Racer sues Suzuki over 'defective' frame
Manx Grand Prix racer seeks £300,000 compensation after his bike's frame splits in two
A MOTORCYCLE racer is seeking more than £300,000 compensation from Suzuki Motorcycles after he was involved in a crash on the Isle of Man in August 2006.
Alan Jackson, of New Longton, near Preston, Lancashire, was riding in practice for the Manx Grand Prix, when his bike's frame allegedly split in two.
Now the 29-year-old is suing Suzuki for damages, saying the frame of his GSX-R750 motorbike was defective.
Jackson says Suzuki were negligent, claiming the frame's welds were not strong enough, and that the company failed to carry out suitable testing of the frame.
Jackson has retired from his £40,000-a-year job on grounds of ill health.
Discuss this story
good luck! He'll need it. I'd take a rough guess and say that Suzuki's defence will be that GSXR's are not designed to be race bikes - but are road bikes. And/or that Jackson (or someone) modified the bike to be used outside it's design parameters. The court will consider this for a nano-second throw Jacksons case out.
Posted: 21/07/2009 at 12:59
I don't really know much about this event, but something strikes me as a little odd. Is the allegation that the frame just broke, leading to a crash? If so, I would have thought that a failure would be preceeded by stress fractures, blueing or other such signs way in advance and would be picked up during strip-down / service. I am struggling to see that it would just fail without being subjected to some form of loading substantially in excess of that experienced through normal riding or even racing. Given that the frame was relatively new, I can't see that fatigue load would be any kind of factor As stated, without knowing all of the facts I can only conjecture, but it would seem more likely that the broken frame resulted from the crash and not vice versa.
Posted: 21/07/2009 at 13:32
Correct me if I'm wrong but dont Suzuki have a bit if a history with snapping frames.
i think you might be thinking of uri geller and his spoons.
there has been a recall on all k6 1000's to have the frames inspected and strengthed.
Posted: 21/07/2009 at 13:59
Correct me if I'm wrong but dont Suzuki have a bit if a history with snapping frames.
i think you might be thinking of uri geller and his spoons.
there has been a recall on all k6 1000's to have the frames inspected and strengthed.
Wasn't there a scare with Hyabusers a while back to, I think someone died, and other people had problems with the frames snapping at high speed.
Posted: 21/07/2009 at 14:02
the only problem i've heard of is the k6 1000 but that's because i have one and the local suzuki dealer told me about it.
Nah I'm pretty sure Suzuki have a history with shit frames.
Posted: 21/07/2009 at 23:39
~OK, so I know that my predudices are well out of date (about 30 years I think) but it was always considered back then that honda=4 stroke boring, Yam=2 stoke dependable(ish) Kawasaki=odd ball three cylinder madness and Susuki=fragile but almost as powerful as Yam. (and Ducati=10:1 workshop:road ratio) It was a long time ago though, so I may havemisremembered (and I have just got back form the pub!)
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 00:41
Welds in aluminium allow are rather tricky things and result in poor "cast" metal properties, rather than half decent bar or sheet properties. They can include flaws which might not even show up under basic X-ray examination (which I doubt Suzuki do on every frame anyway). The size and shape of a of a flaw is what drives how many load cycles (fatigue) it can go thru' before failing. If a flaw is inside a weld rather than on the surface it is possible to not see it until it fails.
so why wouldn't this apply to all makes then tappy ? not just suzuki.
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 07:11
Just wondering how old the bike was that the frame snapped on. My mates handle bar on his 9 year old R1 snapped off when he was doing 40 on the road. Needless to say he is pretty sore now but could easily have been killed. I think he should ask Yamaha for compensation but he says the bike is too old and they'd just tell him to piss off. What do you think?
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 10:17
I think he should ask Yamaha for compensation but he says the bike is too old and they'd just tell him to piss off. What do you think?
I think he's right and you are wrong. A 9 year old bike could have been dropped (several times) and damaged the alloy. Salt could then have got into the casting and corroded it. Or some hamfisted spanner monkey could have damaged the clamp when changing the fork seals. It is hard to see how any of this could be Yamahas fault.
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 10:24
Yeah that's true, I think the reason it snapped it that he does wheelies all the time and that must have weakend the bars. Imagine it though going along and you pull the front brake and the bar snaps. Terrifying, especially as it happended with out warning. I guess there is a warrenty for a couple of years and if anything happens in that time you can claim. Probably the same with the gixxers frame, hence having to sue.
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 11:32
Welds in aluminium allow are rather tricky things and result in poor "cast" metal properties, rather than half decent bar or sheet properties. They can include flaws which might not even show up under basic X-ray examination (which I doubt Suzuki do on every frame anyway). The size and shape of a of a flaw is what drives how many load cycles (fatigue) it can go thru' before failing. If a flaw is inside a weld rather than on the surface it is possible to not see it until it fails.
so why wouldn't this apply to all makes then tappy ? not just suzuki.
