SEVERE CLUTCH SHUDDER IN FIRST GEAR AND DROPS OUT OF SECOND FROM TIME TO TIME. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
- NHTSA ID
- 11180509
- Incident
- Feb 3, 2019
- Mileage
- 10,200 mi
Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Suzuki Boulevard M109R submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words
SEVERE CLUTCH SHUDDER IN FIRST GEAR AND DROPS OUT OF SECOND FROM TIME TO TIME. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
MY SUZUKI M109R 2007. 9K MILES START HAVING 2ND GEAR PROBLEM. LOUND CLUNKY SOUND AND MISSED SHIFTING 2ND GEARS. I'M SCARED TO END UP I'M THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD . I'M AT THE STOPLIGHT 1ST GEAR OK AND ONCE I HIT MY 2ND GEARS I SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN AND DOWN OR UP SHIFT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SPEED UP AGAIN WHILE CAR BEHIND ME HONKING AT ME LIKE CARZY
2ND GEAR TRANSMISSION ISSUE. AS I PULLED OFF FROM A GREEN LIGHT IN THE CITY I MOVED INTO 2ND GEAR AND THE BIKE LOST POWER LIKE IT WASN'T IN GEAR AND THEN IT LAUNCHED ITSELF AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I WENT TO 3RD AND 4TH GEAR EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL I HAD TO GO INTO 2ND GEAR IT WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR.
EXPERIENCED " INTERMITTENT " CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT SHUDDER IN 1ST GEAR DURING ENGINE WARM UP AND AFTER ENGINE IS WARM. SHUDDER IS SUDDEN AND OCCURS DURING THE MIDPOINT RANGE OF CLUTCH RELEASE. SHUDDER IS SOMETIMES VIOLENT. ISSUE COULD RESULT IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IF ROAD CONDITIONS ARE SLICK. WET OR SANDY. THIS ISSUE IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
MOTORCYCLE LOST 2ND GEAR. WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND ALMOST GOT RAN OVER DUE TO THE ISSUE. AFTER DOING FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME BIKE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. AFTER TALKING TO SUZUKI CORPORATE THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD MANY CALLS ON THE ISSUE AND THAT THEY UPDATED THE PART NUMBER. WHEN I GOOGLE SEARCHED THE ISSUE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TO FIX THE ISSUE IS COSTING THE OWNER 2000 TO 3000 TO REPAIR. THIS IS HAPPENING ANYWHERE FROM 8000 MILES AND UP. THERE EVEN APPEARS TO BE COURT CASES WHERE SUZUKI SETTLED. *TR
WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR, THE BIKE FEELS AS IF IT IS IN 2ND. UPON ACCELERATION FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS, THE BIKE IMMEDIATELY DUMPS INTO NEUTRAL! IN ORDER TO RIDE, I HAVE TO LIFT THE GEAR SHIFTER WITH MY FOOT AND HOLD IT IN 2ND GEAR TO ENSURE I CAN GET ENOUGH SPEED TO SHIFT TO 3RD. SOMETIMES, I HAVE TO DOUBLE SHIFT INTO 3RD BECAUSE ONCE I REMOVE MY FOOT, THE BIKE SOMETIMES DUMPS ITSELF ONTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. AS LONG AS I BARELY (I MEAN BARELY) APPLY ANY ACCELERATION IN 2ND GEAR, THE BIKE WILL STAY IN GEAR A BIT LONGER - BUT IT WILL STILL DUMP ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL IF I DON'T SHIFT TO 3RD BEFORE IT HAPPENS! I'VE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED SO MANY TIMES, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY. TURNING A CORNER IN 2ND GEAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE, AS THE BIKE WILL LOSE POWER IN A TURN AND I HAVE TO HURRY AND DOUBLE CLICK INTO 3RD AND JUST RIDE AT A LOWER RPM UNTIL THE BIKE PICKS UP SPEED. FOR ABOUT A YEAR, I'VE BEEN HOLDING IT INTO 2ND WITH MY TOE LIFTING THE SHIFT LEVER (MORE THAN NOT) TO ENSURE I CAN MAKE ENOUGH SPEED TO EASE INTO A DECENT 3RD GEAR. I FEEL THE MORE I DO IT, THE MORE I'M ALLOWING DAMAGE TO OCCUR TO PARTS THAT I NEED TO HAVE FIXED BEFORE THIS BEAUTIFUL MACHINE BECOMES LAWN FURNITURE.
