2017 TRIUMPH TROPHY SE A1 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

Second Gear slips in the shaft drive. Upon shifting into second gear and applying throttle, the vehicle will "slip" a "tooth" causing a terrible lurch and an enormous safety issue. This issue has been going on since about 2,000 miles on my 2017 Triumph Trophy ES and is now "out of warranty". People on various newsgroups have been reporting this issue since 2014. Many people report the problem becoming such an issue that 2nd gear becomes unusable at any RPM.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF COMPLAINT 11266466. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE TRIUMPH TROPHY IGNITION SWITCH WIRING FAILURES, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OTHER COMPLAINT MADE TO NHTSA THIS YEAR (11185821). I HAVE ALSO VISITED A WEB SITE FOR TRIUMPH TROPHY OWNERS (TRIUMPH-TROPHY.COM) AND FOUND SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS OF EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. ATTACHED PLEASE FIND A PDF OF ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT LISTS 37 OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I URGE NHTSA TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION BEFORE A RIDER IS INJURED OR KILLED.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF COMPLAINT 11266466. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE TRIUMPH TROPHY IGNITION SWITCH WIRING FAILURES, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OTHER COMPLAINT MADE TO NHTSA THIS YEAR (11185821). I HAVE ALSO VISITED A WEB SITE FOR TRIUMPH TROPHY OWNERS (TRIUMPH-TROPHY.COM) AND FOUND SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS OF EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. ATTACHED PLEASE FIND A PDF OF ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT LISTS 37 OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I URGE NHTSA TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION BEFORE A RIDER IS INJURED OR KILLED.

EARLIER TODAY I WAS RIDING MY 2017 TRIUMPH TROPHY SE MOTORCYCLE ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE BIKE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT TURN. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WOULD SHUT OF WHENEVER THE HANDLE BARS WERE TURNED TO THE LEFT. IT ACTS EXACTLY AS THOUGH I HAD TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IF A CAR HAD BEEN BEHIND ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I CALLED MY TRIUMPH DEALERSHIP (NATIONAL POWERSPORT/CONCORD TRIUMPH IN PEMBROKE, NH) AND WILL ARRANGE TO HAVE THE MOTORCYCLE TAKEN TO THEM BY TRAILER. THEY TOLD ME ABOUT A WIRING RELATED RECALL FROM TRIUMPH BUT APPARENTLY MY VIN IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. PLEASE NOTIFY TRIUMPH THAT A RECALL OF ALL TRIUMPH TROPHY MOTORCYCLES IS NECESSARY. THEIR FAILURE TO ACT MAY RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH FROM AN AVOIDABLE ACCIDENT.

I WAS BACKING UP MY MOTORCYCLE (WHILE IT WAS RUNNING) AND AS I TURNED THE HANDLEBARS TO THE RIGHT, ALL ELECTRICAL SHUT OFF (THE ENGINE INCLUDED). THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME I TURNED THE HANDLEBARS TO THE RIGHT, AND GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, FROM ONLY HAPPENING WHEN TURNING FULL RIGHT TO BARELY TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER, BUT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE RIDE HOME, ABOUT 100 MILES, AS LONG AS I DIDN'T MAKE A RIGHT TURN! FORTUNATELY, ON A MOTORCYCLE, MOST TURNS CAN BE MADE BY LEANING THE BIKE. ANYWAY, THE PROBLEM TURNS OUT TO BE THE WIRING COMING OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT MAKES A 90 DEGREE TURN, BUT WILL CONTACT A HARD BRAKE LINE WHEN MOVING THE HANDLEBARS TO THE RIGHT, WHICH EVENTUALLY WEARS THROUGH THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING. I BELIEVE THE BEST WAY TO REMEDY THIS WOULD BE TO INSTALL A REDESIGNED BRAKE LINE THAT AVOIDS THE WIRING. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE MODEL-SPECIFIC FORUM THAT I FREQUENT (TRIUMPH-TROPHY.COM). I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE HAVING A MOTORCYCLE SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING CAN OBVIOUSLY BE PRETTY DANGEROUS! THE BIKE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER GETTING THE SWITCH REPLACED.