2006 Suzuki VZR1800 Powertrain (other) Problems

I HAVE A 2006 M109R WITH THE INFAMOUS 2ND GEAR SLIPPING OUT IN TO NEUTRAL ISSUE. THE BIKE HAS 12,000 MILES BUT THE SYMPTOMS STARTED AS EARLY AS 7,000 MILES. I HAVE THE BIKE IN THE SHOP WITH A $3600 BILL FOR FIXING THE TRANSMISSION. I'VE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE WITH ANY OTHER MOTORCYCLES I'VE EVER OWNED. I OWN A 2016 DUCATI MONSTER 1200R THAT SHIFTS PERFECTLY. SUZUKI DROPPED THE BALL WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND SHOULD OWN UP TO IT.

NHTSA ID

11343955

Incident

Aug 7, 2020

THE 2006 VZR1800 SUZUKI MADE, AS WELL AS MODELS UP THOUGH 2010 HAVE SHIFTING FORKS IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT ARE TOO SOFT, THEY BEND AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SENT BACK INTO NEUTRAL. UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE RIDERS DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, >$3000+S&H [MYSELF INCLUDED], THE TRANSMISSION FULLY LOCKS UP, THE REAR WHEEL ALSO, AND THE MOTOR. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OCCURS. RIDER INJURY IS HIGHLY LIKELY IN THIS EVENT. THE ABOVE MENTIONED EVENT HAPPENS WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS IN OPERATION WITH RIDER ENGAGED, ANYTIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

11321260

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

22,500 mi

THE BIKE HAS A ROUTINE SLIP IN 2ND GEAR ONLY ABOVE 20 MPH AT A DEAD STOP. IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION, AS THE SLIP COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR RIDER INJURY. THE SLIPPING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR IS WORSE WHEN THERE'S A PASSENGER AND/OR HEAVIER LOADS. THIS ISSUE CAUSES YOU TO EITHER SKIP 2ND GEAR OR NOT RIDE THE BIKE AT ALL. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND TIMELY, IF YOU CAN EVEN GET ANYONE TO DO THE WORK. I'VE OWNED SEVERAL SUZUKI'S AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE, BUT THIS ONE IS VERY DISAPPOINTING. SUZUKI REFUSES TO ASSIST AT ALL, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THE EXACT SAME THING, ESPECIALLY WITH 2006 AND 2007 MODELS. MY BIKE ONLY HAS 15,000 MILES ON IT WITH LOTS OF CUSTOM ACCESSORIES. IT'LL ALL GO TO WASTE IF I TRADE OR SELL BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11241099

Incident

Jul 27, 2019

Mileage

16,823 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI VZR1800K6 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR BEFORE IT SEIZED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0.

NHTSA ID

10678554

Incident

Apr 14, 2006

BIKE WOULD BUCK, AS IF MAYBE BROKEN TEETH ON GEAR, POP OUT OF GEAR, AND ON OTHER OCCASIONS ACT NORMAL, TOOK BIKE IN UNDER WARRANTY TOLD ME IT WAS A CLUTCH PROBLEM, KEPT BIKE EXCESSIVE TIME SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED CLUTCH. PICKED UP THE BIKE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, TOOK IT BACK, THEY TEST DROVE IT, DID NOT SEE A PROBLEM. SO I TOOK IT HOME AGAIN PROBLEM GOT WORSE AGAIN, DID NOT HAVE TIME TO GET IT BACK TO THEM, WHEN I FINALLY GOT TIME TO TAKE IT BACK, THEY SAID IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY ATTEMPTEDE ANOTHER REPAIR ANYWAY, RETURNED IT TO ME SAYING IT WAS REPAIRED. TURNED OUT STILL THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEN STREESED IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR WOULD COST APPROX. $2000 TO REPAIR. TOO MAKE A LONGER STORY SHORT I HAVE LIVED WITH IT BUT NOW IT CONSTANTLY POPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR. THE ONLY WAY TO RIDE IT IS TO BYPASS 2ND GEAR!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10573834

Incident

Nov 15, 2007

Mileage

6,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI VZR1800 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND FORCED THE CONTACT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT CALLED TO SPEAK WITH THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513023

