2003 Triumph Speedmaster

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Vehicle Speed Control2
200

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Starter Assembly04V262000
Filed Jun 2, 20042,792 vehiclesTriumph Motorcycles (america) Ltd

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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder03V525000
Filed Dec 11, 20035,148 vehiclesTriumph Motorcycles (america) Ltd

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, IF THE MOTORCYCLE IS DROPPED ONTO THE LEFT SIDE, AIR MAY ENTER THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR.

Risk. IF LEFT UNATTENDED, THE REAR BRAKE MAY NOT OPERATE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TRIUMPH AT 1-678-854-2010.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Apr 16, 2004300 milesGA

2003 TRIUMPH SPEEDMASTER WEAK SHOCKS ON THE FRONT NOSE DIVE AND TRAVEL OVER 8 INCHES WITH THE POWERFUL DUAL FRONT BRAKES. THE DRAG BARS ON THE FRONT PUT THE RIDER UP OVER THE GAS TANK. WHEN HITTING THE POWERFUL BRAKES IT PUTS THE RIDER IN THE POSITION OF BEING ON A DOWNWARDS SLOPE AND IF HE WEIGHS OVER 200 POUNDS GRAVITY PUSHES THE DRIVER FORWARD OVER THE HANDLLBARS AS HE'S TRAVELING DOWNHILL BASED ON THE GEOMETRY OF THE BIKE.I WENT OVER THE HANDLEBARS AND BROKE TWO RIBS AT A 2MPH EMERGENCY STOP.ALSO, THE BIKE HAS NO KILL SWITCH AND IT KEEPS RUNNING AND IT DAMAGED THE LEFT BEARING ON THE ENGINE.*AK

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Apr 16, 2004300 milesGA

AMENDED:CORRECTION. I WRECKED MY 2003 TRIUMPH SPEEDMASTER IN OCTOBER 2003. THE DRAG BARS ON THE FRONT PUTS A RIDER FORWARD OVER THE GAS TANK. THE FRONT SHOCKS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE MASSIVE DUAL FRONT BRAKES AND THE FRONT SPRINGS GIVE TOO MUCH AND TRAVEL ABOUT 8" PUSHING THE DRIVER OVER THE HANDLEBARS. I FELL AND BROKE 2 RIBS AND THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING AND IT TORE UP THE ENGINE. TRIUMPH WOULDN'T FIX THE ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I FELL ON THE BIKE AND I HAD TO PAY THE 2650.00 ENGINE REPAIR MYSELF. THESE BIKES HAVE A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT IT KEEPS RUNNING WHEN FALLEN OVER AND,THE TRAVEL ON THE FRONT SHOCKS MUST BE AT LEAST 8" WITH THE TOO POWERFUL FRONT DUAL BRAKES. THE GEOMETRY OF THE BIKE PUSHES THE LARGER RIDER OVER THE HANDLEBARS BECAUSE OF THE FORCE CREATED BY THE DIVING FRONT END WITH THE DRIVER OVER THE GAS TANK BECAUSE OF THE DRAG BARS. IT IS A POOR AND DEFECTIVE DESIGN.THIS IS A DATE CORRECTION FROM AN ORIGINAL COMPLAINT. *AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20150100Routine
20140100Routine
20091000Routine
20040300Routine
2003 — this page2200Routine
20020100Routine

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