THE RIDER TO SWERVE OR REACT IN SOME WAY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT IS APPARENT FROM MY HAVING TWO FAILURES THAT BRP (THE MANUFACTURER OF CAN AM MOTORCYCLES) HAS NOT IMPROVED THE DESIGN, MATERIAL OR MANUFACTURE OF THESE SIMPLE STRUTS. THIS CONCLUSION IS SUPPORTED BY THEIR NOT HAVING CHANGED THE PART NUMBER FOR THE 2011 AND 2012 MODEL YEARS NOR THE PART NUMBER OF THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THOSE YEARS. THIS CONCLUSION IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER RIDERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE WHO HAVE REPORTED FAILURES ON THE INTERNET FORUMS, IN SOME CASES HAVING FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT STRUT AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL, JUST AS I HAVE. FURTHER SUPPORT IS EVIDENCED BY MY DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN WHO IS REPLACING THE CURRENT PARTIALLY CRACKED STRUT INFORMING ME THAT HE HAS REPLACED BROKEN STRUTS ON THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER AND I DO NOT KNOW IF HE HAS HAD OTHER REPLACEMENT STRUTS FAIL. *TR