NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03053

TRIUMPH RESPONDED TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST ON FEBRUARY 23, 2004. IN ADDITION TO THE MY2000-2002 TRIUMPH DAYTONA AND SPRINT MODELS, TRIUMPH IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL MODELS THAT WERE BUILT WITH THE SAME FUEL LINE FITTINGS:2000-2003 TT600, 2002-2004 SPEED FOUR, 2004 DAYTONA 600, 1997-2004 DAYTONA T595 & 955, 1997-2004 SPEED TRIPLE 855 & 955, 2000-2004 SPRINT RS 955, 1999-2004 SPRINT ST 955, AND 1999-2004 TIGER 855 & 955.THE MAJORITYOF THESE MOTORCYCLES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.A MODIFIED CONNECTOR WAS INTRODUCED LATE IN CALENDAR YEAR 2003, WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXHIBIT THE DEFECT. MOTORCYCLES BUILT AFTER THE MODIFICATION WILL NOT BE RECALLED.TRIUMPH IDENTIFIED 13 UNITED STATES AND 6 UK COMPLAINTS.ONE US COMPLAINT APPEARED TO BE RELATED TO A POSSIBLE CRASH WHERE LEAKING FUEL CAUSED A LOSS OF TRACTION. AFTER ODI'S REVIEW OF TRIUMPH'SDOCUMENTS, FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION OF RELEVANT FACTS WITH TRIUMPH, THEY MADE THE DECISION TO CONDUCT THE RECALL.THE RECALLED VEHICLES WILL HAVE THE PLASTIC FUEL CONNECTORS REPLACED WITH A SIMILARLY DESIGNED ALUMINUM CONNECTOR. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.