1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN CLASSIC — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN CLASSIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE REAR TIRE LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO ROLL THE VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH IN POSITION SEVERAL TIMES TO UNLOCK THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, IS INOPERABLE, AND IS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 25,100. UPDATED 12/22/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/22/08.*JB

I HAVE A 1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN 1500 CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE. ON THIS BIKE AND OTHER MODELS, KAWASAKI INSTALLED A PLASTIC GEAR ON THE OIL PUMP. THIS GEAR FAILS CAUSING A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND IN SOME CASES DESTROYS MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT IT WILL COST ME OVER $8,000.00 IN PARTS TO REPAIR. KAWASAKI IS ONLY WILLING TO REPLACE THE GEAR, PISTON RINGS, GASKETS AND LABOR NEEDED TO REPLACE THOSE PARTS BUT NOT ANY PART THAT WAS DAMAGED BY THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE SINCE AT LEAST 1999. THE COST OF THE PARTS FROM THE DEALER IS JUST SHORT OF THE COST TO REPLACE THE BIKE WITH A BRAND NEW MODEL. THIS BEING A MANUFACTURES DEFECT, SHOULDN'T THEY BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE FAILED GEAR? I JUST PURCHASED THIS BIKE LAST SUMMER. I ONLY LEARNED OF THE DEFECTIVE GEAR AFTER ITS FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT WAS THE GEAR THAT FAILED SHEARING OFF THE GEAR TEETH. THE INSPECTED THE OIL PUMP AND FOUND IT TO STILL BE SERVICEABLE AND SAID THAT HAD THE GEAR NOT FAILED THAT I WOULD HAVE NOT LOST OIL PRESSURE. I DO NOT KNOW THE SPEED AT THE TIME. THE LAST TIME I RODE THE BIKE PRIOR TO DISCOVERING I HAD NO OIL PRESSURE, I HAD ONLY BEEN RIDING CLOSE TO HOME WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS NO MORE THAN 55MPH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN CLASSIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE AFTERMARKET PART, A FORWARD CONTROL COMPONENT, AS THE CAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND A VALID VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 12,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE OIL AND WATER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THEN WENT OUT. THE BIKE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN OIL PRESSURE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

I WAS RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE A 1997 KAWASAKI VULCAN CLASSIC AT APPROXIMATELY 35 -40 MPH WHEN IT STARTED TO MAKE A TAPPING NOISE. I PULL OVER AS SOON AS I HEARD THE NOISE. THE BIKE WAS PURCHASE USED FROM RUA MOTORCYCLES INDIAN TRAIL NC. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RETURNED TO RUA CYCLES FOR REPAIRS THAT SAME DAY FEB 21 2004. AFTER RUA CYCLES WAS ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR WAS NOT GETTING THE OIL NEEDED TO MAINTAIN IT PROPERLY. WHILE RUA WAS PREPARING TO REPAIR THE MOTOR IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT KAWASAKI HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR FOR SOME TIME. KAWASAKI HAS BEEN DOING REPAIRS TO MOTORS THAT HAVE HAD DAMAGE FORM THE OIL PUMP GEAR FAILURE FOR SOME TIME IN THE USA AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. KAWASAKI HAS FAILED TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM TO THE OWNERS OF THE VOLCANO'S WITH THE PLASTIC OIL PUMP GEAR AND HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THIS DAMAGE. KAWASAKI HAS ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE GEAR THAT COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO THE PUBLIC. IF THE MOTOR ON THE MOTOR CYCLE WAS TO HAVE A OIL PUMP FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE MOTOR COULD LOCKUP AND CAUSE THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL, RESULTING IN INJURY OR EVEN DEATH ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AT RUA CYCLES. KAWASAKI HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE MOTOR AND HAS SET A PRESIDENT OF REPAIRING THE MOTORS IN THE PAST. AT THIS TIME I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIR COMPLETED, AS KAWASAKI STATES THAT THE DAMAGE IS NOT CAUSED BY THE OIL PUMP GEAR. BUT IF YOU READ THE STATEMENT ABOUT THIS GEAR FAILURE AT WWW.VROC.ORG IN THE FAQ SECTION YOU WILL SEE THAT THE MOTOR DID JUST AS THE FAILURE IS DESCRIBED ON THIS WEB SITE. THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED AT 31829 MILE AND DAMAGE HAPPENED AT 32126 AND THE VEHICLE WAS OWNED FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS. *NM