2007 Suzuki Vzr1800

I got on the highway going to [XXX] on [XXX]. When I merged into traffic I almost got hit from behind because the Suzuki M109R slipped out of second gear. Fortunately the driver of the dump truck behind me noticed that I was not speeding up and he slammed on the brakes saving my life. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

During acceleration after shifting into 2nd gear the transmission slips out and then back in sometimes causing the rear wheel to spin.

In late 2020 while in a turn on the interstate while in 2nd gear the motorcycle jolted like it slipped on ice. The second time it happened is when I attempted to accelerate to 3rd gear the bike shuddered like it was not getting gas. Not being able to provide gas caused the vehicles behind me to swerve into the other lane. After 8 months of the bike sitting at another Suzuki dealer because they said they had to rip out the engine I towed the bike to a dealer over 700 miles away. That dealer said it was the clutch plates. They replaced the entire clutch system at my cost and the problem remained immediately upon picking up the bike. The same dealer now says it’s the gears and they have to replace them which means approximately another month at the dealer. The bike had not been inspected by any other agency. There were no warning lights of any kind. The RPMs never changed when the issue occurred. I called USA Suzuki and they said they’ll call me back. They never did. I will now have to get an attorney because Suzuki has a failed mechanical part they claimed they fixed years prior but the same thing is happening with the new models.

The contact owns a 2007 Suzuki VZR1800. The contact stated that while riding at approximately 35 MPH, the motorcycle independently shifted from 2nd gear to neutral. In addition, while shifting from 1st gear to 2nd gear there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the motorcycle. The contact mentioned that when the motorcycle shifted into neutral, the speed decelerated causing the motorcycle to stop in the middle of traffic. The dealer was not contacted. The motorcycle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,500.

WHEN YOU SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR AND ACCELERATE HARD IT FEELS LIKE IT SKIPS AND SHUTTER HARD INTERMITTENTLY. IT DOESNT DO IT EVERYTIME. SCARY FEELING. I USUALLY SHIFT INTO 1ST INTO 3RD WITHOUT ACCELERATING IN SECOND IF POSSIBLE. I CANT BELIEVE SUZUKI BEING A PROMINENT BIKE COMPANY HAS NOT CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. I WISH I HAD READ UP MORE ON THE THOUSANDS OF THREADS ABOUT THIS SAME TYPE PROBLEM WITH THIS BIKE BEFORE I PURCHASE

MAJOR LOSS OF POWER TO THE GROUND. MAINLY IN SECOND GEAR IF I OPEN THE THROTTLE TO ANYTHING ABOVE SAY 20% TWIST OF THE WRIST THE RPMS GO UP BUT BIKE WONT GAIN SPEED WHILE ALREADY DRIVING. CLUTCH DOES NOT SHOW SIGNS OF BURNING UP AND ALL SEEMS NORMAL THERE. IVE ADJUSTED IT PER SUZUKI'S MANUAL AND FOLLOWED THEIR UPDATED METHOD VIA SERVICE BULLETIN THE NEXT TIME I MADE ADJUSTMENT. IN ALL GEARS I GET THIS SLIPPING SENSATION TOO WHERE THE MOTORCYCLE FEEL LIKE ITS DRAGGING OR NOT PICKING UP SPEED ALONG WITH THE RPMS WHENEVER I TRY TO USE SOME OF THE BIKES STRONG POWER WHILE ALREADY DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS POTENTIALLY CAN PUT ME INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE I CANNOT PICKUP SPEED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE NEED BE AND PLUS IT JUST PLAIN OLD TAKES THE CONFIDENCE AND FUN OUT OF RIDING THIS MACHINE I SPENT A LOT OF HARD EARNED MONEY ON. SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR IS ROUGH AND DIFFICULT AT TIMES. I ALWAYS SHIFT IN LOW RPM (4K RPM) AND EASE ON THROTTLE FOR ALL GEARS TO NOT ABUSE IT. THE GEAR INDICATOR I HAD INSTALLED NO LONGER SENSES WHAT GEAR I AM IN MORE TIMES THAN NOT. I SUSPECT THE SHIFT FORK FOR SECOND GEAR ALONG WITH THE GEAR ITSELF TO BE BADLY ENGINEERED AFTER GATHER INFO ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THE M109ERS.COM FORUM. THINKING THE SECONDARY DRIVE MIGHT BE WORN OUT WHEN I DON'T ABUSE THIS BIKE. THIS BIKE HAS ALSO HAD A TERRIBLE "STUTTER" IN FIRST GEAR WHEN DRIVING FROM A STAND STILL THAT I NOTICED GOES AWAY WHEN YOU PARK THE BIKE WITH THE HANDLE BARS TURNED TO THE RIGHT TO STAND UP THE BIKE MORE UPRIGHT (MORE OIL GETS TO THE CLUTCH STACK) 24000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THIS IS THE THIRD BIKE I HAVE EVER PURCHASED OUT OF THE 5 IN MY LIFETIME. WILL BE FILING A COMPLAINT AGAIN ONCE I HAVE MORE INFO AND DOCUMENTATION.

TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI VZR1800K7 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE GEAR INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTED FROM FIRST INTO SECOND GEAR, AND THEN DOWNSHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO SYSCO HOUSTON (10710 GREENS CROSSING BLVD, HOUSTON, TX 77038, (713) 672-8080) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR WAS STUCK AND NEEDED TO BE LOOSENED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI VZR1800. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SECOND GEAR SLIPPED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALL OHIO MOTORSPORTS (23361 AURORA RD, CLEVELAND, OH 44146, (440) 786- 2230) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SECOND GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI VZR1800K7 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR AND WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

JUST LIKE OTHER DRIVERS, 2ND GEAR WOULD DROP TO NEUTRAL AND WHEN SUZUKI REPAIR THE WARRANTED BIKE, THEY TOOK ALMOST 6 MONTHS TO FIX IT AND IT HAPPEN 3 MORE TIME WITHIN THE NEXT 4 YEARS AND LESS THAN 20,00 MILES...ALONG WITH THE CLUTCH GOING OUT 3 TIMES AND A BROKEN SWINGARM THE BIKE HAS BEEN GROUNDED LONGER THAN IT'S BEEN ON THE ROAD... *TR

I ALMOST DROPPED MY BIKE TODAY EXPECTING TO ACCELERATE INTO A TURN WITH NO SPEED WHILE THE BIKE IS JUMPING VIOLENTLY. WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH THE BIKE JUMPS VIOLENTLY AND MAKE SIT HARD TO CONTROL AND TAKE OFF AND IN RESULT BLOCKING TRAFFIC FALLING OFF BIKE AND POSSIBLE GETTING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC..THIS CAN CAUSE A CAR ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY AND MOST LIKELY DEATH ON A MOTORCYCLE. IT RENDERS THE VEHICLE ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE. CONTACTED SUZUKI AND THEY SAID THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE AND THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT. I TOLD THE PERSON ON THE PHONE THAT THERE IS A SITE THAT HAS HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS OF THIS ISSUE AND HE SAID THAT WE SELL THOUSANDS OF THESE BIKES AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND HE CAN NOT GO BY WHAT'S PUT ON THE INTERNET. I SUGGEST WE ALL CALL SUZUKI AND GIVE THE VIN NUMBERS AND MAKE THIS A REAL ISSUE. *TR

WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN I WENT TO FIRST GEAR THEN SECOND. WHILE TRYING TO GO TO THIRD IT SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND A CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND. *TR

