2004 Victory Kingpin

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › foundation components › disc › pads. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment11V346000
Filed Jul 5, 20111,688 vehiclesPolaris Industries, Inc.

Defect. POLARIS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2012 VICTORY KINGPIN MOTORCYCLES, MODEL YEAR 2006-2012 VICTORY JACKPOT MOTORCYCLES, AND 2003-2012 VEGAS MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 1, 2004, THROUGH MAY 1, 2011, EQUIPPED WITH ACCESSORY SEATS, PART NUMBERS 2876641-01 SEAT, KINGPIN TOURING, DOUBLE BACKREST AND PART NUMBER 2875961-01 SEAT, JACKPOT TOURING W/BACKREST. THE BACKREST SUPPORT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE IN USE.

Risk. THE PASSENGER CAN BE INJURED OR FALL FROM THE MOTORCYCLE SHOULD THIS OCCUR.

Remedy. VICTORY WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED SEATS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VICTORY CONSUMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT BY CALLING 1-888-704-5290.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift06V258000
Filed Jul 17, 20063,902 vehiclesPolaris Industries, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE WELDED JOINT ON THE SHIFT LEVER SHAFT MAY FAIL CAUSING THE SHIFT LEVER TO BECOME INOPERABLE.

Risk. IF THE WELD FAILS, THE OPERATOR CANNOT SHIFT GEARS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SHIFT LEVER SHAFT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VICTORY AT 763-417-8650.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings04V187000
Filed Apr 19, 20043,230 vehiclesPolaris Industries, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE REAR BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR TO THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE BECOME DAMAGED DURING SHIPMENT AND MAY LEAK BRAKE FLUID.

Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKING CAPABILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE RESERVOIR HOSE AND REPLACE THE HOSE IF IT IS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT POLARIS/VICTORY AT 1-763-417-8650.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper
Filed Oct 27, 20054,957 milesCA

I HAD A 5000 MILE SERVICE COMPLETED ON MY MOTORCYCLE AT THE DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT AND REPLACED THEM. THEY PROVIDED THE OLD PADS WHEN I PICKED UP THE BIKE AND SURE ENOUGH THEY WERE WORN ALL THE WAY TO THE METAL. THEY HAD 4957 MILES OF USE (SINCE NEW). AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM I HAVE MONITORED THE REAR BRAKE MORE CLOSELY. WITHOUT ANY USE OF THE BACK BRAKE THE REAR CALIPER AND DISC BECOME HOT AFTER ONLY A FEW MILES OF RIDING. THE REAR BRAKE IS MAINTAINING CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE DISC EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT APPLIED. THE PRESSURE IS CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE PADS, HEAT TO THE DISC, AND COMMON SENSE WOULD SAY DECREASED PERFORMANCE OF THE REAR BRAKE. ADDED HEAT AND FRICTION CREATES BRAKE FAD AND DECREASED PERFORMANCE. THE DEALER SAYS THE REAR BRAKES ARE "FUNCTIONING PROPERLY" AND REAR BRAKES ON VICTORY'S JUST DRAG.*JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Aug 1, 20052,600 milesVA

REAR BRAKE FAILURE ON 2004 KINGPIN AT 2600 MILES. BRAKE PADS ARE WORN TO METAL BACKING PLATES, FINAL "WEAR OUT" OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF DAYS. FRONT BRAKES SEEM TO BE FINE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE USED FOR ALMOST ALL BRAKING ON A MOTORCYCLE AS PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ALL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY INSTRUCTORS. HAVE RIDDEN MOTORCYCLES FOR 35 YEARS AND NEVER GONE THROUGH REAR BRAKES IN UNDER A YEAR AND 2600 MILES. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT REPORTED BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT VICTORY MOTORCYCLE CLUBS. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Nov 22, 2004540 milesVA

UNEVEN WEAR ON REAR BRAKE ROTOR AND EXCESSIVE HEATING OF ROTOR WITH NO BRAKE USAGE. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Oct 28, 20042,500 milesTX

2004 VICTORY KINGPIN MOTORCYCLE, REAR BRAKES AFTER ONLY 2,500 MILES ARE DOWN TO THE METAL. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL AND VICTORY (POLARIS) WILL NOT COVER UNDER THIS WARRANTY. DOES NOT HAS A FIX TO PREVENT THESE BRIMBO BRAKES FROM WARRING OUT SO QUICKLY. IF AN OWNER OF ONE OF THESE BIKES IS NOT AWARE OF HOW FAST THESE BRAKES WARE OUT THEY COULD HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT. *AK

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20120100Routine
20110100Routine
20101100Routine
20092100Routine
20080100Routine
20073100Routine
20061300Routine
20053400Routine
2004 — this page4300Routine

Compare every Kingpin 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: Jul 5, 2011. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.