2013 VICTORY JUDGE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

"RAPID DECELERATING WHILE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE" ( FIRST ISSUE). ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 3RD, 2018 I GOT ON INTERSTATE 14 TRAVELING SOUTH. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES OF RIDING THE BIKE, I NOTICED THAT MY SPEED HAD DECELERATED FROM 60 MPH TO 40 MPH. I QUICKLY CHANGED INTO THE FIRST LANE OF TRAFFIC TO AVOID A REAR COLLISION WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BIKE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. I SUDDENLY BEGAN TO PANIC SO I QUICKLY AND SAFELY MOVED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I LET THE BIKE IDLE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SAFELY MERGED INTO THE FIRST LANE OF THE INTERSTATE. I RODE THE MOTORCYCLE SAFELY BACK HOME AND EMPTIED THE FUEL TANK. THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE A FUEL ISSUE, I FILLED THE TANK WITH NEW FUEL. (SECOND ISSUE). ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 28TH, 2018. I WENT FOR ANOTHER RIDE VIA SIERRA HIGHWAY SOUTH. AFTER RIDING THE BIKE FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES, THE BIKE AGAIN BEGAN TO DECELERATE FROM 60 MPH TO 30 MPH. KNOWING THAT THIS HAPPENED AGAIN I SAFELY PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND ALLOWED THE BIKE TO IDLE FOR 10 MINUTES. FOR SAFETY REASONS I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE BIKE TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE. I HAVE OWNED MANY OTHER MOTORCYCLES IN THE PAST (KAWASAKI, YAMAHA, HONDA, SUZUKI) AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED. IN MY 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE RIDING MOTORCYCLES I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. I DO NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE IN RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE AGAIN UNTIL POLARIS CAN RESTORE MY FAITH AND PROVIDE A ROOT CAUSE TOO BOTH OF THESE UNSAFE OCCURRENCES. I HAVE RECENTLY CONTACTED POLARIS REQUESTING IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS OR SYSTEMIC ISSUES REGARDING THIS YEAR, MAKE & MODEL OR OTHER SIMILAR MODELS. HOWEVER, I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET OTHER MODELS OF VICTORY MOTORCYCLES AND DISCOVERED SIMILAR POWER STALLS AND DECELERATION ISSUES. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

THE 5 BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE BELT PULLEY TO THE REAR WHEEL SHEARED OFF COMPLETELY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET. I HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT, SHIFTED FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE BIKE WOULD NOT GRAB AND GO FORWARD. I TRIED TO SHIFT DOWN AND GIVE GAS AGAIN AND NOTHING. I WAS GOING BETWEEN 40-50MPH. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD UNHARMED. I GOT OFF MY BIKE AND BEGAN TO INSPECT IT WHEN I SAW A LARGE BOLT ON THE GROUND. I PICKED IT UP AND REALIZED IT WAS HOT SO IT MUST HAVE COME OFF MY BIKE. A FELLOW MOTORCYCLE RIDER PULLED OVER TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK AND HELPED ME DETERMINE WHERE THE BOLTS CAME FROM AND WHY I COULD NOT GET MY BIKE INTO GEAR. THIS IS WHEN I REALIZED THEY WERE ALL GONE. THE REAR WHEEL, PULLEY AND SWING ARM WHERE DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS. THIS CAUSES A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE ENTIRE DRIVE SYSTEM OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE POWDER COATING ON THE PULLEY CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN HOWEVER VICTORY HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO FIX THIS ISSUE. LUCKILY FOR ME I DID NOT WRECK OR DIE DUE TO THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER I HAVE TALKED WITH OVER 20 PEOPLE ON A FORUM THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO THEIR BIKES. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE MODEL OR YEAR. VICTORY IS TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS ISSUE AND THE COST IS FALLING TO THE CONSUMER. MUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE SOMEONE HAS DIED BEFORE THEY WILL TAKE ACTION.

THE 5 BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE BELT PULLEY TO THE REAR WHEEL SHEARED OFF COMPLETELY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET. I HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT, SHIFTED FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE BIKE WOULD NOT GRAB AND GO FORWARD. I TRIED TO SHIFT DOWN AND GIVE GAS AGAIN AND NOTHING. I WAS GOING BETWEEN 40-50MPH. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD UNHARMED. I GOT OFF MY BIKE AND BEGAN TO INSPECT IT WHEN I SAW A LARGE BOLT ON THE GROUND. I PICKED IT UP AND REALIZED IT WAS HOT SO IT MUST HAVE COME OFF MY BIKE. A FELLOW MOTORCYCLE RIDER PULLED OVER TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK AND HELPED ME DETERMINE WHERE THE BOLTS CAME FROM AND WHY I COULD NOT GET MY BIKE INTO GEAR. THIS IS WHEN I REALIZED THEY WERE ALL GONE. THE REAR WHEEL, PULLEY AND SWING ARM WHERE DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS. THIS CAUSES A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE ENTIRE DRIVE SYSTEM OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE POWDER COATING ON THE PULLEY CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN HOWEVER VICTORY HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO FIX THIS ISSUE. LUCKILY FOR ME I DID NOT WRECK OR DIE DUE TO THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER I HAVE TALKED WITH OVER 20 PEOPLE ON A FORUM THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO THEIR BIKES. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE MODEL OR YEAR. VICTORY IS TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS ISSUE AND THE COST IS FALLING TO THE CONSUMER. MUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE SOMEONE HAS DIED BEFORE THEY WILL TAKE ACTION.

THE 5 BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE BELT PULLEY TO THE REAR WHEEL SHEARED OFF COMPLETELY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET. I HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT, SHIFTED FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE BIKE WOULD NOT GRAB AND GO FORWARD. I TRIED TO SHIFT DOWN AND GIVE GAS AGAIN AND NOTHING. I WAS GOING BETWEEN 40-50MPH. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD UNHARMED. I GOT OFF MY BIKE AND BEGAN TO INSPECT IT WHEN I SAW A LARGE BOLT ON THE GROUND. I PICKED IT UP AND REALIZED IT WAS HOT SO IT MUST HAVE COME OFF MY BIKE. A FELLOW MOTORCYCLE RIDER PULLED OVER TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK AND HELPED ME DETERMINE WHERE THE BOLTS CAME FROM AND WHY I COULD NOT GET MY BIKE INTO GEAR. THIS IS WHEN I REALIZED THEY WERE ALL GONE. THE REAR WHEEL, PULLEY AND SWING ARM WHERE DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS. THIS CAUSES A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE ENTIRE DRIVE SYSTEM OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE POWDER COATING ON THE PULLEY CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN HOWEVER VICTORY HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO FIX THIS ISSUE. LUCKILY FOR ME I DID NOT WRECK OR DIE DUE TO THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER I HAVE TALKED WITH OVER 20 PEOPLE ON A FORUM THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO THEIR BIKES. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE MODEL OR YEAR. VICTORY IS TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS ISSUE AND THE COST IS FALLING TO THE CONSUMER. MUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE SOMEONE HAS DIED BEFORE THEY WILL TAKE ACTION.