Hextal was questioning whether the rider should've spotted damage, signs of stress etc - he's probably right, but I was just pointing out that flaws can exist, be hidden, and then let go without any warning. But yeah - could apply to any make.
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 13:46
I'm sure they problems with the Bussa when first launched. Rear sub frames from memory, Suzuki blamed excess luggage along with pillions being loaded
Funny they should blame that, when all the bikes I have had, have successfully made long journey fully loaded up with a pillion and not snapped.
They should just admit to being total cretins when it comes to manifacturing frames.
Posted: 22/07/2009 at 23:36
You're assuming that they make there own frames of course and they don't just sub the work to a back street shack in the 3rd world somewhere......
If they do, it would be the answer to a lot of it.
Quite often with contract parts, defects are not seen untill the vehicle is used. 99.9% of the time its often silly stuff that is an annoyance, but sometimes its a part that kills.
Posted: 23/07/2009 at 08:31
I'm sure they problems with the Bussa when first launched. Rear sub frames from memory, Suzuki blamed excess luggage along with pillions being loaded They also blamed people removing the standard exhaust and fitting aftermarket items - on the grounds that the standard exhaust contributed stiffness & strength to the rear subframe. Given the HUGE market in fitting aftermarket exhausts, and the likelihood of people doing so, I think trying to make that stick in a court would be met with a "not fit for purpose" argument.
Posted: 23/07/2009 at 20:26
Robert Dunlop attempted to sue a wheel manufacturer (can't recall which one) when his wheel collapsed at the TT in 1994. Did he win the case? In which case, perhaps this could be used by the Suzuki rider as precedence?
Posted: 24/07/2009 at 11:46
He won mate http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/1766779.stm
Posted: 24/07/2009 at 11:59
Robert Dunlop attempted to sue a wheel manufacturer (can't recall which one) when his wheel collapsed at the TT in 1994. Did he win the case? In which case, perhaps this could be used by the Suzuki rider as precedence?
You might presume Marvic supply rims suitable for 'racing' - rather than Suzuki's 'road' bike frame.
Posted: 24/07/2009 at 12:06
Robert Dunlop attempted to sue a wheel manufacturer (can't recall which one) when his wheel collapsed at the TT in 1994. Did he win the case? In which case, perhaps this could be used by the Suzuki rider as precedence?
You might presume Marvic supply rims suitable for 'racing' - rather than Suzuki's 'road' bike frame.
There's been a few cases in the States too, and as I said earlier the main point is the recall on some K6 models . . . I know what you're sayin FJS, but the barrister is a specialist(and before you ask not in suing bike manufactuers nor snapped sub-frames) and dare say wouldn't take a case he thought could be dismissed with such a basic defence.
Posted: 24/07/2009 at 13:24
sounds to me like a jump on the band wagon blame suzuki thing, how many times had the bike been crashed before? did he buy it new, what was its history, frames dont just break without previous impact, i have a k5 1000, theres a recall on them because theres been one case of a weld cracking out of how many sold over world, reckon this guy is trying to screw anyone he can to compensate for his crash, not a prayer as far as i can see, i wont say good luck because this shit does my head in, hope he loses the case, if suzuki get out of it maybe he will sue the circuit, PROBABLY
Posted: 25/07/2009 at 00:19
sounds to me like a jump on the band wagon blame suzuki thing, how many times had the bike been crashed before? did he buy it new, what was its history, frames dont just break without previous impact, i have a k5 1000, theres a recall on them because theres been one case of a weld cracking out of how many sold over world, reckon this guy is trying to screw anyone he can to compensate for his crash, not a prayer as far as i can see, i wont say good luck because this shit does my head in, hope he loses the case, if suzuki get out of it maybe he will sue the circuit, PROBABLY well actually yeah, Suzuki has a history of frames snapping on brand new bikes that havent been crashed.
Posted: 25/07/2009 at 05:40
Robert Dunlop attempted to sue a wheel manufacturer (can't recall which one) when his wheel collapsed at the TT in 1994. Did he win the case? In which case, perhaps this could be used by the Suzuki rider as precedence?
You might presume Marvic supply rims suitable for 'racing' - rather than Suzuki's 'road' bike frame.
Since found out the bike was one of a number supplied by Suzuki thru' Padgetts as race bikes.
So guess they're stumped on that one
Posted: 25/07/2009 at 10:09
my handlebar snapp-ed on my 98 R1 was breaking from about 65/70 when suddenly my left bar snapped off fortunately it wasnt thye right one. i went to Webs motorcycles in peterborough and they were not interested at all. i wasnt after anything just thought yamaha may be interested. bought some Harris ones in the end and didnt have any problems.
Posted: 25/07/2009 at 18:25
With regards to FJSRiders comments about the bike being a road bike and not a race bike, that's trash! The superbikes you see racing on the TV are exactly the same frames as the race replica sportbikes you see on the street and what you buy from the showroom.
