RoadVitals

2005 Big Bear Choppers Venom 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 Nov 3, 2005
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2005 Big Bear Choppers Venom Chopper, most frequently naming the body & structure category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

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 Nov 3, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR SWING ARM WELD BROKE. THIS HOLDS THE REAR FENDER ON, KEEPING IT OFF THE TIRE. WHILE DRIVING AROUND THE BLOCK HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE AND SMELLED BURNING RUBBER. HE CONTACTED BIG BEAR, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX THE WELD, BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO DISMANTLE THE MOTORCYCLE AND SEND IN THE PART. THIS CAUSED A BURN IN THE PAINT JOB. THIS IS A 2005 BIG BEAR CHOPPER VENOM, TITLED AS A SELF ASSEMBLED VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM

NHTSA ID
10141676
Incident
Oct 15, 2005
Mileage
860 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

1075

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DIELECTRIC GREASE ADDITION TO CONNECTORS. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Big Bear Choppers Venom Chopper by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2006010—
2005Viewing111—
2004111—

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.