So fed up....

[Cartman]

So despite my dealers best efforts, my GTR is once again being repaired. Thus far I have has a new battery, complete KISS system including ECU, new clutch master cylinder and am awaiting a new shock,heated grip panel and tank this visit. Also the clutch is playing up again, having been repaired to Kawasakis instructions, rather than the dealers preffered 'belt and braces' approach. It also appears there is a problem with the forks as well.

Kawasaki's response;


Firstly, we are sorry to hear of the issues you have experienced with your 1400GTR since you purchased your motorcycle in May 2011. Since 2008 when the 1400GTR was launched it has in general been a very reliable model and has received very positive reviews from the motorcycling press and customers alike.

If it is of any reassurance, the majority of issues you have experienced are not indicative of this model and is not a true representation of the 1400GTR in general. However, i can confirm that we have seen a few cases of the preload adjuster seizing on the rear shock absorber. This is purely caused by lack of use and to prevent any reoccurrence in the future, we would recommend periodic use of the adjuster to keep the mechanism in the adjuster working freely.

Unfortunately, with any mass produced item using many different components and using many different suppliers providing these parts. Occasionally components can fail, which is why Kawasaki provide a Two Year Warranty with all our Motorcycles to cover these eventualities and to rectify them as quickly as possible through our Dealer Network.

Please be assured that Kawasaki Motors UK are here to support yourself as a customer and to support our Dealer Base in supporting their customers as well. For further peace of mind we do offer an extended warranty, which can increase the 2 Year Manufacturers warranty to a 4 Year Manufacturers warranty. The current price of 'Warranty Plus' is £350 inc Vat, which maybe something worth considering depending on how long you intend to keep the motorcycle for added peace of mind.


So sorry you've been unlucky, buy more warranty and hope the dealer sorts it for you.

Test riding some alternatives tomorrow, well I've nothing else to ride

[2kwacks]

dam sorry to hear about all theses problems, mine is the 2010 model and up to date I've had no problems at all. you may have been unlucky because the marjority seem to have the odd problem here and there! as far as the rear adjuster is concearned, I do rotate mine back and forward once a week. everthing eles as been ok I'm sure once kawasaki renew all the troubled items, the bike will be as good as new. so keep your pecker up

[viper]

OMG you've been unlucky , so many problems with a new bike, ive heard of similair problems but only one at a time per person.

kawasaki have a decent reputation at sorting things out so keep your foot on the gas

the gtr is generally a well built bike, i personaly have had zero issues on my 2010 bike.

[zedmeister]

The only troubles i have had with the 3 GTRs i have owned are warped discs, and headlamp adjuster knob ( first one only)  the only other 2 have been re-calls for the pannier lock mechanism and the rear brake modification, you must have a friday manufactured bike ( arround 4.59pm ).

[BigAlan]

That letter was almost word for word the same as I had when I had a moan at them, in the end they collected the bike and took it back to HQ and lent me a bike.

Now it's sorted and imam happy, but I did put the information with regards to the problem both here and in the Kawasaki Riders club forum and threatened to go to the main bike publications.

Simon Chitty could not have been more helpful, but as I say that looks like the standard letter I received.

Alan

[Lonewolf]

Cartman, the end of the letter....So sorry you've been unlucky, buy more warranty and hope the dealer sorts it for you. Is that for real?

Yeah just buy more warranty thats the answer then!! That sounds quite harsh, I'm sure its not how they intended it to read but it sounds uncaring to me.

[Cartman]

Cartman, the end of the letter....So sorry you've been unlucky, buy more warranty and hope the dealer sorts it for you. Is that for real?

Yeah just buy more warranty thats the answer then!! That sounds quite harsh, I'm sure its not how they intended it to read but it sounds uncaring to me.

No the end comment was mine, just seemed to be the gist of the letter.

[O.C.]

Cartman, the end of the letter....So sorry you've been unlucky, buy more warranty and hope the dealer sorts it for you. Is that for real?

Yeah just buy more warranty thats the answer then!! That sounds quite harsh, I'm sure its not how they intended it to read but it sounds uncaring to me.

Steve, I interpreted that comment to be cartmans summation of Kawasakis letter, not a comment from Kawasaki themselves. I would hope that I'm right 

It does seem like this is a Friday afternoon bike , if there is such a thing, as many of the problems specific to this one bike are more than many other GTR owners have experienced collectively.

I've had approximately 10 -12 new Kawasakis since 1994, and haven't experienced anything like that level of problem with all of them put together 

[Cartman]

Alan, I have to say Simon was very helpful when my ECU went pop, and this letter seems to be from a minion.  Interesting that we have the same colour/year model and seem to have had more issues than most.

Toyed with a few replacement ideas today, will sleep on it and see what KMUK come back with to my withering response to their email, before doing anything rash.

Thanks for all your replies.

[Lonewolf]

Cartman, ignore me I'm an idiot! 

[BigAlan]

My problem was vibration or resonance through the handlebars, luckily I work for Oxford University and got an Academic to run some tests using an accelerometer to measure the vibration, I rode the bike at various rev ranges and we took data from it, then plotted the graph of at what rev's it was worse and I presented this to Simon.

He stated that there were no standard measurements taken by Kawasaki which I guess may well be true, but I countered with the fact that vibrations can cause many medical issues such as carpal tunnel etc, I also pointed him to the vibration regulations at work as a basis for what's acceptable.

This took me some time but in the end I was happy to get as much info as I could.

Alan

[2kwacks]

Cartman, ignore me I'm an idiot! 

[viper]

My problem was vibration or resonance through the handlebars, luckily I work for Oxford University and got an Academic to run some tests using an accelerometer to measure the vibration, I rode the bike at various rev ranges and we took data from it, then plotted the graph of at what rev's it was worse and I presented this to Simon.

He stated that there were no standard measurements taken by Kawasaki which I guess may well be true, but I countered with the fact that vibrations can cause many medical issues such as carpal tunnel etc, I also pointed him to the vibration regulations at work as a basis for what's acceptable.

This took me some time but in the end I was happy to get as much info as I could.

Alan

what was the outcome with kawa

[BigAlan]

They (eventually) asked the dealer to lift the bike up, undo all the engine mountings, drop the bike back down and reseat the engine, they then retorqued the bolts and hey presto no vibration, well actually there will always be some due to roads and stuff but nothing like it was.

Alan

[O.C.]

They (eventually) asked the dealer to lift the bike up, undo all the engine mountings, drop the bike back down and reseat the engine, they then retorqued the bolts and hey presto no vibration, well actually there will always be some due to roads and stuff but nothing like it was.

Alan

I'm of the opinion that some changes were made to either the frame, engine mountings, or mounting points between the 2008/2009 'original' GTR and subsequent models, and that this has resulted to some degree, in the now well known 'vibe/buzz' issue, and I' have to say that I've said this before 

On my 2009 GTR I had fitted a set of GSG mototechnical crash bungs



This bike did not suffer any vibration problems, at least I wasn't aware of any excessive vibration.

The point of this story is that when I came to re-fit the crash bung set to my 2010 GTR they wouldn't fit because the through bolt which passed through the top engine mounting and frame was now too long, or I should say that the mounting through the frame was now narrower.

It may be a coincidence but it does show that something ha changed in regard to the engine mountings..maybe herein lies the problem with vibes  [/b]