2005 Victory Vegas Problems

ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THE CRASH, THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT AT 3,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE BRAKE LINE ROUTING RIGHT NEXT TO THE EXHAUST PIPE, CAUSING THE BRAKE FLUID TO HEAT AND APPLY THE BRAKE. THE DEALERS SOLUTION WAS TO INSTALL NEW HEAVY-DUTY PADS TO IMPROVE WEAR. ON MAY 23, 2007 THE REAR BRAKE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY LOCKED UP, THROWING ME FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS NOT APPLYING THE BRAKE AT ALL WHEN THIS OCCURRED. AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH I SUFFERED A BROKEN CLAVICLE, FRACTURED SCAPULA, FOUR BROKEN RIBS, A BRUISED LUNG AND SEVERE ABRASIONS OVER MUCH OF MY BODY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MV AUGUSTA F4 1000. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DECELERATING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RECEIVING TOO MUCH FUEL. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE AIR FUEL MIXTURE HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,200.

WHILE PREPARING TO STOP I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH LEVER AND THE CLUTCH CABLE SEVERED AT THE CLUTCH LEVER. I LET THE BIKE STALL OUT AND GOT IT OFF THE ROAD. WITH 10,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE BIKE, THIS WAS THE 2ND. TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH CABLE AT THE SAME LOCATION (LEVER). THE FIRST TIME WAS WITH LESS THAN 5,000 MILES. BOTH TIMES NOW THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO IS REPLACE THE CABLE. I HAVE TALKED WITH 3 DIFFERENT VICTORY DEALERS IN MY AREA AND EACH ONE OF THEM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, ALL OF THEM TOLD ME THAT VICTORY/POLARIS WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT... THEY WERE ALL KIND ENOUGH TO OFFER AN UP-SALE TO AN HYDRALLIC CLUTCH SYSTEM THERE BY ELIMINATING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CABLE. I WAS TOLD BY ONE AUTHORIZED DEALERS MECHANIC THAT HE HAS REPLACED MORE THAN 50 CLUTCH CABLES ON VICTORY'S, MANY OF THEM TWICE! I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT PERIODIC LUBRICATION OF THE CABLE AT THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE CLUTCH LEVER WOULD HELP WITH THE THE LONGIVITY OF THE CABLE. I WILL SAY THAT MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS ARE UP TO DATE AND COMPLETE. AND AFTER LOSING THE FIRST CABLE, I MADE SURE THAT THIS AREA WAS ALWAYS CLEAN AND WELL LUBRICATED ONLY TO FIND OUT THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THE CLUTCH LEVER ITSELF COULD BE THE SUSPECT. WHY AND WHEN WILL VICTORY/POLARIS TAKE CARE OF THIS OBVIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE TWICE NOW WITH NO INCIDENT OTHER THAN TO MY WALLET. I FEEL AS IF MY LUCK IS RUNNING OUT!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VICTORY VEGAS MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ENTERING A GAS STATION AT 10 MPH, THE CLUTCH CABLE FRACTURED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS. THE CONTACT USED THE BRAKES TO STALL THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE ONCE BEFORE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 14,500.