If you've got brake failure even one time, it's for sure a big deal.
Having re-occuring brake problems that the dealer can't fix is both extremely frustrating & a big deal.
The questions in my mind are:
- Why isn't the dealer able to fix the problem?
- What exactly IS the problem?
I have read of quality/reliability problems that have been fixed over here in the UK that sometimes haven't appeared to have been resolved in the US, so i'm wondering if this is a Triumph USA problem rather than a Triumph UK (mothership) problem. That's not discounting a possibility that Triumph USA isn't being supported well enough by Triumph UK, but I doubt that, as the US market is very important to Triumph UK.....especially on the Rocket line.
It's also fairly conceivable that US spec bikes have one or two differently spec'd parts on them for reasons such as differences in type approval etc...
The issue is that the bike gets bled (this has been done 6x by the dealership), and then the rear brake goes completely soft after a ride or two. They claim they have replaced the master cylinder and the entire brake system twice. I believe this is all related to the past recalls (one of these was done due to the recall, the other they're calling "goodwill"). The recall has never been fixed for the four years it's been in the shop, and every time this shop takes the bike, they take it for months (usually from spring through summer), claiming that they are waiting for a response from corporate.
But the kicker is that last year, Triumph Corporate decided they weren't going to deal with this ongoing failure and the dealership told me they denied the claim.
I spoke with Triumph USA, and they sent me form letter after form letter in response, saying basically this was my problem, and that I needed to get it to a mechanic in order for them to review the case. Well - 6 services, and a few lies later about other issues, and I had it with that dealership. I told corporate they need to pay for the tow and take it to a different dealership. They said no - my problem.
Well, here's the deal:
#1. It's illegal to not fully resolve a recall issue.
#2. They denied my last claim, so why would I give them any good faith by believing that the cost of me towing this to a dealership 1-2 hours away wouldn't just result in them denying it again?
The dealership wanted roughly $2k for this issue. They can shove that.
I supplied corporate with the paperwork, had about 40 back and forth (polite) email conversations, filed a report with the NHTSA, filed a report with the BBB, and filed a report with the Attorney General
My last course of action is a lawsuit. And while I'm on the fence about following through just out of principle, it's likely not a wise choice given the cost of the repair. I most certainly won't trust my local dealer anymore (like I said - over the past 4 years - lie after lie after lie - but that's a different story), and would a lawsuit be worth spending a ton of money on for something that the Indian dealership across the street said they could do for $400-$600?
In principle, yes. In practice, pretty foolish.
But that's where I'm at.
I live in a medium sized city, so there is no competition for the dealership - and oh boy, do they know it. So owning a Triumph in this city is second only to actual extortion from the local dealership. $400-$500 per oil change - supposedly for their 50 point inspection or whatever - and wow, can I tell you about those "inspections" - the biggest joke on the planet (gave the bike back to me with loose handlebars, scratched the tank, had a heat shield fall off on the highway). Tell John Elway that he purchased a dumpster fire of liability.
If you live in Northern Colorado, forget Triumph completely. Forget the other manufacturer that the dealership deals in as well. And forget Triumph, if you want a company that backs its (relatively) expensive bikes.
Absolute garbage.
Pay $20k+ for a bike, you expect the Corporation and the dealership to be a little more sensitive about their reputation, and make things right. At least when there's a legal reason to? I don't think that a $200-$500 tow on corporate's part is really out of the question after the crap they've put me through. And heck, they could probably do it for peanuts if they had their dealership come out and pick it up. They transfer bikes between stores all the time. So this would LITERALLY cost them next to nothing, except for their reputation.