MY 2007 SUZUKI BOULEVARD M109R IS A DEATH TRAP! IT WILL FALL OUT OF SECOND GEAR AT ACCELERATION. MY GIRLFRIEND AND I WERE RIDING AND I WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY ,MY M109R FELL OUT OF SECOND GEAR INTO NEUTRAL,THAT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY DOUBLE CLUTCH AND JUMP IT INTO THIRD GEAR WITH A FULL THROTTLE IN ORDER NOT TO BE REAR ENDED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC. SUZUKI SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX WHAT THEY KNOW IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS. I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR MY MOTORCYCLE SUZUKI NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE 100%SAFE BEFORE SELLING THEM TO THE PUBLIC. THEY SHOULD ALSO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND FIX THE DEFECT SO WE CAN ENJOY THE BIKE THE WAY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, WITH PEACE OF MIND. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI M109 BOULEVARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT DOWN TO SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SHIFTING FORK WAS WORN OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,020.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 50MPH AND TRIED TO CHANGE GEARS AND WAS NOT ABLE TO. MY CLUTCH CABLE WAS IN PERFECT ORDER BUT I COULD NOT ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. I ALMOST REAR ENDED A CAR BECAUSE I COULD NOT ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. I GOT THE BIKE INTO NEUTRAL FINALLY WHILE DODGING CARS ON A BUSY ROAD. I BELIEVE THE ONLY REASON I DID NOT CRASH OR GET KILLED IS BECAUSE OF MY 30 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE RIDING MOTORCYCLES. I GOT A FRIEND TO TOW ME HOME AND AFTER READING FORUMS SUCH AS WWW.M109RIDERS.COM I FOUND OUT THAT MY TUBULAR NUT BACKED OFF. THIS IS A NON SERVICEABLE PART ACCORDING TO SUZUKI. THERE IS A FIX FOR IT THAT IS DARN NEAR FREE JUST LOOK AT WWW.M109RIDERS.COM. I WILL BE DOING THIS FIX AS SOON AS MY NEW DRIVE PLATE AND WAVE WASHER GET DELIVERED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I URGE ANY M109 RIDER TO SEARCH THAT WEBSITE AND RESEARCH THE COMMON PROBLEMS ON THIS BIKE.. OH AND SHAME ON YOU SUZUKI! *JS
THE MOTORCYCLE HAS A SERIOUS SHUDDER ISSUE WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION. IT SHIFTS HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT FREQUENTLY SLIPS OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL WHILE RIDING IN 2ND GEAR. *TR
ON STARTING OUT FROM STOP, VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY SPINNING THE REAR TIRE IN A RATCHETING MOTION EXCESSIVELY ON DIRT OR GRAVEL SURFACE AND MORE VIOLENTLY CHIRPING OF THE TIRE ON PAVED SURFACES. THE REAR SWING ARM ALSO SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND COULD SUSTAIN UNNOTICED DAMAGE TO THE REAR SUSPENSION AND DRIVETRAIN. CLUTCH PRODUCES A HIGH FREQUENCY WARBLING SOUND AND CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY, IF NOT DISENGAGED THIS CONDITION WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE CLUTCH MATCHES THE ENGINE OUTPUT SPEED. *TR
CLUTCH SHUDDER WHEN GOING STARTING OUT IN FIRST.. ALSO SLIPS OUT OF SECOND AT TIMES. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE M109R. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUE WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI BOULEVARD M109R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENGAGING FIRST GEAR AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUTTER VIOLENTLY AND STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,100. UPDATED 01/29/13*LJUPDATED 1/30/2013 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI BOULEVARD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,200.
WHEN RIDING AND CHANGING GEAR FROM 1ST TO SECOND GEAR, THE BIKE EITHER GOES IN TO NETURAL OR HAS A GRINDING NOISE BETWEEN GEARS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS COMMON FOR THE BIKE TO HAVE THIS ISSUE. I CHANGED THE OIL AND IT STILL HAPPENS. THIS IS A DEFECT AND THE GEAR TRANSISTION FROM 1-5 SHOULD BE SMOOTH AND SEAMLESS, IT TAKES EFFORT TO CHANGE FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. SUZUKI HAS A PROBLEM AND THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *TR
2ND GEAR EITHER FAILS OR CREATES THE BIKES TO LURCH WHEN YOU INCREASE THE RPM'S IN 2ND GEAR. *TR
I PURCHASED MY 2007 M109 IN 2008 BRAND NEW. I CONSIDER MY RIDING STYLE TO BE AVERAGE. I DON'T SMOKE MY TIRES AND I DON'T RACE MY BIKE. I MOVED OUT OF A BOULEVARD C50 TO THIS BIKE. AT THE TWO YEAR MARK, MY BIKE STARTED TO SLIP OUT OF 2ND GEAR WITH 12K MILES. IT USUALLY HAPPENED ON THE THROTTLE UP TO THIRD GEAR. AT THIS POINT IT WOULD ONLY SLIP OUT AND BACK IN WHEN I THROTTLED BACK. I COULD NOT PIN POINT THE REASON IT CAN OUT SO I ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK IT. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE BUT DID CHECK EVERYTHING ELSE. I MOVED TO ANOTHER STATE WHICH HAD BETTER WEATHER, SO I RODE MORE AND THE PROBLEM GOT WORST. I JUST PASSED 16K AND IT STARTED FALLING OUT COMPLETELY OF 2ND GEAR TO NEUTRAL. THE SPEED, DIRECTION OR THROTTLE POWERS WERE IMMATERIAL WHEN IT FELL OUT OF GEAR. I HAVE BEEN RIDING EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF THE DAY THAT IT WOULD COMPLETELY FALL OUT OF SECOND AND LEAVE ME IN NEUTRAL. THIS DEFECT PLACES ME IN DANGER SO I HAVE PARKED THE BIKE FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS AS I LOOKED FOR A FIXED. THE TWO LOCAL DEALERS TELL ME THAT THEY HAVEN'T HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND QUOTE ME A LIST OF REPAIR ITEM WITH LABOR COST. I DON?T RIDE THE BIKE NOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
