NHTSA Complaint #10794824 — 2013 TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD

MOTORCYCLE HAS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED CARBON FIBER BELT DRIVE SYSTEM. BELT CAN EASILY BE INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BELT EDGE TO BE WORN AWAY, CAUSING BELT TO SNAP AT HIGH SPEED. BASIC PROBLEMS INCLUDE AN INADEQUATE ADJUSTING MECHANISM AND A CUSTOM BLENDED COATING ON THE DRIVE PULLEY THAT CAUSES THE BELT TO MAKE CHIRPING NOISES AND EVENTUALLY WEAR THE BELT AT AN UNREASONABLE SPEED IF IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED. FACTORY SPECS STATE THAT THE DRIVE BELT SHOULD RUN AGAINST THE OUTER RIM OF THE REAR DRIVE PULLEY RATHER THAN IN THE CENTER. NO OTHER BELT DRIVE SYSTEM IS ADJUSTED THIS WAY AND THAT WOULD BE REGARDED AS AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED BELT BY ANY OTHER BELT DRIVE MANUFACTURER. TRIUMPH HAS NOT MADE A BELT DRIVE SYSTEM SINCE THE 1920'S AND HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA. GATES RUBBER COMPANY DESIGNED THE BELT DRIVE SYSTEM AND THE COATING. THE REQUIREMENTS WERE THAT THE BELT DRIVE SYSTEM LAST THE LIVE OF THE GATES GT CARBON FIBER BELT (150,000 MILES). AS AN ASIDE, MOST BELT DRIVE SYSTEMS USED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON (THE ONLY COMPANY TO USE BELTS ON MOTORCYCLES SUCCESSFULLY THUS FAR) HAVE REAR DRIVE PULLEYS THAT LAST ABOUT 50,000 MILES. HARLEY DAVIDSON RECOMMENDS THAT THE BELT AND PULLEYS BE REPLACED TOGETHER AT 50,000 MILE INTERVALS. THE CORRECT FORMULA WAS TURNED DOWN BY TRIUMPH BECAUSE THE COATING PROCESS PRODUCED A BYPRODUCT CALLED HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM WHICH IS HEAVILY REGULATED BY THE EPA. TRIUMPH DEMANDED ANOTHER COATING. GATES DELIVERED IT BUT ADVISED AGAINST USING IT. TRIUMPH COVERED EARLY OWNER COMPLAINTS UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO PRESSURE FROM DEALERS BUT WHEN THE TRUE CAUSE WAS DISCOVERED TRIUMPH CEASED TO ADMIT IT KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERY THUNDERBIRD AND THUNDERBIRD STORM FROM 2009 TO THE PRESENT. THE BELT ON THIS BIKE IS SUPPOSED TO BE 32MM WIDE. AFTER DEALER ADJUSTMENT, THE BELT (WITHIN 600 MILES) IS ONLY 26MM WIDE.