Failure of Handlebars!!

[Guest dibster]

Although I'm new to the site but have had an X11 for nearly ten years, I was wondering if anyone had heard of the handlebars failing?

After getting my bike back on the road after its winter hideaway the bloody handlebar went and sheared off. Yes thats right you did read correct, sheared off. It snapped clean off on the right side along the bracket with the mirror clamp housing.

Stuffed the bike, although I was only pulling out of a junction about 5mph it was a shock.

Fair bit of damage to the bike.

At present Honda UK are to look into the failure and then see what happens next, BUT not sure if this has happened before or has even been heard of? The dealer where I got the bike from hasn't but its a big world out there.

The other side of things is this a single failure or potentially a defect which could bite someone else?

Fortunately I was only at low speed, hate to think what would of happened at high speed on a motorway of bend etc

Thoughts etc appreciated.

[fast_eddy 712]

Nasty

I've never heard of it before... but even once would be one too many!

[Kenko 335]

Must have been all them wheelies you've been pulling. :laugh: Hope that you was not hurt in any way.

[blueboy 138]

Glad you are OK.But if I were you I would get the bike looked at by a good mechanic as he should be able to tell you if there is any precrash damage that may have weaken the handle bar area and may be other problems .I would be very surpised if it a product fault as the bike must be a few years old .By the way whats the year and mileage Bry ps you don't have the bike leaning against the wall on that side by chance did you ?

[Guest JamesCates]

sorry to hear about that and it sounds like a freak occurrence. Hope you get it sorted and repaired and back on the road soon.

[Guest dibster]

Nope, no wheelies, just bog standard riding, fortunately only grazed my elbow where I took impact onto road

Must have been all them wheelies you've been pulling. :laugh: Hope that you was not hurt in any way.

[Guest dibster]

The mechanic who does all my servicing etc has had a look, although he's no expert, he believes that there is a fault line running through the casting! Not sure if thats true or if that was there from "new" or age thing?

The bike is nearly 10 years old its a 2001 model with just a shade over 20k on the clock. And no its never been lent against anything, always use side or main stand so thats not an issue.

Its now back at the Honda dealership where I bought it for them and Honda to decide whats happening with it and what was the cause? if they can work that out. Bloody shocking when it happened its the last thing you expect

Glad you are OK.But if I were you I would get the bike looked at by a good mechanic as he should be able to tell you if there is any precrash damage that may have weaken the handle bar area and may be other problems .I would be very surpised if it a product fault as the bike must be a few years old .By the way whats the year and mileage Bry ps you don't have the bike leaning against the wall on that side by chance did you ?

[blueboy 138]

keep us in touch with results as have you said this may invouled more that one bike long term as all the things the bike makers use are made in batches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maintenanceman 206]

If X-11 would be a new model, this kind "happening" can cause so called recall, and all our handlebars would be changed to new ones.

You are lucky that nothing more severe didnt happen

Edited March 12, 2011 by Maintenanceman

[Guest dibster]

Well I've had a reply from Honda UK and I'm not happy.

They have said that from photos sent to them by the dealer there are "indicators" within them that show it not to be a manufacturing fault. ??

Perplexing that from only photos you can determine this!!!

I would of thought that it would require a metallurgical test of some kind not just a look at some photos etc. They have said that through their technicians vast experience that this is the case and basically are "washing" their hands of the problem.

They wouldn't even tell me if there have been other instances of this occuring, they just say that they cannot discuss any other case other than my own

Frustarted is an understatement of what I think about it. What about the implications of all other X11's out there? I just hope that it isn't a fault and comes back to bite anyone else.

I've wrote to a guy at MCN to see if they can look into it, have to wait and see?

If X-11 would be a new model, this kind "happening" can cause so called recall, and all our handlebars would be changed to new ones.

You are lucky that nothing more severe didnt happen

[Guest phpbiker]

Crikey...

I thought that looked like a week spot the first time I rode one of these..

Hoped I was wrong to tell you the truth .. bad luck though geezer.

[Guest raeman]

I've had my x11 now for just over 4yrs and can honestly say i've never heard of this happening on any other x11.

Are you the original owner? Is there any chance the bike has been laid down on that particular side in the past or dropped heavily?

