2004 Big Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Frame and Members1
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Structure08V129000
Filed Mar 21, 20081,152 vehiclesBig Bear American Made Choppers, Inc

Defect. BIG BEAR CHOPPER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2004-2006 DEVIL'S ADVOCATE CHOPPERS, SLED CHOPPERS, VENOM CHOPPERS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE PROSTREET, SLED PROSTREET, AND VENOM PROSTREET MOTORCYCLES. SOME MOTORCYCLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE WELD PENETRATION BETWEEN THE NECK, BACKBONE, AND DOWN TUBES OF THE FRAME. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION MADE TO THE FRAME BY OWNERS, AND/OR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE SPECIFIED TORQUE SETTING OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT MAY CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.

Risk. THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN NECK SEPARATION AND FRONT-END COLLAPSE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND MAINTAIN THE PROPER TORQUE OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT OR MODIFY THE FRAME AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2008. BIG BEAR HAS ADDED ADDITIONAL MAKES, MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. ADDITIONAL OWNER LETTERS WILL BE MAILED BEGINNING DECEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BIG BEAR CHOPPER AT 1-909-878-4340.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Frame and MembersCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 6, 200718,000 milesCA

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON SOUTHBOUND HWY 87 IN SAN JOSE, CA THE WELDS ATTACHING THE NECK OF MY MOTORCYCLE TO THE FRAME BROKE AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS SEVERED AND WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE SLAMMED TO THE PAVEMENT AND SKIDDED ON THE FRAME FOR OVER 500 FEET, BY SOME MIRACLE OF GOD THE MOTORCYCLE STAYED UPRIGHT AND CAME TO A STOP. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED BUT SUFFERED NECK AND BACK WHIPLASH AS WELL AS SEVERE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE BUT THE MANUFACTURER, BIG BEAR CHOPPERS IN BIG BEAR LAKE CA, HAS BEEN VERY UNRESPONSIVE AND RUDE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST WELD ON THE FRAME TO HAVE BROKEN. I REQUESTED IN WRITING THAT THEY INSPECT ALL FRAME WELDS, THEY DID NOT DO SO. MY MAIN CONCERN IS FOR OTHER OWNERS OF THIS BRAND MOTORCYCLE AS THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE AS I WAS AND MAY LOSE THEIR LIFE! THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE ROLLING DEATH TRAPS DUE TO WHAT ARE APPARENTLY EXTREMELY POOR MANUFACTURING METHODS. *TR *FB

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20060100Routine
20050100Routine
2004 — this page1100Routine

Compare every Devils Advocate Chopper year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 21, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.