The defect
BIG BEAR CHOPPER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2004-2006 DEVIL'S ADVOCATE CHOPPERS, SLED CHOPPERS, VENOM CHOPPERS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE PROSTREET, SLED PROSTREET, AND VENOM PROSTREET MOTORCYCLES. SOME MOTORCYCLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE WELD PENETRATION BETWEEN THE NECK, BACKBONE, AND DOWN TUBES OF THE FRAME. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION MADE TO THE FRAME BY OWNERS, AND/OR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE SPECIFIED TORQUE SETTING OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT MAY CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.
The risk
THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN NECK SEPARATION AND FRONT-END COLLAPSE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND MAINTAIN THE PROPER TORQUE OF THE TOP MOTOR MOUNT OR MODIFY THE FRAME AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2008. BIG BEAR HAS ADDED ADDITIONAL MAKES, MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. ADDITIONAL OWNER LETTERS WILL BE MAILED BEGINNING DECEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BIG BEAR CHOPPER AT 1-909-878-4340.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Prostreet | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Chopper | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Prostreet | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Chopper | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Prostreet | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
Components: STRUCTURE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper | 2004 | 1 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Chopper | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Prostreet | 2004 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Prostreet | 2005 | 1 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Devils Advocate Prostreet | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Chopper | 2004 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Chopper | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Chopper | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Prostreet | 2004 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Prostreet | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Sled Prostreet | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Chopper | 2004 | 1 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Chopper | 2005 | 1 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Chopper | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Prostreet | 2004 | 2 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Prostreet | 2005 | 1 | 1 |
| BIG Bear Choppers Venom Prostreet | 2006 | 0 | 1 |
Other structure recalls in 2008
25 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the structure.
| 08V686000 19 Dec 2008 | TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES AMERICA LTD |
| 08V664000 16 Dec 2008 | FOREST RIVER, INC. |
| 08V659000 15 Dec 2008 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 08V609000 24 Nov 2008 | AMERICAN LAFRANCE LLC |
| 08V604000 24 Nov 2008 | REINKE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. |
| 08V451000 5 Sept 2008 | SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, LLC |
| 08V448000 3 Sept 2008 | PREVOST CARS, INC. |
| 08V447000 3 Sept 2008 | AUTOCAR, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008