Incident

May 18, 2013

Mileage

21,000 mi

I RECENTLY TOOK A RIDE ON MY 2006 SUZUKI M109R AND THE TRANSMISSION KEPT SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF 1ST-4TH GEARS WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING. IF I ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN SO I RODE HOME SLOWLY. LAST FRIDAY THE 20TH OF MAY 2011 I WAS CHANGING MY OIL ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND BEFORE LOWERING THE LIFT TO CLEAN UP I NOTICED THE REAR SWING ARM WAS CRACKED IN 2 PLACES. IT IS CRACKED NEAR THE MOUNTING FLANGE FOR THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. I WAS NOT RIDING WHEN IT BROKE. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SPEED LIMIT ON I-90 GOING TO STURGIS,SOUTH DAKOTA IS 75MPH AND I BELIEVE THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE SWING ARM ON A MOTORCYCLE WITH ONLY 4100 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT BREAK. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION IS PROBABLY MESSED UP BECAUSE OF THE SWING ARM FAILURE. I PROBABLY GOIN TO SELL THIS MOTORCYCLE WHEN I GET IT REPAIRED BECAUSE IT SCARES ME TO DEATH THAT EVEN A NEW SWING ARM COULD BREAK ON ME AS WELL. WHY WOULDN'T IT THE FIRST ON DID AT ONLY 4100 MILES!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10402472

Incident

May 20, 2011

Mileage

4,100 mi

LEAVING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ACCELERATING THUR FIRST GEAR GOING TO SECOND GEAR, IT WILL POP OUT OF SECOND GEAR AND GO INTO NUETREL. AND NOW I HAVE TRAFFIC RUNNING OVER MY BACK. VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ID

10398972

Incident

Jun 15, 2009

Mileage

3,500 mi

REAR BRAKE ROTOR ON 2006 M109R SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE, WHAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE A SEMIFLOATING ROTOR HAS TURNED INTO A FULL FLOATING ROTOR (THE RIVETS THAT ATTACH THE OUTER RING TO THE INNER RING HAVE BECOME LOOSE, BOTH SIDE-TO-SIDE AND FRONT-TO-BACK). SUZUKI TOLD ME AT 9K MILES THIS WAS NORMAL, YET OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. I HAVE SINCE BOUGHT ANOTHER ROTOR BUT I STILL HAVE THE OLD ONE. ALSO THE BIKE IS DEVELOPING A VIOLENT SHUTTER (CLUTCH RELATED I THINK) WHEN STARTING OFF, DOESN'T DO IT EVERY TIME BUT WHEN IT DOES THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IT IS TO PULL IN THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY AND START OVER. THIS COULD BE QUITE HAZARDOUS IF YOU HAVE TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234764

Incident

Sep 20, 2007

Mileage

7,000 mi

MOTORCYCLE CLUTCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO ENGAGE WITHOUT SHAKING, SOMETIMES TOO MUCH TO START RIDING. SAFETY ISSUE, HAS HAPPENED WHEN TURNING LEFT IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE BIKE IS UNABLE TO TAKE OFF, UNTIL I TRY ONE OR TWO MORE TIMES PULLING THE CLUTCH LEVER. I'VE LEARNED NOT TO ASSUME I CAN SAFELY PROCEED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHILE THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. THIS PROBLEM WAS ORIGINALLY FIXED (MOSTLY) BY SUZUKI SOON AFTER I BOUGHT THE BIKE IN 2006, BUT WOULD OCCASIONALLY HAPPEN STILL. NOW IT IS BAD AGAIN, AND OF COURSE, THE BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CLUTCH COMPONENTS YESTERDAY I FOUND NO EXCESSIVE OR UNUSUAL WEAR AND NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I TOOK THE RECOMMENDATION OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH BASKET SPRINGS FOR A TIGHTER FIT WITHIN THEIR HOLDERS (BUILT INTO THE UNIT) AND THINGS SEEM BETTER FOR NOW, I STILL WILL NOT TRUST THE MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC. I THINK SUZUKI SHOULD REDESIGN AND RECALL THIS PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233335

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

17,000 mi

1.) ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AND MOVING INTO TRAFFIC. 2.) TRANSMISSION FAILURE. 3.) 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND ALL THREE SHIFTER FORKS ARE BEING REPLACED. NO COVERAGE FROM SUZUKI OR 3RD PARTY EXTENDED WARRANTY (WESTERN STATES). BIKE WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2006, 11K MI. AT TIME OF FAILURE. FEEL THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID WHAT THEY COULD TO GET IT COVERED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217572

Incident

Jan 18, 2007

Mileage

11,000 mi