2008 KAWASAKI VN900D8F — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I BOUGHT A KAWASAKI VN900D8F MARCH 08. IT WAS DELIVERED AND I STORED IT IN MY GARAGE UNTIL I GOT TRAINING IN THE MSF COURSE. ON 4-12-08, AFTER MSF TRAINING, I FELT CONFIDENT TO TRY MY BIKE. I DROVE SEVERAL BLOCKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT TO PRACTICE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I HEADED FOR HOME AND EXITED THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 20 MPH IN 2ND GEAR. ON THE CORNER, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP VERY HIGH AND THE MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TAKING OFF AT A FASTER RATE. I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED WITH THE REAR BRAKE AND SLOWLY SQUEEZED THE FRONT BRAKE, BUT THE BIKE STILL REVVED AND CONTINUED FORWARD. I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE ENGINE SHUTOFF AND I CONTINUED TO TRY AND BRAKE. I FINALLY MANAGED TO SLOW THE BIKE, BUT DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED THROTTLE, THE BIKE'S HANDLEBARS WERE NOT SQUARE AND THE BIKE'S MOMENTUM CAUSED ME TO GO INTO THE SIDE OF THE CURB AND I FELL TO THE SIDEWALK NEXT TO THE CURB. WHEN I GOT UP, I SOUGHT HELP FROM SOME NEIGHBORS. THEY PICKED UP THE BIKE AND ONE OF THE THEM SAID, "HEY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE LEAKING FUEL". I SAID, "WHERE?" HE SAID, "RIGHT UNDER THE BIKE, FROM THAT HOSE HANGING DOWN!" WHEN I LOOKED, I SAW A HOSE HANGING DOWN FROM THE BIKE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE GAS TANK GAUGE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY INDICATED 1/2 TANK NOW SHOWED A FULL TANK AND THE FUEL INJECTOR INDICATOR WAS LIT UP. THE ACCIDENT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT SIDE ENGINE GUARD POSSIBLY THE FOOTREST. THEY ROLLED IT BACK FOR ME TO MY GARAGE WHERE I PARKED IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I ENDED UP BREAKING 5 RIBS ON MY RIGHT SIDE. LATER, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY CAME OVER AND PICKED IT UP AND TOOK IT TO THE SHOP. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, I CALLED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW BUT THAT THE GM HAD RIDDEN IT AND IT DID NOT "THROTTLE UP" ON HIM. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE BIKE DID SOMETHING THAT IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO AND DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. *TR