2007 Suzuki VL1500 Owner Complaints

Motorcycle has brand new battery. Sudden loss of power, engine sputtering, gauges moving sporadically like they were loosing power. Engine backfiring. vehicle would die. be able to be restarted. Known issue with this vehicle. part reported is to be a faulty stator. manufacturer recalled earlier and later year vehicles that use this same part, but did not recall this specific model for recall warranty service. Known faulty part not being covered by manufacturer warranty. Due to this issue the bike lost all power/regained full power intermittently causing bike to become uncontrollable. Thankfully no one was injured.

NHTSA ID

11515235

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

FRONT WHEEL WOBBLES VIOLENTLY ABOVE 25 MPH. ONLY HAVE ABOUT 8,000 MILES. BIKE IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IT IS THE FAULTY STEERING HEAD BEARINGS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443722

Incident

Jan 9, 2012

DRIVING SOUTH ON US45, NORTH OF OSHKOSH, WI. MOTORCYCLE UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WHILE AVOIDING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. WAITED WITH VEHICLE AT ROADSIDE FOR 1.5 HOURS UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. MY PERSONAL SAFETY WAS IN JEOPARDY AS I MANEUVERED THROUGH HIGHWAY TRAFFIC TO THE ROADSIDE; I WAS ALSO EXPOSED TO DANGEROUS HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AS I AWAITED A TOW TRUCK FOR MY DISABLED MOTORCYCLE. AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER IDENTIFIED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT AS A FAILED STATOR. SUBSEQUENT ONLINE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT STATOR FAILURE IS A CHRONIC AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10427102

Incident

Sep 18, 2011

Mileage

17,500 mi

BIKE WOULD NOT START AFTER A LONG RIDE. JUMP STARTED TO GET HOME. AFTER LOOKING IN TO THE REASON FOUND THAT THE STATOR HAD SHORTED OUT AND BURNT UP.I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN A HALF AN HOUR EARLIER AS I WAS RIDING AT 50 MPH AND LOSE ALL POWER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH A GREAT MANY SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE OWNERS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM ON BIKES THIS OLD. SUZUKI HAS A RECALL OF THE FAILED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE C90 WHICH USES THE SAME ONES AS THOSE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS JUST WRONG. SUZUKI SHOULD STEP UP AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10424426

Incident

Sep 23, 2009

Mileage

12,500 mi

REAR ROTOR ON SUZUKI C90 07 MODEL, WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER TWICE IN THE FIRST YEAR.WITH UNDER 16000 MILES AT THE TIME IT WORKED IT'S WAY LOOSE AGAIN AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO PASS IT FOR INSPECTION AND SUZUKI REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. SINCE THAT TIME HAVE PUT A LOT MORE MILES ON THE BIKE AND CANNOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. NOW AFTER ABOUT 65,000 MILES ON THE BIKE, THE RIVETS FINALLY GAVE OUT ON A TRIP IN THE MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO. THEN BEFORE I COULD GET A REPLACEMENT HAD A MINOR WRECK MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN WHEN SOMEONE RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE REAR ROTORS RIVETS COMING LOOSE AND FAILING. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10421049

Incident

Jul 19, 2011

Mileage

65,000 mi

FAILED STATOR AND RECTIFIER ON A 2007 SUZIKI C90 WITH ABOUT 32,000 MILES. THE FAILED COMPONENT NUMBER IS 32800-41F11 AND IS PART OF A RECALL ON A DIFFERENT SUZUKI MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10421045

Incident

Jul 8, 2009

Mileage

32,000 mi

RE: INFERIOR STEERING HEAD BEARING ISSUE. FOR: MOTORCYCLE SUZUKI BOULEVARD C90T (VL1500T) WTF, AT 35 MPH HANDLE BAR CONSISTENTLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. FAILURE OF OEM BALL BEARINGS ARE JUNK AND CAUSES THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. NEEDS NEW TIMKEN TAPERED ROLLER BEARINGS TO CURE THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. THIS IS MAJOR COST TO ME TO REPAIR AND REMOVE FRONT END FOR INFERIOR CHEAP BEARINGS. THE OEM BEARINGS SUCK, AND TO REPLACE THE BEARINGS WITH SAME JUNK IS RIDICULOUS. WARRANTY IS VOIDED IF ANY OTHER BEARING IS USED, THIS IS BS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10420836

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

3,000 mi

FAILURE OF STATOR AND RECTIFIER ON 2007 SUZUKI C90 MOTORCYCLE. R/R PART RECTIFIER ASSY 32800-41F11, ALSO CAUSES FAILURE IN STATOR. SAME PROBLEMS LISTED IN RECALL FOR OTHER SUZUKI BIKES (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V108000), BUT C90 WAS NOT COVERED BUT USES THE SAME COMPONENTS AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. BOTH RR AND STATOR REPLACED BEFORE 40KM ON BIKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10420818

Incident

Jun 13, 2010

Mileage

38,560 mi

THE SAME REGULATOR/RECTIFIER MODEL USED IN OUR C90S BIKES, IS SUBJECT TO RECALL WHEN INSTALLED IN OTHER SUZUKI MODELS, BUT NOT ON OUR C90S. WE ALL KNOW, THE C90 REGULATOR IS FAILURE PRONE, NOTABLY DUE TO ITS EXPOSURE TO EXTREME HEAT IN THE REAR GENERATOR COVER, BUT ALSO DUE TO ITS DESIGN. AS A RESULT IT CAN FAIL RESULTING IN SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE STATOR, AND STALLING OF THE BIKE ON THE HIGHWAY. THESE ARE THE EXACT SAME REASONS THE SAME REGULATOR HAS BEEN RECALLED IN VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER MODEL IT IS USED IN. IN OTHER BIKE MODELS, THE REGULATOR HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A NHTSA FEDERALLY MANDATED RECALL. THE RECALL IS BELOW, BUT NOTE WE USE R/R PART RECTIFIER ASSY 32800-41F11 (REPLACES 32800-41F10) WHICH IS SUBJECT TO RECALL IN THE LISTED MODELS. NOTE THAT ONLY 2008 AND NEWER MODELS WERE RECALLED, BUT THE C90 WHICH USES THIS COMPONENT WAS LEFT OFF. WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS IDENTICAL FAILURE SINCE 2005 MODEL C90S WERE FIRST SOLD, AND FAILURES HAVE CONTINUED TO BE DOCUMENTED, INCLUDING 2008 AND LATER MODELS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V108000 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR THE REGULATOR / RECTIFIER ASSEMBLIES WITH THE FOLLOWING SUZUKI PART NUMBERS ARE BEING RECALLED ON THE MOTORCYCLES MENTIONED: 32800-41F11, 32800-15H10, 32800-05H11, 32800-41G10, 32800-15H00, 32800-18H00, 32800-05G10, 32800-10G10, 32800-05H20, OR 32800-06G01. *KB

NHTSA ID

10419925

Incident

Aug 12, 2009

Mileage

12,000 mi