NHTSA Complaint #10706561 — 2014 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY

BEFORE 6 APRIL 2015, I NOTICED THAT MY SADDLEBAGS WERE OPENING WHILE DRIVING. THE RIGHT SIDE OPENED HALF A DOZEN TIMES, AND SHOWS A WORN AREA WHERE THE STRIKER HAD BEEN HITTING, DUE TO POOR ENGINEERING. I ONLY HAVE 1480 MILES NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE DEALER DENIED ANY ISSUE BUT WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET I FOUND A CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED IN CHICAGO IN DECEMBER 2014, AND MANY CITATIONS ON MOTORCYCLE FORUMS SHOWING THAT 2010 TO 2015 MOTORCYCLES HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SADDLEBAGS. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. I AGAIN WENT TO THE DEALER TO SHOW HIM THE ISSUE ON 4/7/2015; HE SAID HE WAS NOT ONLY AWARE OF IT, BUT REFUSED TO PERFORM THE PROPER REPAIR, ORDERING AND INSTALLING THE NEW LATCH UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. HE STATED THAT HE FOUND VICTORY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE PROPER REPAIR, BUT HE WOULD ADJUST THE LATCH. HE HAD A TECHNICIAN ADJUST THE STRIKER. I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS WILL WORK, OR FOR HOW LONG. THIS IS SO OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FAULT THAT VICTORY SHOULD RECONSIDER ITS REFUSAL TO HONOR THE FACTORY WARRANTY (IT COVERS DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP, FOLKS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LATCH REPLACEMENT HAS COST SEVERAL OWNERS OVER $400, SINCE VICTORY ONLY OFFERS THE LATCH AS A SET. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BRING THE ISSUE TO THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER (ASSUMING THERE IS ONE, LIKE AUTOMOBILE DEALERS), OR TO THE FACTORY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. VICTORY SHOULD WANT TO INSURE SATISFIED, REPEAT CUSTOMERS BY IDENTIFYING AND REMEDYING OBVIOUS FAULTS SIMPLY, QUICKLY, AND PERMANENTLY. OTHERS HAVE ALSO LAMENTED THE FACTORYS INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MAKING THIS RIGHT FOR THEIR VALUED CUSTOMERS. I FIND IT INCREDIBLE THAT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HAVE NOT RAISED CORPORATE CONSCIOUSNESS TO THE LEVEL OF ACTION; ITS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, NOR IS IT DUE TO THE RIDERS ERROR. *TR