2003 Bigdog Chopper

Routine

Owners filed 11 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Frame and Members6
000
Tires1
000
Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand1
101
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
000
Electrical System › Wiring1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand04V523000
Filed Nov 2, 20044,457 vehiclesBig Dog Motorcycles, Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE KICKSTAND SPRING ATTACHING STUD MAY BREAK OFF ALLOWING THE KICKSTAND TO DEPLOY INTO THE EXTENDED POSITION.

Risk. IF THE KICKSTAND DEPLOYS, IT COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL A NEW KICKSTAND UNIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BIG DOG AT 316-267-9121.

Structure › Frame and Members03V535000
Filed Dec 18, 20031,446 vehiclesBig Dog Motorcycles, Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES ASSEMBLED WITH AN EARLY VERSION ROLLING THUNDER FRAME, A STRESS CRACK COULD EMERGE IN THE FRAME.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD OCCUR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE FRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 15, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BIG DOG AT 1-316-267-9121.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting03V230000
Filed Jun 23, 2003845 vehiclesBig Dog Motorcycles, Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE FUEL TANK MOUNT MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TANK TO FAIL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL SPILLAGE.

Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FUEL TANK AND SHIP IT TO BIG DOG FOR REPAIR. BIG DOG WILL RE-WELD THE MOUNT, REPAIR THE PAINT, AND RETURN IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR RE-INSTALLATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BIG DOG AT 1-316-219-6584.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires
Filed Jun 20, 2005300 milesOK

THE RUBBER PEELED OFF OF THE FRONT TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *TT THE PROBLEM WAS CONCLUDED AS A MOLD CLOSURE ISSUE. *SC

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Apr 12, 20052,000 milesIL

ELECTRICAL WIRING MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TURNS SIGNALS FAILED. DEALER HAS KEPT THE MOTORCYCLE FOR SIX WEEKS ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed May 11, 2004TX

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO REPAIR AND REINFORCE THE FRAME. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. SERVICE MANAGER GARY.*AK

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Apr 5, 2004RI

NHTSA 03V535000/FRAME CRACKS. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON JANUARY AND CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THE DEALER INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE THREE MONTHS FOR THEM TO FIX THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Apr 1, 2004976 milesMA

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V535000, CONCERNING FRAME CRACKS. DEALER HAD THE MOTORCYCLE SINCE JANUARY 30, 2004. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER CONCERNING THE MOTORCYCLE.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Mar 31, 200441 milesCA

CONSUMER BELIEVE HIS MOTORCYCLE QUALIFIED AS A LEMON DUE TO A CRACKED GAS TANK AT THE REAR MOUNTING PLATE. *PH CONSUMER DEMANDING FULL REFUND OF DOWN PAYMENT, SIX MONTHLY PAYMENTS, AND FULL PAY OFF FROM LOAN. *LA

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Mar 26, 2004MD

DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE CONSUMER'S MOTORCYCLE 2 MONTHS AND 3 WEEKS AGO TO DELIVER IT TO THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE FRAME CRACK RECALL 03V535000 REPAIRS PERFORMED. RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED YET BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT RECEIVE THE MOTORCYCLE.*AK

Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center StandCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 24, 2004TN

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A METAL DEBRIS WHICH CAUSED THE KICK STAND TO BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC STATED, THE DRIVER HAD LEFT THE KICK STAND OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Mar 15, 2004CA

DEALER KEPT THE MOTORCYCLE SINCE JANUARY 15, 2004 FOR THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V35000. ON THE FRAME CRACKING. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER AND ASKED WHEN HE WILL BE ABLE TO FIX MOTORCYCLE. DEALER STATED MOTORCYCLE HAD TO BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER IN KANSAS TO COMPLETE THE RECALL. MANUFACTURER WILL RETURN MOTORCYCLE WHEN THERE WAS ENOUGH TO LOAD A TRUCK TO BRING THEM BACK, THIS MIGHT TAKE ANOTHER MONTH. *AK

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Mar 9, 2004430 milesCO

DEALER KEPT THE MOTORCYCLE SINCE JANUARY 24, 2004 FOR THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V35000. ON THE FRAME CRACKING. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER AND ASKED WHEN HE WILL BE ABLE TO FIX MOTORCYCLE. DEALER STATED " MOTORCYCLE" HAD TO BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER IN KANSAS, TO COMPLETE THE RECALL. MANUFACTURER WILL RETURN MOTORCYCLE WHEN THERE WAS ENOUGH TO LOAD A TRUCK TO BRING THEM BACK, THIS MIGHT TAKE ANOTHER MONTH. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 4, 2003MD

OIL LEAKS, HAS BEEN LEAKING UNDER THE MOTORCYCLE FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM TWICE, BUT IT IS STILL LEAKING. DEALER DID NOT IDENTIFY THE FAILED COMPONENT TO THE CONSUMER. *AK

11 of 11 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20070100Routine
20060600Routine
20055710Routine
200410600Routine
2003 — this page11300Routine

Compare every 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: Nov 2, 2004. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.