NHTSA Complaint #10640696 — 2008 BMW R1200 GS ADVENTURE

I WAS RIDING ON THE CENTRAL FREEWAY ON THE BAY BRIDGE APPROACH WHEN I BEGAN TO FEEL HEAT ON MY LEFT INNER THIGH. I ALSO NOTICED A BURNING RUBBER OR PLASTIC SMELL. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN MERGING TO THE RIGHT AS I WAS APPROACHING THE LAST SAN FRANCISCO EXIT BEFORE THE BAY BRIDGE. I FOUGHT MY WAY THROUGH THE HEAVY TRAFFIC ALL WHILE LOOKING DOWN TO SEE WHAT LOOKED LIKE EMBERS DROPPING OFF THE LEFT SIDE. I PULLED INTO A SHELL STATION, JUMPED OFF AND PULLED THE BURNING SEAT OFF OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND PATTED IT OUT. I FOUND THAT THE FRONT SEAT RAIL HAD BECOME DISLODGED (IT IS ONLY HELD IN PLACE BY A RUBBER STRAP THAT IS LOOSENED TO ADJUST THE SEAT HEIGHT) AND RUBBED THROUGH THE PROTECTIVE COVER OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND ARCED TO THE FRAME. THE SEAT AND THE SEAT BRACKETS WERE MELTED. I WAS ABLE TO COVER UP THE DAMAGED WIRING AND BATTERY ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO SAFELY RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE TO HAVE THE DAMAGE EVALUATED BY A SHOP (BAVARIAN CYCLE WORKS IN SAN FRANCISCO.) THE DAMAGE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AND I AM AWAITING PARTS TO ARRIVE FROM GERMANY TO CARRY OUT THE REPAIRS. I HAVE LOCATED A MACHINE SHOP THAT SELLS A KIT TO MODIFY THE SEAT TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. THE KIT ELIMINATES THE SOLID METAL BAR THAT RUNS ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE SEAT. IT USES TWO SHORTER RODS ONLY WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED TO LOCATE THE SEAT IN ITS FRONT HOLDER. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I ORDERED ONE RIGHT AWAY. *TR