Online DPS Petition...Interest?

[NancysToy]

Scotty- I agree with your point about the petition. But while the NHTSA website is always a great option it does not necessarily get results. The recent Toyota fiasco is fair example. Literally hundreds of reports and no action...over 8 years!!!!!!!! There are many more issues like this that get dozens and dozens of complaints and get lost in the bureaucracy. Not saying not to report , it , but don't expect action.

I understand completely, but it is the only viable option at the moment, and numbers make it work better. Of course, if you are a producer for 60 Minutes, you might get a little faster action.

 

[Way2Fast]

Count me out! If you have experienced a problem, or had an additional experience after the recall, report it on the NHTSA site. Guessing at technical causes, passing on second hand information about symptoms, or just expressing your unrealized fears out loud will get you nowhere, IMO.

I guess this is what was to be expected from someone who at one time had decided to remove his presence from the forum because he was so tired of reading about the issues people had with their rides.

Anyone who has experienced a steering malfunction wouldn't consider their fears to be "unrealized" nor would it be "passing on second hand information". I agree that any information should be passed on to the NHTSA, first and foremost and then followed up by calls to BRP. However when done on an individual basis this info seems to always fall between the cracks. If we Spyder owners stuck together and submitted a petition demanding that the issue be examined thoroughly, we might ruffle enough feathers and as a result, get some answers. No one here should have to be guessing at the technical causes for what is causing the steering disease. IMO, this info should have been given to us by the manufacturer along with what is/or has been done to prevent it from re-occuring. It seems the vast majority of those who responded to this post agree that a petition would be beneficial.

 

[Smylinacha]

I understand completely, but it is the only viable option at the moment, and numbers make it work better. Of course, if you are a producer for 60 Minutes, you might get a little faster action.

I could write a note to Fox news ....:2thumbs:

 

[DynamoBT]

I could write a note to Fox news ....:2thumbs:

This would work better than a petition in my opinion.

What about calling one's Congressional representative? The NHTSA is coming under Congressional investigation for its actions regarding Toyota's problems. Might we take advantage of this fact somehow?

 

[NancysToy]

I guess this is what was to be expected from someone who at one time had decided to remove his presence from the forum because he was so tired of reading about the issues people had with their rides.

Anyone who has experienced a steering malfunction wouldn't consider their fears to be "unrealized" nor would it be "passing on second hand information". I agree that any information should be passed on to the NHTSA, first and foremost and then followed up by calls to BRP. However when done on an individual basis this info seems to always fall between the cracks. If we Spyder owners stuck together and submitted a petition demanding that the issue be examined thoroughly, we might ruffle enough feathers and as a result, get some answers. No one here should have to be guessing at the technical causes for what is causing the steering disease. IMO, this info should have been given to us by the manufacturer along with what is/or has been done to prevent it from re-occuring. It seems the vast majority of those who responded to this post agree that a petition would be beneficial.

I would be glad to discuss my reasons for doing what I did previously, via PM any time you wish. Until then, try to refrain from personal attacks, please. Things of that nature should be kept private.

I guess I did not explain well enough what I meant in my comments. You have not taken what I said in the way I meant it. I apologize if I have confused anyone. I hope the comments below can clarify my statements.

Count me out! If you have experienced a problem, or had an additional experience after the recall, report it on the NHTSA site. Guessing at technical causes, (I was asked to provide some technical commentary. I have never had a DPS unit apart, just like most dealer techs. I couldn't possibly offer technical expertise.) passing on second hand information about symptoms, (Again, this was meant from my point of view. I cannot comment on symptoms, save those from my two excursions, which differ from yours. Same for every single owner here. We do not bolster our case by passing on what we have heard, only by what we have personally experienced.) or just expressing your unrealized fears out loud (Lots of people may sign such a petition who have never experienced a steering problem. Others may not even own a Spyder. Comments like this are understandably based in fear, and are certainly unrealized for these particular people. The fears may be real, but such commentary dilutes the effectiveness of such petitions, in my experience in government, and usually has the effect of making the complaint become quickly ignored. An ignored complaint is worse than none at all, as it often causes a need to start all over again. A similar situation caused the Toyota problem to linger far longer than it should have.) will get you nowhere, IMO.

Like you, I would never consider anyone who has actually experienced a steering malfunction to have "unrealized fears." The problems are real and the fears are understandable. The fears for those who have not experience a problem are understandable, too, but they have not been realized, and others who become aware of that may take issue with those if they are expressed as poorly as I did in my first try.

 

[Rando]

Anyone who has experienced a steering malfunction wouldn't consider their fears to be "unrealized" nor would it be "passing on second hand information".

I couldn't agree with you more!

I am sure glad that I experience the steering malfunction on my Spyder instead of my wife on hers. She had never been on a motorcycle until I got her a Spyder. It would have scared her to the point where she would have never gotten on it again!

 

[Sarge707]

I could write a note to Fox news ....:2thumbs:

If you HAD or HAVE the problem you can do whatever YOU want.:dontknow:
If I had the problem and almost " Bit the Dust!" I,d do MORE than call BRP!!:lecturef_smilie:

I have not had a problem with any BRP Product but made my 3rd Call today!

