2001 Victory V92DC Deluxe Cruiser

BOTH THE PETITON FOR RULEMAKING, DEFECT, AND NONCOMPLIANCE ORDER, AND THE PETITON FOR HEARING ON NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY ARE DENIED.THE AGENCY HAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH PETITIONS ARE MOOT GIVEN THAT THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED THERE WAS A SAFETY DEFECT IN ITS MOTORCYCLES AND ISSUED OWNER AND DEALER NOTIFICATIONS AND SUPPLIED A FREE REMEDY WHERE NEEDED.A COPY OF THE PUBLISHED NOTICE FURTHER EXPLAINING THIS DECISION CAN BE FOUND IN THE NOTICE OF DENIAL DOCUMENT IN THIS FILE.

MOTORCYCLE (2001 VICTORY V-92 DELUX CRUISER) STARTED HESITATING, CUTTING OFF, RUNNING ROUGH AS THOUGH IT IS RUNNING OUT OF GAS AT NORMAL AND ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 60-65 MPH. NO REASON FOUND FOR FAILURE. FAILURE UNPREDICTABLE WITH NO CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP FOUND. PROBLEM SEEMS TO GET WORSE DURING ACCELERATION. ACCELERATION NOT POSSIBLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC OR TO MANEUVER OFF THE ROAD IF IN THE LEFT LANE OF A HIGHWAY. ALSO BIKE COULD LOOSE TRACTION AND SKID WITH THE ENGINE OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR LOWER. BIKE TAKEN IN TO A FACTORY AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR CHECK AND REPAIR ON FEB. 12, 2009. A TUNE-UP SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, SPARK PLUG, FUEL FILTER, OIL CHANGE, QUICKDISC, FUELFEED,MALE,TEE. AN O-RING, OIL FILTER, AT A COST OF $574.67. AFTER ABOUT 60 MILES OF RIDING, THE BIKE FAILED WITH THE SAME SYMPTOM ON OR ABOUT MARCH 15. BIKE TAKEN BACK ON MARCH 20TH. DEALERSHIP CHECKED BIKE THOROUGHLY AND DISCOVERED THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE. THEY TIGHTENED IT AND THE BIKE SEEMED TO RUN SMOOTHLY. AFTER ABOUT 20 OR 30 MILES, THE BIKE FAILED AGAIN ON HIGHWAY 220 IN ASHEBORO, NC. BIKE NEVER RAN RIGHT UNTIL I GOT HOME AND PARKED IT. BIKE TAKEN BACK APRIL 3RD. DEALER REPLACED STATOR AND VOLTAGE REGULATOR WHICH THEY STATED WAS BAD. $771.27. BIKE BROKE DOWN AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 60 MILES ON OR ABOUT MAY 13TH. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AGAIN. DEALER CONTACTED MANUFACTURE TECH SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE ECU WAS PROBABLY BAD. ECU UNIT WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED AT A COST OF $502.00. BIKE WAS TESTED FOR 40 OR 50 MILES WITH NO INCIDENT. I RECEIVED BIKE BACK ON JUNE 11TH, RODE IT ONE DAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES AND THE BIKE FAILED AGAIN WHILE RIDING ON JUNE 12TH EXPERIENCING A NEAR ACCIDENT AFTER BIKE STALLED OUT AT INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO MY RIGHT. BIKE RETURNED AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP. STORE MANAGER GAVE ME CONTACT NUMBER TO CALL FOR MANUFACTURE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR SOME GUIDANCE AND REMEDY. CALLED THEM AND WAS ONLY REFERRED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP(RUN AROUND) WILL NOT RIDE BIKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274342

Incident

Dec 12, 2008

Mileage

29,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VICTORY V92DC DELUXE CRUISER MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND STALLS. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN IN MARCH OF 2009, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT PAID FOR ALL THE REPAIRS TO HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES, BUT THEY AND THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO CALL POLARIS CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY ARE GIVING HIM THE RUN AROUND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 07/17/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/17/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10274335

