What 7 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Honda Gl1800a

AFTER PERFORMING THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RECALL THERE IS A PRONOUNCED CHATTER OR VIBRATION TO THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN THE REAR BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REAR BRAKES ARE APPLIED UNDER CERTAIN SLOW SPEED MANEUVERS OR WHEN TURNING SHARPLY AT SLOW SPEED. THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HONDA. THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISSUE AND CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS TWICE AS WELL AS BLED THE SYSTEM DOWN AGAIN, NO CHANGE. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND THAT BOTH BRAKES MUST ALWAYS BE APPLIED. (THIS IS UNTRUE.) IF THE BIKE IS MOVING AT GREAT SPEED, WHERE BOTH BRAKES ARE APPLIED THIS ISSUE DOESN'T SEEM TO MANIFEST. IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IT KEEP OCCURRING UNTIL THE FRONT BRAKE HAS BEEN APPLIED PRIOR TO RE-APPLYING THE BACK BRAKE. THIS BEHAVIOR WAS NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THE RECALL BEING PERFORMED ON THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.

NHTSA ODI 10883145

SINCE THE BIKE WAS NEW IT HAS A SEVERE STUMBLE AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE MOTORCYCLE ACTS AS IF IT'S NOT GETTING ENOUGH AIR OR FUEL OR BOTH AND WILL LOSE POWER. IF YOU ATTEMPT TO COMPENSATE BY ADDING MORE THROTTLE IT WILL TAKE OFF SUDDENLY, SOMETIMES WITH NEAR DISASTROUS RESULTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE NEW AND THREE TIMES I WAS IN MORTAL DANGER, ONCE WITH MY WIFE ON THE BACK OF THE BIKE. (SHE WILL NOT RIDE ON THIS BIKE ANY MORE AND I WILL BE GETTING A NEW ONE.) THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED MANY THINGS AT THE DIRECTION OF HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, INCLUDING NEW PLUGS, NOW FUEL INJECTION, AND REFLASHING THE ECU. NOTHING HAS RESOLVED THE ISSUE. HONDA CS FIRST SUGGESTED LETTING THE MOTORCYCLE WARM UP TO FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE...NEAR 20 MINUTES EVEN IN WARM WEATHER. THEY THEN ADVISED ME TO GET COUPLES COUNSELING IF MY WIFE WON'T RIDE WITH ME DUE TO THE ISSUE. LAST, THEY SUGGESTED THAT I NOT DRIVE IN LOCATIONS WHERE I HAVE TO MAINTAIN LESS THAN 10MPH. (I WORK AT A HOSPITAL THAT IS WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE ON A MILITARY BASE.) IN THE END HONDA HAS DENIED THAT THERE IS ANY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10883150