Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech RECALL Shocks

Just got the note from Triumph in the mail today. Recall on the rear shocks. Says it should take 1 hour to change out.
VINs included:
Thruxton 900 198347 - 208905
Bonneville 196845 - 208737
T-100 196798 - 206990
Bonneville Black 196815 - 208885
Bonneville America 197134 - 202492
Speedmaster 197163 - 202563

Don't know what that Bonneville 'Black' is all about.
Sorry if this has already been posted.
The local shop said to leave the bike for about 3 days, for them to be able to order the parts and replace the shocks. I called Peter Carleo (his number is on the letter) who said this is not necessary. Peter said he'd send the shocks to me, and that I could take them in and have it done.

Ride safe,
jj

Those seem like relatively new numbers (my '04 SM is 193920) did the recall explain what the problem is?

I think the Bonneville Black refers to the blacked-out engine option for the Bonneville.

Just got the dreadful letter myself. I was all smiles when I saw a letter from Triumph..... not after I read it. I have just put my ride up for a little bit o' cold storage. Can I ride this to the dealer? (more then an hours ride) What kind of failure are we talking about? In order to put it in my truck, I have to take the bed cover off, thought my Triumph would never need to see the back of my truck.... and this after I posted a note about my trouble free Triumph sMiles........ Any information appreciated. Thanks
Warren

Hey jj,

If Pete is sending you new shocks, why bring it in at all? They swap out very easily...

Will they 'let' you do this and them return the shocks?

Not quite sure what they mean, but I'm not worried about riding it. There's still one more commuting day before I get a chance to get it in, and if the shocks aren't here by then, it'll be ridden everyday until the replacements get installed (unless of course there's ice and snow). I mean, heck, it was 17 when I started this morning and the high was 21. This is great riding weather. As for putting them on myself, I assured Peter I'd have the shop do it to get the VIN on record as having the recall applied. Wouldn't want to put the screws to someone who's doing me a favor. It just torqued my jaws being told the bike would have to sit in the shop before the parts would even be ordered, and THEN incur the 3 day wait... for a 1 hour job... no thanks!

Information is on the NHTSA web site at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/RecallSearch.cfm
you have to search and drill down to 04V-496. Seems like a weld in the bottom eye is at risk of failure. secondardy to a calibration problem in the factory (in Japan!)
Warren

this will sound stupid, but where do i find my #?
is this the # stamped on the engine/frame?

thanks,
cat

Cat, You can find the number several places. On the frame at the neck forward of the gas tank on the right side is a data plate with the manuf date and VIN. It is likely also on your insurance, registration, and absolutley on your title. The numbers start SMT905XXXXXXXXXXX (where X are characters, not 'X'). You are concerned with the last 6 numbers.

Here is a direct link to the NHTSA Campaign ID number: 04V496000

Thanks for the info, have yet to receive the dreaded letter.

jj,

Rear shocks aren't hard to change at all, as long as the rubber bushings haven't glued themselves to the bolts. I'd change them myself, (making sure the bolts were torqued properly), then take the old shocks back to the dealer. They can fill out the papers and you're covered.

Any dealer who wants to keep the bike for 3 days just to change shocks wouldn't be getting my business anyway....

I don't know, but what about a money refund so all you owners of the effected bikes can upgrade the rear shocks?

I didn't get this recall but I did get a recall in the mail today for the starter motor cable/oil cooler pipe. Anyone hear anything about this? This is the first I've heard of it but it says there is the possibility of an electrical short circuit or fire starting. YIKES!!

jj,
my id tag fell off after waxing one time. it's buried in the garage somewhere, but i can find the reg in my saddle bags.

so, i need to get the starter cable oil pipe clearance checked (has about an inch gap), my rubber speedo loop broke about 4000 miles ago ( used a black p clamp to fix) and maybe have the shocks checked.

not bad, really.

did you read the complaint on the speedmaster at that site? a guy complained about the front fork travel being over 8 inches in a quick stop because of the dual disks-- threw him right off and damaged the bike to a tune of 2800.00 dollars.
he blamed the forks, the dual brakes, and the drag handle bars. and that he weighed over 200lbs.

Make: TRIUMPH
Model: SPEEDMASTER
Type: ANY
Year: 2003
Complaint Number: 10066275
Summary:
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







thanks,

cat

cat,
I saw that speedmaster post. The guy is Loo-Nee-Toons. I gotta say, it sounds like the guy was learning how to ride, and after whacking himself, is taking shots at the bike. Reminds me of a clip I saw of a guy who buys a helicopter (never flown one) and tries to fly it home, man you ought to see the parts fly when he whacks that thing! Of course, it's the helicopter's fault, right?

A friend of mine had this recall done - is exactly that, xrays found flaws in a few shocks in the weld at the bottom of the shocks where the lower mount & end plate are welded to the body of the shock. He tells me that so far noone's had one fail but they're replacing them "to be sure". It's just a pity you can't get Triumph to pay out the price of the shocks and put that toward a set of Ikons or something

Matt

Thanks for the note! Since my bike is in the shop already, maybe they can replace the shocks while it's there too. Maybe the bike not running was God's way of keeping me off the road so my shocks wouldn't fail and cause a crash. Or maybe, my particular bike is a POS Lemon? Only time will tell!