Ring their EARS OFF!!!!!!!!!! Its toll free!!!!!!!!!!:hun:

 

[NancysToy]

If you HAD or HAVE the problem you can do whatever YOU want.:dontknow:
If I had the problem and almost " Bit the Dust!" I,d do MORE than call BRP!!:lecturef_smilie:

I have not had a problem with any BRP Product but made my 3rd Call today!

Ring their EARS OFF!!!!!!!!!! Its toll free!!!!!!!!!!:hun:

I think this may, indeed, be a better approach than a petition.

 

[bone crusher]

I think this may, indeed, be a better approach than a petition.

Good idea but no record...a collective voice is a much louder...

What we need, in no order at this time:

1. Attorney to write language clearly (who we are, the issues, what the issues can cause, who has been affected, how BRP is so far dealing with it, potential solution, etc...)
1.5 'Experts' here to document the problems and how they know 'for sure'...no guesswork...we would need very clear and concise information so that it would be hard to say we're all in left field...
2. Internet person able to write up the petition and document/store signatures, info, experiences, etc...website designer might know this process too...
3. Large amount of signatures from those who have Spyders and are concerned about this...beyond signatures, all those who have had problems and the process for getting them resolved...and if not resolved, then what??
4. People willing to go to BRP, NHTSA, Fox News, whatever to get this to light.
5. The better written this is, the better the result will be. It has to be well thought out and written clearly...we'd have one shot at this...

What else do you all think we'd need?
5.

 

[wyliec]

I guess this is what was to be expected from someone who at one time had decided to remove his presence from the forum because he was so tired of reading about the issues people had with their rides.

Anyone who has experienced a steering malfunction wouldn't consider their fears to be "unrealized" nor would it be "passing on second hand information". I agree that any information should be passed on to the NHTSA, first and foremost and then followed up by calls to BRP. However when done on an individual basis this info seems to always fall between the cracks. If we Spyder owners stuck together and submitted a petition demanding that the issue be examined thoroughly, we might ruffle enough feathers and as a result, get some answers. No one here should have to be guessing at the technical causes for what is causing the steering disease. IMO, this info should have been given to us by the manufacturer along with what is/or has been done to prevent it from re-occuring. It seems the vast majority of those who responded to this post agree that a petition would be beneficial.

You definitely have a way with words. I couldn't agree with you more. The one exception, of course, would only be your first paragraph.

As for who gets any petition, once it is written and signed we can go from there. I don't see anything wrong with sending it to FOX news or any other reporting type agency that will listen. Of course the main one would/should be BRP.

Scotty,

As for the person that mentioned to come to you for technical assistance- I couldn't agree more with what you said. We shouldn't try to make any guesses as to what is the actual cause of any steering issue. I believe the original intent of the post was to make BRP aware that there are a lot of spyder owners that have real concerns regarding a known steering issue with the spyder..

 

[Blane270sx]

I bought an RV a few years back and after 6 months of non stop problems the roof colapsed dealer and builder just wanted a patch job and just did nothing so after a few months of there BS and no fixes I decided to try something, Camper was brand XXX so what I did was register Brand XXX.net cost me about 9 bucks posted the story and some pictures, well don't you now after it started showing up on the search engines I recieved a new RV "power of the internet". I have had zero problems with my spyder but it is in my mind and if they do not come up with something I am afraid the Spyder will fade away. I think if they would just inform owners all this would not be so bad and people would know that they are working on it. I really am getting tired of hearing about it and that seems to be all you hear now and it really is taken over the forum and the fun.

 

[Smylinacha]

Yeah i was reading that about the NHTSA today. Congressional? not sure because everyone is from different places and we all have different congressional people - I think some news thing would be go but don't know how to go down that road - Probably need someone who's bike is in the shop for weeks and weeks on end w/ no solution.

mine is back home - wouldn't really make a good statement w/ that. Although i still don't trust it.

This would work better than a petition in my opinion.

What about calling one's Congressional representative? The NHTSA is coming under Congressional investigation for its actions regarding Toyota's problems. Might we take advantage of this fact somehow?

 

[Smylinacha]

IMHO TOTAL waste of energy calling BRP. Complete waste of time.

If you HAD or HAVE the problem you can do whatever YOU want.:dontknow:
If I had the problem and almost " Bit the Dust!" I,d do MORE than call BRP!!:lecturef_smilie:

I have not had a problem with any BRP Product but made my 3rd Call today!

Ring their EARS OFF!!!!!!!!!! Its toll free!!!!!!!!!!:hun:

 

[Smylinacha]

:clap::agree:

EDIT TO ADD: In looking at my paperwork when I got my DPS replacement, if I wasn't still on Factory Warranty OR if I didn't have an extended warranty - the part alone cost $869.49. Labor was $144. So a person who's 08 factory warranty runs out and they don't have the B.E.S.T. or whatever they buy for extended, BRP makes close to a g note on something that mechanically failed on their part. Sahweet deal for BRP! Take 10 Spyders who's steering messed up - that's close to 10K worth of parts!