Sounds like there has been a hairline crack that over the years has got more and more weakened resulting in it snapping.

I would be annoyed with Honda aswell, after all who's gonna pay for the bike repairs now?

You could allways get a specialist solicitor on your side, usually the initial phone call is free, they could take details and then leave it to them to persue Honda or your insurance company might be able to help.

I would well pissed off if it happened to my bike!

Post a piccie of the snapped bit so we can check our's in that particular spot.

Good luck and keep us informed.

[Guest phpbiker]

Just checking in on this thread.. and thats what I was thinking, I reckon this bikes been on its side, perhaps not too badly, but just enough to create a stress fracture?

[Guest dibster]

I am the original owner, had the bike since May 2001 its done 20k miles, all dry weather.

The bike has never been lent on the bar nor laid down on its side, it was in almost pristine condition, not a scratch on it till this happened.

I've asked a guy at my works to see if one of our specialist metalurgical companies can do any tests etc on it, at present I've not heard back from them with the results. Fingers crossed.

Re the snapped section, it occurred at the point on the right handlebar to the right side of where the mirror is clamped to it. Just snapped off. Pissed off I can tell you, especially with Honda. And whats more the insurance company have rung me to say its an economical right off now, so extremely pissed off. My mate who runs a Honda dealership for the past 17years has never heard of it either.

I've had my x11 now for just over 4yrs and can honestly say i've never heard of this happening on any other x11.

Are you the original owner? Is there any chance the bike has been laid down on that particular side in the past or dropped heavily?

Sounds like there has been a hairline crack that over the years has got more and more weakened resulting in it snapping.

I would be annoyed with Honda aswell, after all who's gonna pay for the bike repairs now?

You could allways get a specialist solicitor on your side, usually the initial phone call is free, they could take details and then leave it to them to persue Honda or your insurance company might be able to help.

I would well pissed off if it happened to my bike!

Post a piccie of the snapped bit so we can check our's in that particular spot.

Good luck and keep us informed.

See my reply to raeman, it explains some more

Just checking in on this thread.. and thats what I was thinking, I reckon this bikes been on its side, perhaps not too badly, but just enough to create a stress fracture?

[Guest phpbiker]

Total bummer. Honda have to hear about it. And I am going to keep a very sharp eye on mine!

[x11r 386]

Most Honda Technicians Ive ever used have the Vast experience of fucking up your pride and joy , let alone be able to tell the metallurgical properties of a handle bar !

[wayne 426]

Wheres the bike now ?

[Guest phpbiker]

I was more thinking of Honda as in the makers of the bike. Not the numpties at the dealerships..

[Mick 162]

Just a thought, but have you ever lifted the bike by the bars with a hoist or similar?

[fast_eddy 712]

Even though Dibster is the 1st owner, he still doesn't know what went on at the supplying dealers premises, before he got the bike!

The things I've seen that go on in so called professional workshops would make your toes curl.

[Guest dibster]

Written off by the Insurance company

Its at Carole Nash's own repairers in Manchester, but alas no more to be on the road

Wheres the bike now ?

Not by me and to my knowledge neither by anyone else

Just a thought, but have you ever lifted the bike by the bars with a hoist or similar?

[x11r 386]

Doesn't mean you have to loose it , have you inquired about buying it back ?

[blueboy 138]

I brought a bike back off a insurance company once all you do is appect the bike value minus salvage at the time I did it the write off was worth £150 on a £1000 bike .It cost me less than £200 to repair and was almost as good as before so I would look in to it Bry

[x11r 386]

Remember the Bike is your property until you agree a price with insurers so dont let them take it. if its an uneconomical repair due to the cost of new parts thats understandable, but a salvage company will sell it on as a repairable and make a mint from it , because they wont have paid much for it in the first place.

Edited March 27, 2011 by x11r

[wayne 426]

They will remove it to the salvage yard without asking you & then sell it on before they have paid you out, if you want it back make sure the repair shop does not let it go & they will if told to. Go there & remove it back to yours, as John says untill you agree a price the bike is still yours to do with as you please.

Salvage company tried 3 times to take my bike but it was safely locked away my garage, but they kept on trying this was before they even gave me a settlement figure.

Act now unless you don't want it back of course.

Edited March 27, 2011 by wayne