SUZUKI Complaints

LAST WEEK AS I WAS RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE, I NOTICED THAT IN SECOND GEAR THE ENGINE SPEED MOMENTARILY RACED AS IF I HAD RIDDEN THROUGH A PUDDLE. (THE ROAD WAS DRY) SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHERE I AM ACCELERATING IN SECOND GEAR AND THE ENGINE SPEED MOMENTARILY JUMPS AS IF THE TIRE IS SLIPPING. HOWEVER, THE ROAD IS DRY AND MY CHAIN IS TIGHT SO IT IS MOST DEFINITELY THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS SLIPPING. LAST NIGHT AS I WAS AGAIN ACCELERATING IN SECOND GEAR, THE MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO JERK SO BADLY THAT I NEARLY WRECKED IT. THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPED SO VIOLENTLY IN SECOND GEAR (MAYBE ABOUT TEN TIMES WITHIN A SECOND OR SO) THAT THE FRONT TIRE WAS ACTUALLY COMING OFF OF THE GROUND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DID CATCH. I QUICKLY PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE SO I WOULD NOT WRECK IT. NOTICE THAT IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED IN SECOND GEAR.. SO FAR. *AK

UPON 3/16/2000 THE DAY OF PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, ON TRIP HOME VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE NEW TIRE. SPARE WAS REPLACED BY FIRESTONE JACKSONVILLE,FLA. ON 11/04/2000 PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT ALMOST CAUSING DEATH OF OWNER AND SPOUSE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ELKUDMA239 TIRESIZE: P23560R16)

EXHAUST BOLTS VIBRATED LOOSE/BROKE OFF (7/15/98;1/4/99;11/19/99) IDLER PULLEY HAS BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES(1/4/99;11/17/99;11/19/99); DRIVE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES(1/15/99;11/19/99); MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE SECURED (2/26/99); CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (COMPLAINED 7/15/98;1/25/00. DIAGNOSED 6/12/00); NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION(6/12/00 TOLD NOISE NORMAL); DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD (6/12/00 TOLD BY DEALER NOISE NORMAL. 6/14/00 TOLD DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD DUE TO POOR DESIGN. 6/16/00 2ND ESTIMATE DRIVESHAFT CV JOINT BAD). THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT CONTINUES TO STONEWALL REGARDING ISSUES WITH MY CAR. *AK ALSO WRONG , SMALLER SIZE GAS TANK WAS INSTALLED VEHICLE. MANFACTURER IS NOT SENDING NHTSA INFORMATION REGARDING TSB OR RECALLS.

I SUDDENLY HEARD A WHIRRING AND SOUND AND THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRIND WHEN TRYING TO STOP. I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY BRAKING PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. *AK

WHEN SITTING IDLE IN OR OUT OF GEAR ENGINE SHAKES LIKE IT IS GOING TO SHUT OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR ,CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

AT RANDOM INTERVALS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP OUT OF, THEN BACK INTO GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 1/2, 3/4 AND 4/5 ON MY BIKE. 1/2 HIGH RPM (12-14K) SHIFTS ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT IT SLIPPING BACK OUT OF 2ND. THE 2ND GEAR PROBLEM IS THE MOST SEVERE, AND MY DEALER WILL NOT SERVICE THIS UNDER WARRANTY. IF IT SLIPS OUT OF 2ND WHILE I'M IN A CORNER, IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.

I AM NOT REPORTING A FAILURE. RATHER I AM REPORTING THAT I AM MATERIALLY IMPACTED BY THE REAR SUBFRAME FAILURES ON SUZUKI GSX1300R MOTORCYCLES (SEVERAL IN UK; AS MANY AS 40 WORLDWIDE) BECAUSE SUZUKI REFUSES TO RECALL AND REPLACE THE FAILING SUBFRAMES. I AM IMPACTED BECAUSE NO AFTERMARKET LUGGAGE MANUFACTURER WILL PRODUCE LUGGAGE FOR A MOTORCYCLE WITH KNOWN REAR SUBFRAME FAILURES. SUZUKI'S POSITION ON THIS ISSUE IS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE; THEY SAY THE GSX1300R WAS 'NOT DESIGNED TO CARRY LUGGAGE'. THIS IS LIKE A CAR MANUFACTURER SAYING, AFTER THE FACT, THAT YOU CANNOT USE A ROOF RACK, OR A TRUCK MANUFACTURER SAYING YOU CANNOT TOW A TRAILER. THE GSX1300R WAS MCN 1999 SPORT TOURING MOTORCYCLE OF THE YEAR; NOW SUZUKI SAYS IT CANNOT CARRY LUGGAGE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUZUKI FORCED TO RECALL / REPLACE ALL OF THE ALLOY SUBFRAMES WITH THE AVAILABLE STEEL SUBFRAME. ONLY IF ALL ALLOY SUBFRAMES ARE RECALLED CAN THE LUGGAGE MANUFACTURERS FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEIR LUGGAGE CANNOT BE FITTED TO AN ALLOY SUBFRAME, LEADING TO POTENTIAL FAILURES AND LIABILITY. PLEASE STUDY THE MANY SUBFRAME FAILURES AND FORCE SUZUKI TO DO THE RIGHT THING!

REPORTED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD UNDERCARRIAGE WAS LOOSE AND RUBBING ON TIRES TO CAUSE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION, BUT IT STILL SHAKES AND VIBRATES

TRANSMISSION SKIPPING IN SECOND GEAR, AND INTERMITTENTLY WOULD POP OUT OF SECOND GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL APPROXIMATELY TEN WEEKS OR MORE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK