2006 Honda VTX1800N

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES, THE OWNER'S MANUALS CONTAIN INCORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S (NHTSA) VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE.

Risk. THE LANGUAGE IN THE OWNER'S MANUALS IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CURRENT MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy. HONDA WILL SEND A POSTCARD TO DEALERS AND OWNERS WITH THE CORRECT NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE INFORMATION AND WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INSERT THE CARD INTO THE "REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS" SECTION OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 2, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009, ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238 OR HONDA MOTORCYCLES AT 1-866-784-1870.

THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A BRAKE INTERLOCK THAT APPLIES 2 OF THE FRONT BRAKE'S 6 PISTONS WHEN THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ON ANY SLICK SURFACE OR ON SOFT SURFACES, THE FRONT BRAKE CAN LOCK WITH A LIGHT TOUCH TO THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL ONLY, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL, AND THE MOTORCYCLE FALLING OVER. HONDA CALLS IT A SAFETY DEVICE. IT ALMOST KILLED ME ON A WET ROAD ONE DAY. I STEPPED ON THE REAR BRAKE TO TEST THE TRACTION AVAILABLE, AND SINCE THE REAR WHEEL DIDN'T SKID, I PRESSED A BIT HARDER, UNAWARE OF THE BRAKE CONNECTION SYSTEM. BOTH WHEELS IMMEDIATELY LOCKED, AND BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IN A SPLIT SECOND THE BIKE WENT DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE, TRAPPING MY FOOT UNDER IT AND REMOVING SKIN FROM MY LEG, ANKLE, ELBOW, AND HAND, AS I WAS DRAGGED ALONG, CRASHING INTO A WOODEN POST BY THE ROAD, AND BREAKING THE HEADLIGHT OFF AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LEVER AND MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE FRONT BRAKE AND OTHER NASTY SCRATCH DAMAGE. THIS MOTORCYCLE WEIGHS OVER 750 POUNDS, AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT FROM UNDER IF IT FALLS ON YOU, HENCE THE BODILY INJURY. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ENGINEER AND SUPPLY A KIT TO ELIMINATE THE BRAKE CONNECTION SYSTEM. THE APPLICATION OF REAR BRAKE ALONE ON A REGULAR MOTORCYCLE STABILIZES THE BIKE AND ALLOWS FOR FEEL OF REAR TRACTION, TELLING THE OPERATOR IF IT IS SAFE TO APPLY THE FRONT BRAKE, AND HOW HARD YOU CAN APPLY BOTH OR ONE OF THE MOTORCYCLE BRAKES. THIS SYSTEM DEFEATS SAFETY OF SEPARATELY APPLIED FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WHICH HAVE ALWAYS

I AM THE UNFORTUNATE OWNER OF A HONDA VTX 1800N THAT HAS THE ALL TO WELL KNOWN REAR FLANGE BEARING DEFECT. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO NHTSA AND ON SEVERAL OTHER WEBSITES YET NHTSA HAS IGNORED THE PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING IT I FOUND ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS AS WELL: HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2004/HONDA/VTX1300 NOTE THAT THE 1800 AND 1300 REAR END ARE SIMILAR (JUST THE GEAR RATIO IS DIFFERENT). I HOPE THIS ISSUE WILL BE LOOKED AT AND A RECALL ISSUED. *TR