All that is 'trash' here are your unthinking comments. I've suggested that Suzuki might say they are not responsible for what happens when people using their frames for racing. I'm sure plenty of people may use them on tracks very successfully - but what happens to the bikes that are outside the 'controlled' environment they are designed for? Outside the dealer network maintaining them? It cannot reasonably be Suzuki's problem. Also, remember Robert Dunlop's bad accident when his racewheel collapsed on the straight after coming over Ballaugh Bridge. He got a publicised 500,000 quid! The man in question here has a case! Bigtime! We've discussed that already. Was that wheel designed and sold specifically for racing purposes?
Posted: 25/07/2009 at 19:12
I particulalry love this thread, somehow we went from one suzuki frame possibly breaking under race conditions to all suzuki frames are rubbish...without even a shread of evidence. Yes, blah blah blah, the Busa rear subframe had a recall, but take a look at your average busa rider and his fat missus. Did you want a bike designed to take that?
Posted: 26/07/2009 at 20:59
I particulalry love this thread, somehow we went from one suzuki frame possibly breaking under race conditions to all suzuki frames are rubbish...without even a shread of evidence. Yes, blah blah blah, the Busa rear subframe had a recall, but take a look at your average busa rider and his fat missus. Did you want a bike designed to take that?
Why do people have to defend there preferred brand to death?. I have owned many different brands of motorcycles, I prefer Triumphs and Harley's but if something doesn't work or is shit, then I would say so, I have repeatedly moaned about the T509 Speed triple I owned, pointing out known faults to potential new owners, even though I really loved the bike.
I now own a Suzuki, I have read, I have seen and heard of frames snapping on Suzukis, especially on the Hyabusa, why is it most other brands manage it, but yet Suzuki are known for snapping frames. A bike should be designed and most are to take extreme weights, if Suzuki cant manage to build a frame thats up to the job then thats how it is.
Posted: 26/07/2009 at 22:17
Mine just broke in September @ Thunderhill Raceway - Today they denied my claim stating that I must have impacted something because the front wheel hit the radiator.. I'm not real happy with their response.
Agenda
• Introduction and Background - Rob Burch, MotoFit Group
• History - MotoFit Group GSX-R 750
• Incident - Catastrophic Frame Failure
• Direction - MotoFit Group & American Suzuki Motor Corperation
• Closing - We have a job to do.
Introduction and Background
Hello, my name is Rob Burch. I’m an old school carving sport enthusiast originally from Camarillo, California. My passions grow from my childhood in the 70’s, riding waves, BMX, skateboards, and motorcycles. Like many kids my age, I fell in love with motorcycles before letting the clutch out on my own bike. Growing up, I surrounded myself with motorcycles, motorcycle racing, and the heroes from speedway, flat track, desert racing, moto-cross, and road racing.
Today, living in Portland, Oregon, I remain a steadfast motorcycle enthusiast. I’ve made motorcycles, riding, training, and educating other riders a way of life. My business, the MotoFit Group, is the sole resident riders school at one of the best tracks in the county for motorcycle rider training, Oregon Raceway Park (ORP). Indeed, the MotoFit Group enjoys excellent success at this world-class track and is in fact the largest customer of ORP.
The MotoFit Group represents a safety conscious culture of motorcycle riders who realize the benefits of road course rider training. Our program turns fundamental riding concepts into rider strategy, and rider strategy into rider instinct. Last year we introduced over five hundred new riders to the program and there are over two thousand registered MotoFit Group Members. Our mission is simple: to help ALL riders learn safety, develop skill, increase confidence, and expand their riding ability. In so doing, our riders naturally grow to enjoy the sport even more. We’re doing our part to sustain and build the sport by developing more complete riders.
History – MotoFit Group GSX-R 750
In September of 2010, we purchased a 2007 GSX-R 750 with very low miles and in great condition. We invested heavily in the bike’s suspension while leaving the motor stock, and immediately began using it at MotoFit Group events. We promoted our new component of rider safety and began giving students two-up training rides. I was able to demonstrate firsthand to students the “how-to” of everything we discussed in the classroom. The bike became prolific for reinventing riders. Almost immediately it was recognized as the MotoFit Group two-up machine – a signature component of the company. It developed a renowned reputation for making significant positive differences in every single rider who climbed on the back for a two-lap session. It helped riders gain confidence and rethink their approach to everyday riding, not to mention its strength in driving home the MotoFit Group tag line, “more smiles per mile”. In fact, more than one rider-trainee purchased a new Suzuki motorcycle after their experience on the back of that bike. We were building trust in both the MotoFit Group and Suzuki, and the bike was catching the interest of riders all along the west coast.
Incident – Catastrophic Frame Failure
Labor Day Weekend, 2011, I was attending a Keigwin Track day event at Thunder Hill Raceway Park in Willows, California. During the first Advanced Rider session of the afternoon, on the third lap, I came out of Turn 2 at the top of third gear. Approaching the braking zone for Turn 3, I shifted the bike to the left in preparation for the upcoming right-hand, off-camber, falling-elevation corner. When I pulled hard on the brakes the bike abruptly collapse
Posted: 24/11/2011 at 04:22
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