WAS ON MY 2007 SUZUKI M109R AND SITTING AT A LIGHT I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AFTER LIGHT TURNED GREEN. AS I MADE THE TURN I WENT TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND IT WENT INTO SECOND GEAR THEN SLIPPED BACK INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY CONCENTRATION AND ALMOST HITTING CAR NEXT TO ME. I AM A MEMBER OF THE M109RIDER MESSAGE BOARD AND HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTORCYCLE HTTP://WWW.M109RIDERS.COM/FORUMS/SEARCH.PHP?SEARCHID=865572 THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO IT HAPPENS WHEN A RIDER IS STARTING TO ACCELERATE (POSSIBLY LIKE ME IN A TURN OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC) AND IS LIKELY TO EVENTUALLY CAUSE EITHER A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR POSSIBLY DEATH. *JS

2007 SUZUKI M109R TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SECOND GEAR POPS OUT WHEN THE THROTTLE IS ABOUT 4000+ RPM AND SLAMS BACK INTO GEAR. THE RESULT IS A BENT SHIFT FORK AND ROUNDED OFF GEAR ENGAGEMENT TANGS (DOGS). REMOVED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ON MY OWN, AND REPLACED SUSPECTED PROBLEM PARTS IN THE TRANSMISSION SUCH AS: SHIFT FORKS (TO UPDATED PART NUMBERS), SHIFT FORK SHAFTS (TO SOLID 14MM 4140 STEEL RODS), UNERCUT OR BACKCUT THE GEARS BY 5 DEGREES (TO ALLOW POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT OF THE DOGS WITHOUT SLIPPING APART). THE BACKCUTTING ALONE COULD BE THE SOLE FIX FOR SUZUKI, IF THEY PRODUCED THESE PARTS LIKE THIS (5 DEGREE CUT) FROM THE FACTORY, AND SOLID SHIFT SHAFTS PREVENT WARPAGE TO OCCUR AND THE SHIFT FORKS TO POSITIVELY ENGAGE THE DOGS. ALTHOUGH THE BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SUZUKI IS VERY RELUCTANT TO EVEN ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM, IT IS DANGEROUS AND COSTLY FOR THE OWNERS.. *JS

OIL IS LEAKING INTO MY AIRBOX AN I CANT GET SUZUKI TO FIX IT. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI VZR 1800. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD DROP OUT OF GEAR AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE MOTOR WAS TOO POWERFUL FOR THE GEAR BOX AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, THE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 6,200. UPDATED 09/01/2011

2007 SUZUKI M109R LE MOTORCYCLE 9300 MILES 2ND GEAR POPPING OUT OF GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING. GEAR ALSO SLIPS WHILE ACCELERATING. THIS IS DUE TO A BENT SHIFT FORK WHICH IS DAMAGING THE GEAR. FAULTY MANUFACTURING ON THE PART OF SUZUKI. LOCAL DEALER QUOTED AROUND $3000 TO REPAIR. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH. SUZUKI HAD SUPERSEDED THE FAULTY PART WITH A NEW PART NUMBER. THIS OCCURS EVERYTIME. *TR

SUZUKI BOULEVARD 2007, M109R. SHIFTING GEARS BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT OVER TIME AND THEN AS IT INCREASES THE GEARS THEN POP OUT OF DRIVE AND LOSE THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE . WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IT'S ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO LOSE THAT FUNCTION AS I FOUND , I WAS REAR ENDED. THIS TRYING TO PLACE BACK IN GEAR DAMAGES THE CLUTCH AND UNIVERSAL AND MAIN DRIVE GEAR. *TR

2ND GEAR FAILING. CONSEQUENCES FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH LOSS OF LIFE. SUZUKI REFUSES TO FIX PROBLEM EVEN WITH 5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

I WAS RIDING ALONG SIDE A SEMI-TRUCK WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE SEMI-TRUCK DECIDED TO CHANGE LANES. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE DRIVER DID NOT SEE ME AND PROCEEDED TO CHANGE LANES. I TRIED TO SPEED UP AND THAT'S WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. SO IN ORDER FOR ME TO AVOID BEING RUN OVER BY THE TRUCK; I HAD TO BRING MY MOTORCYCLE TO AND ABRUPT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WHAT I BELIEVE HAPPENED WAS THAT MY MOTORCYCLE SLIPPED OUT OF 2ND GEAR INTO NEUTRAL!!!