Incident

Dec 14, 2007

Mileage

28,000 mi

SAFETY RECALL NOTICE 06V-298 FOR VICTORY V92C MOTORCYCLES - REAR SPROCKET CUSHION DRIVE DATED 11/22/06. TODAY IS 4/24/07 AND THE MANUFACTURER STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM NOR DO THEY OFFER ANY DATE THAT WE COULD EXPECT THIS PROBLEM TO BE RECTIFIED. MANUFACTURER SAYS THAT THIS IS NOT A NO RIDE RECALL BUT IT DOES NOT STATE THIS IN THE RECALL NOTICE. IT DOES STATE THAT IF THIRD GEAR FAILS DUE TO ABNORMAL OVERLOAD CONDITION PIECES OF THE GEAR COULD BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION POSSIBLY CAUSING IT TO LOCK UP RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH. I AM NOT WILLING TO TAKE THAT CHANCE. I THINK THAT FIVE MONTHS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188720

Incident

Nov 22, 2006

Mileage

12,857 mi

TL- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED HIS RECALL LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF HIS 2001 VICTORY V92DC DELUXE CRUISER MOTORCYCLE IN 12/2006. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP AND THEY CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE PART TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS UNTI LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE 2007. THE CONTACT IS UPSET ABOUT THE TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO GET THESE RECALLS REPAIRED. (PLH)

NHTSA ID

10182543

Incident

Dec 27, 2006

TL* -THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE 06V298000 FOR 2001 VICTORY V92DC DELUXE CRUISE IN THE MAIL. THE RECALL WAS FOR POSSIBLE THIRD GEAR FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. T HE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JUNE 8, 2007 - *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10178929

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

18,000 mi

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING TO WORK AND I DOWN SHIFTED TO SECOND TO TURN A CORNER. AS I ACCELERATED AND UPSHIFTED TO THIRD AND LET OUT THE CLUTCH AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE IT SHIFTED DOWN TO SECOND GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE BUT VERY SPORADICALLY. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10136711

Incident

Sep 9, 2005

Mileage

12,450 mi

ON JULY 7, 2004, SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY I STARTED FISHTAILING AND SWERVING WHILE I WAS RIDING MY 2001 VICTORY MOTORCYCLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SKIDDING AND DID NOT CRASH THE VICTORY MOTORCYCLE NOR WAS I STRUCK FROM BEHIND. HOWEVER, MY VICTORY MOTORCYCLE WAS COMPLETELY STUCK IN A TRAVEL LANE ON A MAIN ROAD, ROUTE 3A IN BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS. A MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE OFFICER THAT HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING BY CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE NEXT DAY I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE VICTORYS FRAME HAD SNAPPED. SPECIFICALLY, THE SHOCK ABSORBERS MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE FRAMES SWING ARM SNAPPED INTO TWO PIECES. THE PRESSURE OF THE COIL SPRING FORCED THE SHOCK ABSORBER INTO THE REAR TIRE. THE REAR FENDER ALSO DROPPED ONTO THE REAR TIRE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION SUCH AS THE SITUATION I WAS IN WHEN THE VICTORY MOTORCYCLES FRAME SNAPPED FOR NO REASON. I AM SURE THAT IF I WAS ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, MAKING A TURN OR GOING ANY FASTER (I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 20-30 MILES PER HOUR) I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE 2002 VICTORY MOTORCYCLES HAVE A NEW DESIGN IN THIS AREA OF THE FRAME. IT APPEARS THAT SOMEONE AT VICTORY KNEW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTED. ON JULY 9, 2004 I CONTACTED MIRAK POLARIS MOTORSPORTS AND PROVIDED PICTURES OF THE SNAPPED FRAME. I CAN SENT PICTURES TO YOU IF DESIRED. I REQUESTED THEY CONTACT VICTORY AS I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND A PERSON CAN BE KILLED WITH SUCH A DEFECT. THE ONLY OFFER VICTORY MADE WAS TO FIX THE MOTORCYCLE FOR FREE PROVIDED I DID NOT CONTACT ANY LAWYERS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2004, MORE THAN 2 MONTHS AFTER THE INCIDENT. *JB *SC

NHTSA ID

10091151

Incident

Jul 7, 2004

Mileage

12,314 mi

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH MOTORCYCLE KICK STAND CAME DOWN. NO IMPACT REPORTED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10089997

Incident

Aug 2, 2004

Mileage

8,000 mi

VICTORY: REAR SPROCKET CUSHION DRIVE KIT 2876257 PARTS AVAILABILITY UPDATE. *PE