Talking to BRP about this issue is pointless. BRP has BRP's best interests in mind, not yours. I included a quote from another thread last week inviting someone from BRP to comment, I've seen no response yet....opcorn: Good thing I'm not holding my breath......

My feeling is that BRP has NO intention of doing anything more than replacing a few DPS units here and there, while they drag their feet and wait for the majority of 2008 Spyders to fall out of the original factory warranty....even if a few Spyder riders are injured or killed in the meantime.....If that happens, the warranty insurance underwriter, or the consumer themselves would be forced to cover the repair costs, not the BRP Spyder budget......I'd bet it's fraudulent activity on some level......

Based on that, I feel some type of group effort is required to raise awareness of the Spyder steering issues.....A well worded petition is a great idea, sent to BRP, NHTB, media, m/c publications, all 50 State's Attorney General's, etc......

I'll put my signature on it:doorag:

 

[czdaryle]

I would be in for something..I like the idea about a web page. It has to be something that hurts their sales or a suit. I think we are all screwed. I think the fix is too expensive and they are dragging their feet. There is no doubt in my mine they know what is wrong and what it takes to fix it

 

[Smylinacha]

I'd rather see that product fade away then claim lives, strand people or hurt them. Sorry, maybe you never had the cr@p scared out of you. Good on ya!:thumbup: But I'm not letting it lie - I own something that's gone WAY DOWN in value and I do not trust it - which is too bad because it is an excellent concept - i just want to ride it and trust it again. If they come out with an honest statement before riding season - I'll listen. I hope they do.

I bought an RV a few years back and after 6 months of non stop problems the roof colapsed dealer and builder just wanted a patch job and just did nothing so after a few months of there BS and no fixes I decided to try something, Camper was brand XXX so what I did was register Brand XXX.net cost me about 9 bucks posted the story and some pictures, well don't you now after it started showing up on the search engines I recieved a new RV "power of the internet". I have had zero problems with my spyder but it is in my mind and if they do not come up with something I am afraid the Spyder will fade away. I think if they would just inform owners all this would not be so bad and people would know that they are working on it. I really am getting tired of hearing about it and that seems to be all you hear now and it really is taken over the forum and the fun.

 

[Lamonster]

My feeling is that BRP has NO intention of doing anything more than replacing a few DPS units here and there, while they drag their feet and wait for the majority of 2008 Spyders to fall out of the original factory warranty....

You would be wrong. There are a few here that will never be happy no matter what BRP does to fix the problem. A special effort was made to fix your unit and still you beat them up every chance you get. I don't get it but I guess that's just the way it is. :sour:

I know for a fact that BRP has made some real progress in nailing down the problem and a real fix is on the way. I hope to be able to post something soon but until then go ahead and make claims like you have some inside information that BRP has no intentions of fixing this problem, that's just not the case.

 

[Roger]

Fires

I'am not dismissing the fires but you mentioned only 8 that we know of but is that counting the guy whos bike caught on fire in the middle of the driveway then when questioned about it he revised his story then was questioned again and he magically left the boards by the way before that he only posted like 2 times. I'am interested to see if somebody with a new 2010 rs has steering problems or did they go with a different manufacturer for the dps.

 

[Lamonster]

I'll post something as soon as I have something to post. You're not happy and never will be as far as I can tell. You seem to think griping about it over and over on the forum is the way to fix the problem.

I can't fix the problem but I can work with the folks that can and I think I've done more to help the members here including you by using my contacts at BRP. You call it how you see it but I'm trying to work with all involved to help solve these problems.

 

[bone crusher]

I would be in for something..I like the idea about a web page. It has to be something that hurts their sales or a suit. I think we are all screwed. I think the fix is too expensive and they are dragging their feet. There is no doubt in my mine they know what is wrong and what it takes to fix it

I don't think a web page to trash BRP is a good idea.

The object of a petition or any other group effort is to use numbers to be certain that BRP is adequately addressing this issue. We are in the dark as to what is being done...BRP isn't making any statements and the longer they take, the more concerned people will get.

Cooler heads need to prevail...Lamont and HDX, we all ride the same vehicle and want what is best. Whether or not we like BRP has no bearing on the situation. We have to determine what we can of the DPS problem(s), get it documented, and pass it along to whomever.

None of us will do well if BRP goes under...I want BRP to succeed...however, I'd appreciate it if they made a greater effort to keep those who have had serious problems informed. There appears to be just too many of us who have had DPS problems that are not getting addressed.

This has to stop...a petition is a 'nice' way of letting BRP know where many owners of Spyders stand on this subject. We're not out to get BRP...we just want our bikes to work properly so that a steering issue doesn't lead to serious injury or death.

I think with this focus in mind, we can achieve our objective...I don't think BRP is happy with unhappy Spyder owners...they know that a lot of future purchases come from us...it does not serve them to be unkind to current owners.

With a good message to BRP, we can get better answers...working together to solve problems will go much further this way...