2014 Suzuki DL650A V-Strom

Defect. Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2014 DL650A V-Strom motorcycles manufactured January 20, 2014, through January 21, 2014. In the affected vehicles, a drive chain link may not have been riveted by the supplier when being manufactured.

Risk. If the drive chain link was not riveted, the chain may come off, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy. Suzuki will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive chains of the affected motorcycles. For any unsold motorcycles with a drive chain link that is not riveted, Suzuki dealers will replace the non-riveted link with a drive chain joint set. For any motorcycles that have been sold to retail customers with a drive chain link that is not riveted, Suzuki dealers will replace the drive chain and the front and rear sprockets, free of charge. The recall began on May 27, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-572-1490. Suzuki's number for this recall is 2A39.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 (N/A) SUZUKI DL650A V-STROM. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V878000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE BIKE HAS A SEVERE FRONT END VIBRATION AND SHAKE ON DECELERATION BETWEEN 45-35 MPH. THE VIBRATION STARTS OUT MILD AND ESCALATES TO THE POINT THAT YOU CAN LOOSE CONTROL OF THE BIKE UNLESS YOU ACCELERATE ABOVE 45 MPH, OR QUICKLY BRAKE AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE YOUR SPEED. THE PROBLEM IS YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS IN A SAFE POSITION ON THE ROAD AND IN TRAFFIC TO KEEP THE BIKE OUTSIDE OF THE DANGEROUS RANGE. AS A RESULT, I FEEL THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE. IF YOU ARE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE OF THE RANGE OF SPEED IN WHICH IT OCCURS, YOU CAN TRY TO AVOID THE SPEED, OR COMPENSATE BY HOLDING THE HANDLEBARS TIGHT UNTIL THE VEHICLE DROPS BELOW 35 MPH. ONCE BELOW 35 MPH, THE SHAKING SUBSIDES. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS BY THE DEALERSHIP TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM UNSUCCESSFULLY BY PERFORMING VARIOUS ADJUSTMENTS ON THE SUSPENSION, FORKS, AND FRONT WHEEL, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS A KNOWN DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR BIKE. THERE IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETIN IDENTIFIED AS "CHASSIS - STEERING HEAD OSCILLATION" FOR WHICH THERE IS NO FIX. I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT FOR MY RECORDS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THEY COULD DO AND SAID I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE PARENT COMPANY. I OPENED A CASE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. I ASKED THEM TO TRY AND ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION AGAIN THROUGH THEIR DEALER NETWORK, OR BUY THE VEHICLE BACK. THE STATED THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FURTHER, EVEN AFTER I ADVISED THEM I WOULD NOT RIDE THE BIKE AGAIN. IF THIS IS A KNOWN HANDLING ISSUE THAT E