TRIUMPH Complaints

DT: WHILE RIDING A 2001 TRIUMPH, BONNEVILLE MOTORCYCLE THERE IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM OF THE SPOKES BREAKING OFF ON THE REAR WHEEL. ON THE REAR WHEEL THERE WERE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPOKES, THE SAME SPOKE KNOWN AS THE OUTSIDE LEFT HAND SPOKE WAS THE SPOKE THAT CONTINUED TO BREAK. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO THE MOTORCYCLE OR WHEEL. IT SIMPLY OCCURRED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, THEY REPLACED THE SPOKE. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL OR RIM. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT 70 MPH, AND THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A FLAT TIRE. A CRASH WAS SOMEHOW AVOIDED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER AUTHORIZED TRIUMPH DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER COULD NOT OFFER A REASON FOR THIS FAILURE. CONSUMER BECAME CONCERNED AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE ISSUE. TRIUMPH, AMERICA WOULD NOT OFFER ANY REMEDY FOR THE CONSUMER, THEY STATED THIS WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OR SOME SORT OF ROAD HAZARD. THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM ON THE MOTORCYCLE AT THIS TIME. TRIUMPH AMERICA,MODEL OF BONNEVILLE, 2001. *NM

BROKEN SPOKE IN THE REAR WHEEL OF MY 2001 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE. THE BIKE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED, AND NEVER ABUSED. I WOULD NOT BE CONCERNED IF SO MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE NOT HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE OF REAR WHEEL SPOKE BREAKAGE. CONSIDERING THERE ARE ONLY 2 WHEELS ON A MOTORCYCLE, AND ONE HAS A HISTORY SPOKE BREAKAGE, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WAITING TO HAPPEN. THANKS, PHIL. *JB

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

I HAVE HAD 3 SPOKES BRAKE ON MY 2002 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE MOTORCYCLE. ALL THREE WERE ON THE REAR WHEEL, LEFT OUTER SIDE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN ALWAYS BEEN RIDDEN MODESTLY FOR IT'S 6,000 MILES. THE SPOKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED PROFESSIONALLY. THE BROKEN SPOKES ARE AVAILABLE. *JB *AK

RIDING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HAD A REAR SPOKE BREAK. THIS CAUSED A FLAT TIRE AND A BUSTED REAR BRAKE LINE. I ORDERED A SPOKE FROM TRIUMPH AND HAD MY LOCAL BMW DEALER REPLACE IT. *AK

2002 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BREAKING LEFT REAR OUTER SPOKES AND FLATTENING REAR TIRE AT SPEED, I HAVE DOCUMENTED 24 MOTORCYCLES, 36 SPOKES ALL THE SAME PART NUMBER, SOMEWILL IS GOING TO GET HURT. *AK

DT: RIDING AT 5 TO 10 MPH COMING TO STOP, CONSUMER'S FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP, AND A LOUD METAL PING SOUND OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED AND THAT HAPPENED AT THE FACTORY. THE CONSUMER HAD HEARD LOUD SCRAPING SOUND WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, AND REPORTED THIS FACTOR TO THE DEALER WHICH FOUND NOTHING. 20 MINUTES LATER THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, BUT MANAGED TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT INJURING SELF IN PROCESS. THE MODEL IS A SPEEDMASTER . *NM THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE RIGHT HAND FRONT BRAKE CALIPER MOUNT BOLTS HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED AT THE FACTORY. THE UPPER MOUNT WAS LOOSE AND THE LOWER BOLT HAD BACKED OUT ALMOST COMPLETEY. *TT *SB

FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, 3/23/05, NEW, LEFTOVER 2004, TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO SHIFT. NOTED ON FIRST SERVICE RECORD, 4/21/05. ON MAY 4, 2005 I ASKED MY FATHER TO TAKE A TEST RIDE. HE HAS BEEN RIDING BIKES FOR 30+ YEARS. WHILE STOPPING, ALL INDICATIONS WHERE THE BIKE WAS IN NEUTRAL, REEVED THROTTLE, BIKE CAUGHT A GEAR, STOOD UP, THROWING BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER TO THE GROUND. WHEN WE PICKED THE BIKE UP ALL INDICATIONS WHERE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. IT WOULD NOT ROLL FREELY. HAD TO RUN TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY THROUGH ALL GEARS TWICE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL SO THAT IT WOULD ROLL. AT THE REQUEST OF TRIUMPH AND THE DEALERSHIP, THE BIKE HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK TO BE INSPECTED. AS OF TODAY'S DATE, MAY 10, 2005 NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED.

THE TIRES ON THE MOTORCYCLE WERE BOUGHT WITH UNEVEN WEAR, AND THE DEALER SANDED THEM WITH AN ORBIT SANDER. THE SECOND SET OF TIRES WERE NOT BALANCED, THEY SHOOK WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. TOOK TO DEALER FOR 16 DAYS. DEALER SAID IT WAS FIXED BUT IT WAS NOT. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS, AND LEFT IT WITH THE DEALER. THEN, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT DEALER TRYING TO GET INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PUT THE FUEL CONNECTOR ON THE BIKE. NHTSA RECALL 04V156000. *AK