2003 Suzuki Suzuki Motorcycle Problems

THE SUZUKI VL1500LC INTRUDER (LC FOR SHORT) HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH ITS FUEL TANK CRACKING RIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT RIGHT MOUNTING BOLT. THIS IS KNOWN TO THE LC COMMUNITY, AND WE ASSUME THAT IT IS KNOWN BY SUZUKI. THE LATTER, HOWEVER, HAS SO FAR NOT DONE ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. YES, THEY WILL REPLACE THE TANK, BUT THE NEW TANK CRACKS IN THE SAME PLACE, SO THAT IS NOT A 'GOOD' FIX. THE TANK ON MY BIKE HAS DEVELOPED THE SAME CRACK, AFTER LESS THAN 14,000 MILES. THE GAS IS ROUTED TO DRIP IN AN AREA VERY NEAR THE EXHAUST PIPES. (ON A BIKE WITH STOCK EXHAUST, IT MAY WELL DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST EXPANSION CHAMBER.) BECAUSE THE REPAIR - IE REPLACEMENT OF TANK - IS NOT A SATISFACTORY REPAIR MOST OF US SEE NO REASON TO LEAVE THE BIKE IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK OR MORE TO FACILITATE REPLACEMENT OF SAID TANK. IN STEAD, OTHER REMEDIES ARE SOUGHT. SOME SUCCESS IS REPORTED USING JBWELD.

I HAVE A 2003 SUZUKI INTRUDER LC1500. IT IS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAS 5,100 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RECENTLY I STARTED SMELLING GAS AND, AWARE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD CRACKS IN THEIR FUEL TANKS THROUGH THE LC FORUM, CHECKED THE SUSPECT AREA OF THE TANK. THERE WAS RESIDUE, I CLEANED THE TANK AND RECHECKED IT YESTERDAY. THERE WAS NEW RESIDUE AND THE CRACK IS VISIBLE.*AK

2003 SUZUKI VINSON ATV MANUAL 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION WILL SOMETIMES GET STUCK IN FIRST GEAR AND NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WILL ALLOW YOU TO SHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. SOMETIMES IN HIGHER GEARS GEAR TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS IN A "FALSE NEUTRAL" EFFECTIVELY DISENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION AND WILL PRODUCE GRINDING NOISES. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE TRANSMISSION WILL "SLAM" INTO SELECTED GEAR. PROBLEMS ARE MORE THAN OCCASIONAL AND DEALER HAS PROVIDED NO HELP. *LA

UNABLE TO GET TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AFTER A LONG OR HARD RUN. *LA

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 3,500 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO CHECK THE OVER LOAD OF VOLTAGES.*AK *TC

MOTORCYCLE'S HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO BLOW OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS THREE TIMES WITHIN TWO MONTHS. *AK *MR

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A SCOOTER.THE SCOOTER MAKES A LOUD NOISE, AS IF METAL PARTS BROKE INSIDE, AND DESIGN ISSUES WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL.*AK

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AT ABOUT 6500 MILES. MOTORCYCLE STARTED LURCHING AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND ONE OF THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WAS ALMOST TOTALLY DESTROYED. THERE WASN'T A SCREECHING SOUND OR ANTHING TO WARN ME THAT THE BEARINGS WERE FAILING PRIOR TO THIS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO OWNERS OF THE SUZUKI AF650 BUT SUZUKI HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT. SUZUKI DID REPLACE THE BEARING. INITIALLY THEY TOLD ME TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS A BEARING THAT'S CONSIDERED A "WEAR ITEM." LATER THE DEALER REIMBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF THE BEARING AND LABOR.

WHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE'S CHAIN JUMPED THE SPROCKET WHICH CAUSED THE WHEELS TO LOCKUP. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

RE: SUZUKI VOLUSIA: THE KICKSTAND WILL FOLD UP WITHOUT WARNING. I PARKED MY BIKE ON A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE AND IT FELL OVER. I THINK THE STAND DOESN'T OPEN FAR ENOUGH TO BE SAFE. *AK

THE KICKSTAND ON MY VOLUSIA ALMOST GAVE OUT. LUCKILY I NOTICED IT BEFORE IT FELL OVER. *NLM

BOUGHT MY 2003 SUZUKI INTRUDER 1500 LC NEW IN MAY OF 2003. NOT LONG AFTER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY GOING DEAD. THOUGHT MAYBE IT WASN'T FULLY CHARGED WHEN FIRST PUT IN. IT WOULD BE TOO LOW TO START THE BIKE SOMETIMES AFTER BIKE SAT FOR FIVE OR SIX DAYS. BROUGHT BATTERY BACK TO DEALER FOR A LOAD TEST AND WAS TOLD IT WAS O.K.. STILL HAD SAME PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD TO BRING BIKE IN. THEY SAID VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT. ONE WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM, BUT NOW WARRANTY EXPIRED. WENT BACK AND THEY SAID BATTERY WAS NOW FAULTY AND GAVE ME A NEW ONE. SOON AFTER BIKE STARTED DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. WILL START AND RUN FINE FOR A FEW DAYS THEN WHEN OUT RIDDING WHEN STARTING THE BIKE AFTER A STOP THE BATTERY WILL BE TOTALLY DEAD. TOLD DEALER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND WAS TOLD TO BASICALLY FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT MYSELF. *JB

VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY SHAKING WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR LESS. WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HAD THE TIRES CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING SUGGESTED WAS WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. SINCE THE TIRES HAD BEEN CHANGED VEHICLE STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

THIS INVOLVES AN ATV QUAD, ARTIC CAT 500. THE VEHICLE IS REGISTED AND INSURED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A STATE MAINTAINED ROAD NORTH OF FLORENCE AND SOUTH OF BOX CANYON IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. AT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR, BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHEN TURNING LEFT AND DOWNHILL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CONTROL IN THE TURN, AND ROLLED OVER THE DRIVER, ME.IT WASN'T UNITL RECENTLY THAT I FOUND THE VEHILCE ONLY HAD THREE DISC BRAKES CALIPERS . TWO IN FRONT AND ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR. HAVING ONE BRAKE IN THE REAR ACTS AS A TURNING BRAKE TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE 650 POUND VEHICLE TO TIP RIGHT IN THE FRONT WHEN TURNING AND IS EXAGERATED GOING DOWNHILL. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AND APPEARS TO HAVE A BENT FRAME. I RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES TO BOTH LEGS AND PERMANENT INJURY TO MY RIGHT LEG. I HAVE GIVEN THIS GREAT THOUGHT AS I AM A MECHANIC FOR A LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT SPECIALIZES IN FRONT AND REAR AXLES AND BASIC BRAKE SYSTEMS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE LACK OF THE FOURTH BRAKE HAS CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT AND IS LIKELY TO CAUSE MORE SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY TO OTHER DRIVERS. PLEASE REVIEW MY COMPLAINT. IF THERE IS ANYTHING FURTHER THAT YOU REQUIRE OF ME DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK.*AK