2017 TRIUMPH THRUXTON R — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

FRONT BRAKES REQUIRE A DOUBLE PUMP OF THE LEVER TO ACCOMPLISH POSITIVE BRAKE FEEL AND OPERATION. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN CASE OF EMERGENCY STOPPING. I HAVE BLED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND IT STILL DOESN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

SEEMS I HAVE THE ISSUE MANY OTHER ARE HAVING WITH THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY TRIUMPH THRUXTON R IN THAT I HAVE TO "DOUBLE PUMP" THE BRAKE LEVER TO ACTUALLY GET A GOOD SOLID BRAKING FEEL AND ACTION. AFTER DOUBLE PUMPING THE BRAKE LEVER I GET THE SOLID BRAKING I SHOULD HAVE FOR MAYBE 10 SECS AFTER USING THE FRONT BRAKE. THEN THE BRAKE LEVER LOSES ITS FEEL AND I HAVE TO DOUBLE PUMP THE LEVER AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN MY BIKE IN FOR A ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHICH I MENTIONED THE BRAKING ISSUE AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS A PROBLEM AND WOULD REMEDY IT. AFTER THE SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AND BLEED THE ISSUE RETURNED A FEW DAYS LATER. CLEARLY THERE IS A MAJOR MALFUNCTIONING COMPONENT THAT TRIUMPH KNOWS ABOUT BUT IS REFUSING TO REPLACE AND FROM MY RESEARCH THIS IS IN ISSUE ON ALL RECENT TRIUMPH MODELS THAT HAVE BREMBO FRONT BRAKE COMPONENTS. I HAVE GOTTEN USE TO THIS ISSUE BUT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, I FEAR I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BRAKE IN THE MANNER THAT IS NEED AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

FRONT BRAKES ARE SPONGEY AND REQUIRE PUMPING OF BRAKE LEVER IN ORDER TO GET FULL BRAKING ABILITY. FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS SOFT ON FIRST PULL AND NEEDS TO BE RELEASED AND PULLED AGAIN IN ORDER TO BRAKE FULLY. THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE A FRONT WHEEL SPACING ISSUE, CAUSING THE FRONT ROTOR TO HIT ONE BRAKE PAD BEFORE THE OTHER, WHICH MAY BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ISSUE.

NOTICED SPONGY BRAKE LEVER FEEL WHEN I PURCHASED THE BIKE. SPONGY FRONT BRAKES - REQUIRES A DOUBLE PULL OF LEVER. HAVE BLED BRAKES AND SPONGY FEELS COMES BACK AFTER FEW LEVER PULLS. HAVE HAD MANY OTHER MOTORCYCLES WITH BREMBO BRAKES AND NONE REQUIRED A DOUBLE PULL FOR PROPER ENGAGEMENT.

SINCE NEW THERE HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT BRAKING WHEN APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKES; OFTEN REQUIRING MULTIPLE SQUEEZES OF THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER TO GET EXPECTED BRAKING FORCE. THIS WAS IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO THE SELLING DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM BLEED. WHILE THIS INITIALLY APPEARED TO REMEDY THE ISSUE THE INCONSISTENT BRAKING PERFORMANCE RETURNED SHORTLY AFTER. ADDITIONAL BRAKE SYSTEM BLEEDS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE. I CONSIDER THIS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING PERFORMANCE CAN RESULT IN NOT BEING ABLE TO SAFELY STOP OR SLOW THE VEHICLE IN BOTH NORMAL RIDING AND EMERGENCY SCENARIOS. INQUIRIES WITH THE SELLING DEALER AND OTHER DEALERS WHO CARRY THIS BRAND INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL AND OTHER MODELS WITHIN THE BRAND THAT USE A SIMILAR BRAKE SYSTEM BUT CLAIM THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT OFFERED A PERMANENT RESOLUTION. ONLINE RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE WITH THE POSSIBLE CAUSES RELATED TO THE MATERIALS USED FOR BRAKE CALIPER COMPONENTS.