2003 Triumph Bonneville America

Defect. ON SOME MOTORCYCLES, UNDER CERTAIN ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS, THE ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY CABLE TO THE STARTER MOTOR MAY COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE OIL COOLER RETURN PIPE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE INSULATION ON THE STARTER CABLE TO DEGRADE.

Risk. SHOULD THE STARTER MOTOR CABLE INSULATION BECOME WORN, A 12-VOLT ELECTRICAL SHORT WOULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE OR NOT ALLOWING THE MOTORCYCLE TO START.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL EXAMINE THE CABLE FOR SIGNS OF CONTACT WITH THE OIL COOLER PIPE. THE CABLE WILL BE RE-POSITIONED. THE RECALL BEGAN NOVEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TRIUMPH AT 1-678-854-2010.

I HAVE A 2003 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY 2004 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 7000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEM. ON A TRIP FROM PITTSBURGH PA TO DUMFRIES, VA, SPOKES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR WHEEL FAILED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. UPON FINDING THE FAILED SPOKES, I CONTACTED THE NEAREST TRIUMPH DEALER. THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN SPOKES UNDER WARRANTEE, BUT WOULD NOT COMPLETELY RE-LACE THE WHEEL. THEY CAUTIONED BE TO EXPECT MORE FAILURES IN THE FUTURE, BUT SAID THAT TRIUMPH HAD A POLICY OF NOT RE-LACING WHEELS, ONLY REPLACING A PATTERN OF SPOKES AROUND THE FAILED ONES.*AK

BROKEN SPOKE ON REAR WHEEL. *JB

TRIUMPH T100 BONNEVILLE, 2003 MODEL. 18,838.5 KM. (APPROX. 11,800 MILES) REAR WHEEL SPOKE FAILED JUST ABOVE THE BEND IN THE SPOKE AS IT LEAVES THE HUB FLANGE ON THE LEFT ,(BRAKE) SIDE. THE BREAK IS CLEAN WITH NO DIRT OR SHINY SPOTS INDICATING AN INITIAL CRACK, IT APPEARS TO HAVE JUST SNAPPED. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTED INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ON THE "DELPHI FORUMS" WEBSITE FOR THE NEW TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE. THERE IS A VERY REAL RISK OF A PUNCTURE AND SUDDEN DEFLATION IN THIS KIND OF INCIDENT WHICH COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH DAMAGE OR INJURY. *NM

I HAVE HAD TWO REAR WHEEL SPOKE FAILURES ON MY 2003 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T100 MOTORCYCLE, ONE IN JULY 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY. 9000 MILES AND ONE IN AUGUST 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY. 9300 MILES. BOTH WERE A LEFT-OUTER SPOKE AND BOTH BROKE AT THE SAME SPOT, VERY NEAR THE HUB. I HAVE SINCE READ ABOUT APPROXIMATELY. FIFTY IDENTICAL INCIDENTS, ON A TRIUMPH USER'S WEBSITE (THE NEW BONNEVILLE FORUM ON DELPHI FORUMS). SOME OF THE FAILURES CAUSED INSTANT DEPRESSURIZATION OF THE (TUBE TYPE) TIRE, AND SOME CAUSED A SEVERING OF THE REAR BRAKE LINE. *NM