TURNING A CORNER IN SECOND GEAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT POPPED OUT INTO NEUTRAL. BECAUSE I WAS LEANING WITH THE BIKE IT DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND HIT THE EXHAUST. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT BEFORE DROPPING IT. THIS BIKE HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AND NOW I DON'T EVEN RIDE IT. SUZUKI DROPPED THE BALL ON THIS BIKE'S TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. DO NOT BUY ONE. *TT
THE BIKE SLIPS OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND GOES TO N IF THE LOAD IS TO HIGH. IN FIRST GEAR IS DOES THE SAME BUT NOT AS MUCH...GOING BACK TO 2008 I WAS IN A ACCIDENT THAT I REMEMBER THE BIKE WENT INTO N AND I HIT. *TR
WHEN SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR IT IS JUMPING OUT AND NOT ALLOWING YOU TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TWICE IN A ROW. *TR
BIKE POPS OUT OF 2ND AS HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OTHER FOLKS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. SUZUKI WANT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM OR FIX. DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURED DEFAULT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI BOULEVARD M109R MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE PULLED THE CLUTCH LEVER IN ORDER TO DISENGAGE THE MOTOR BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING SINCE THE CLUTCH HAD BECOME STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
THE MOTORCYCLE RAN GREAT BUT ALWAYS MADE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. NEAR THE END OF MY FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP IT STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF SECOND GEAR INTO NEUTRAL UNDER LOAD. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED TO ME UNDER ACCELERATION IN TRAFFIC. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT SECOND GEAR HAD NOT FULLY ENGAGED AND THAT I HAVE TO "SHIFT HARDER" TO FULLY ENGAGE SECOND. OVER TIME IT BEGAN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND UNDER LESS LOADS. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT IT, SO I HELD OFF AND STARTED JUST SKIPPING SECOND ALTOGETHER AND SHIFTING IT TO THIRD FROM FIRST. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION INTO MY ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. BE AWARE THAT THE SUZUKI M109R SECOND GEAR COULD QUIT ON YOU. IT'S GOING TO COST ME ABOUT $3500 TO GET MINE FIXED. SUZUKI IS NOT OFFERING ME ANY GOOD WILL. *TR
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS. FIRST THE SECOND GEAR SOMETIMES WILL SHIFT OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN SECOND. WHEN ME AND MY WIFE WE WERE HEADING TO THE SUZUKI DEALER TO TALK TO A MECHANIC ABOUT WHY ,MY BIKE WONT GO INTO 1ST GEAR WHEN IM SITTING AT A RED LIGHT TO START OFF BUT WHEN YOU SHIFT FROM NEUTRAL IT WONT GO INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU SQUEEZE THE CLUTCH TWICE, AND THANKFULLY WE WERE DRIVING AND WE WEREN'T NEAR ANYONE ELSE. IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR 3 TO 4 TIMES AND IM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM OF DOUBLE CLUTCHING TO GO INTO 1ST. *KB
I PURCHASE MY BIKE NEW, RIDING OUT THE DEALER LOT, IT FIRST NOTICE SOMETHING STRANGE WITH GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. IT WAS HARD TO SELECT AND GRINDS. ASK THE SALE GUY WHAT'S THAT ABOUT, HE SAID IT'S A NEW BIKE WITH LOTS OF POWER, AND THAT ALL THE M109R DOES THIS WHEN THEY ARE NEW. HE SAID IT WILL BREAK-IN BY YOU FIRST OIL CHANGE. SOMETIME LATER ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER AND ABOUT 2,000 MILES, I START GETTING TRANSMISSION HOPPING WHEN MOVING OFF. WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION START JUMPING OUT OF GEAR AND JUMPS BACK IN BY ITSELF. AT FIRST I THINK IT WAS AND ENGINE MISFIRING. IT WILL ONLY DO IT IN SECOND GEAR. CHANGE THE OIL AND THE HOPPING STOP BUT THE 2ND GEAR PROBLEM CONTINUE. THE PROBLEM KEEP COMING AND GOING PERIODICALLY. I HAD MY BIKE BACK AT THE DEALER WHO TWO TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION CLUTCH NUT GOING LOOSE. I ALSO TALK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT ADMITTED HE HAS GOTTEN SEVERAL COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SECOND GEAR ISSUE. HE SAID SUZUKI WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS EVEN UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO SKIP SECOND GEAR BY GOING FROM 1ST. TO 3RD OR RISK BEING RUN OVER, AS IT HAS BEEN A FEW TIMES IT ALMOST HAPPEN AND ONLY LUCK MAY HAVE SAVED ME. *TR
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