RoadVitals

2004 Big Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Sep 6, 2007
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Mar 21, 2008
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2004 Big Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper, most frequently naming the body & structure category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
08V129000

STRUCTURE

Mar 21, 2008
1,152 units potentially affected
The defect: BIG BEAR CHOPPER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2004-2006 DEVIL'S ADVOCATE CHOPPERS, SLED CHOPPERS, VENOM CHOPPERS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE PROSTREET, SLED PROSTREET, AND VENOM PROSTREET MOTORCYCLES. SOME MOTORCYCLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE WELD PENETRATION BETWEEN THE NECK, BACKBONE, AND DOWN TUBES OF THE FRAME. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION MADE TO THE FRAME BY OWNERS, AND/OR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE SPECIFIED TORQUE SETTING OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT MAY CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.
The risk: THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN NECK SEPARATION AND FRONT-END COLLAPSE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND MAINTAIN THE PROPER TORQUE OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT OR MODIFY THE FRAME AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2008. BIG BEAR HAS ADDED ADDITIONAL MAKES, MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. ADDITIONAL OWNER LETTERS WILL BE MAILED BEGINNING DECEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BIG BEAR CHOPPER AT 1-909-878-4340.
BIG BEAR AMERICAN MADE CHOPPERS, INCManufacturer number 1B9/631View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ08007ClosedRecall Query

STEERING NECK SEPARATION

Opened Nov 26, 2008
Closed Jan 8, 2009

WE OPENED THIS RQ TO EXPLORE BIG BEAR CHOPPER'SRATIONALE FOR LIMITING THE SCOPE OF SAFETY RECALL 08V-129 TO ONLY CHOPPER VERSIONS OF THE REFERENCED MODELS RATHER THAN ALSO INCLUDING THE PRO-STREET VERSIONS.SUBSEQUENTLY, ON DECEMBER 30, 2008, BBC DECIDED TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE SAFETY RECALL TO INCLUDE THE PRO-STREET VERSIONS OF THE MY 2004-05 DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, 'SLED, AND VENOM MODELS.WITH BBC'S DECISION, IN LIEU OF RESPONDING TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST, THIS RQ IS CLOSED.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Body & structure
Filed Sep 6, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON SOUTHBOUND HWY 87 IN SAN JOSE, CA THE WELDS ATTACHING THE NECK OF MY MOTORCYCLE TO THE FRAME BROKE AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS SEVERED AND WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE SLAMMED TO THE PAVEMENT AND SKIDDED ON THE FRAME FOR OVER 500 FEET, BY SOME MIRACLE OF GOD THE MOTORCYCLE STAYED UPRIGHT AND CAME TO A STOP. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED BUT SUFFERED NECK AND BACK WHIPLASH AS WELL AS SEVERE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE BUT THE MANUFACTURER, BIG BEAR CHOPPERS IN BIG BEAR LAKE CA, HAS BEEN VERY UNRESPONSIVE AND RUDE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST WELD ON THE FRAME TO HAVE BROKEN. I REQUESTED IN WRITING THAT THEY INSPECT ALL FRAME WELDS, THEY DID NOT DO SO. MY MAIN CONCERN IS FOR OTHER OWNERS OF THIS BRAND MOTORCYCLE AS THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE AS I WAS AND MAY LOSE THEIR LIFE! THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE ROLLING DEATH TRAPS DUE TO WHAT ARE APPARENTLY EXTREMELY POOR MANUFACTURING METHODS. *TR *FB

NHTSA ID
10202121
Incident
Aug 31, 2007
Mileage
18,000 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Big Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2006010—
2005011—
2004Viewing111—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.