Frame Damage - Scrambler

[Skidplate865]

Here are a few pics of some frame damage I noticed a few weeks ago while having the shocks serviced.

The posts that the shocks slide onto is bending up and the bracket it attaches to is failing in between the welds. It is happening on both sides - the right hand side is more pronounced.

I filed a claim last Tuesday with the dealer and Triumph's warranty dept. sent my dealer (NYC - Corsa Motorsports)an email today. It was a "no" as I heard it read to me. Triumph is saying that the frame damage is not covered as I have used after market shocks (Ohlins) and because they helped themselves to a peek at my photobucket account, it was obvious that the bike had been offroad. Scramblers - according to Triumph's warranty dept. are not designed to be ridden offroad.

I asked the Service manager to forward me the warranty dept.'s email, but he said that he wasn't sure if he could do that. I asked if he could send me an email stating the reasons for the denied claim. He said he would - no email yet...

To answer a few questions up front, the bike is under warranty for a few months more, it has 46,000 miles, and I keep the bike serviced.

A head's up: the damage starts out as a crack in the powdercoat and the seam between the welds buckles slowly at first. I am posting this to suggest that other Scram riders periodically check your frames at the shock mounts. I would never have seen this if I were not servicing my shocks.

 

[whyme]

Not designed to be ridden off road?? ha ha...why the dual purpose tires, high exhaust, headlight grill etc etc......

I'd fight it. I had a Kawasaki Jet ski that the hull was cracking underneath. They told me I was riding it too hard. I showed them their add campaign that year which showed it going up a waterfall. Although I was jumping huge waves with it, but they didn't know that.

Anyway...it took a fight but they replaced my hull.

 

[rodburner]

Skid,that's some pretty tough offroading. Those shock mounts are solid steel,about an inch in diameter and go through the frame tube,then are welded on each side to that thinner gusset material. The frame tube would almost have to be rotating in its weld to do that. Lucky for us,we can bend the shock stud back level,and weld in some new gussets without compromising the ability to mount the shocks. Mine's a bit over killed but hey,its out of warranty anyway.
double cross tubes and top tubes,1"X .120 wall DOM and 1/4" triangulated gussets..

 

[strokerlmt]

I would fight to see if you can prevail. Usually in these cases IF you pursue and keep the pressure and paper work flowing something gives eventually. The OFF ROAD thing for a scrambler JUST CRACKS ME UPPPPPPPPPPPPP
So its a "poser scrambler" but the ads all talk about grd clearance, configuration/frame, torque etc and why the scram is sooooooo goood off the road. So I guess buy a scrambler BUT don't take it off road. I would jump all over this situation. Meanwhile.......photograph....document the damage inside out.....then take it to your favorite weld shop and put it rt once and for all. Reason.....You have to do this for safety reasons......cannot leave bike as is.
Just my ranting.......Ya know I love Triumphs.....but I dislike corporations and dealers who brush the consumer off.
LMT

 

[GuyM]

Rodburner - wow - you really re-worked that frame & suspension... Awesome...

 

[bonnxton]

To answer a few questions up front, the bike is under warranty for a few months more, it has 46,000 miles, and I keep the bike serviced.

A head's up: the damage starts out as a crack in the powdercoat and the seam between the welds buckles slowly at first. I am posting this to suggest that other Scram riders periodically check your frames at the shock mounts. I would never have seen this if I were not servicing my shocks.[/QUOTE]

is it worth putting your old shocks on and trying another shop?

Rockwell Cycles in Fort Montgomery ?

 

[drlapo]

I'm curious, does the warranty that comes with the bike say it is not to be used off road?
the warranty is a contract and if it says no off roading then the warraty declination may be valid

 

[wiseanhyzer]

Here are a few pics of some frame damage I noticed a few weeks ago while having the shocks serviced.

I filed a claim last Tuesday with the dealer and Triumph's warranty dept. sent my dealer (NYC - Corsa Motorsports)an email today. It was a "no" as I heard it read to me. Triumph is saying that the frame damage is not covered as I have used after market shocks (Ohlins) and because they helped themselves to a peek at my photobucket account, it was obvious that the bike had been offroad. Scramblers - according to Triumph's warranty dept. are not designed to be ridden offroad.

I asked the Service manager to forward me the warranty dept.'s email, but he said that he wasn't sure if he could do that. I asked if he could send me an email stating the reasons for the denied claim. He said he would - no email yet...

To answer a few questions up front, the bike is under warranty for a few months more, it has 46,000 miles, and I keep the bike serviced.

A head's up: the damage starts out as a crack in the powdercoat and the seam between the welds buckles slowly at first. I am posting this to suggest that other Scram riders periodically check your frames at the shock mounts. I would never have seen this if I were not servicing my shocks.

Thanks for the heads up on this Skidplate. This sucks.

What did they see in your potobucket account that constitutes off roading? Gravel roads and forest service roads are still government maintained roads. Just because they are not paved doesn't mean you were misusing the machine off road. The thing about them telling you your warranty is void because of aftermarket shocks is such a load of crap. Just an excuse to waive any liability. Sorry you're having to deal with this.

 

[Skidplate865]

Thanks for the heads up on this Skidplate. This sucks.

What did they see in your potobucket account that constitutes off roading? Gravel roads and forest service roads are still government maintained roads. Just because they are not paved doesn't mean you were misusing the machine off road. The thing about them telling you your warranty is void because of aftermarket shocks is such a load of crap. Just an excuse to waive any liability. Sorry you're having to deal with this.

Yeah, thanks. I have taken the bike offroad, not rough - but definitely offroad. I never abused or treated my bike carelessly, but I did go offroad. I thought we were supposed to? I guess I'm naive and shouldn't buy the marketing. Live and learn! I'm not much for fighting city hall, so I'm just going to learn to weld and move on...

 

[wiseanhyzer]

Yeah, thanks. I have taken the bike offroad, not rough - but definitely offroad. I never abused or treated my bike carelessly, but I did go offroad. I thought we were supposed to? I guess I'm naive and shouldn't buy the marketing. Live and learn! I'm not much for fighting city hall, so I'm just going to learn to weld and move on...

Well, this is an excellent excuse to learn to weld. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Kirkus51]

I'm sure somebody has the information on the headquarters of Triumph USA. I'd call them directly and get something going. I was told that my warranty would cover anything except maybe running just headers. There's a lot of dealers out there who just don't want to do the work cuz it's not as profitable as other work they could be doing. I was "in the biz" for a week here and there. A wide variety of service writers out there who just don't want the headache.

 

[Deano]

Wow, I have hit pot holes on the paved road, at 100km, and felt they would be more likely to do that sort of damage than the off road stuff I have done. The bike should be able to handle this sort of thing. And I purchased mine thinking it was suitable for off road. No extra stickers saying 'DO not take off road'

 

[Skidplate865]

My apologies for not uploading pics of the repair. I just started grad school and I've been busy.

I had pretty much forgotten about the post when I took a quick look at the other site and saw that a guy (RotaryRacer) was experiencing a frame failure just like mine. Honestly, I wasn't going to haul my butt out in the rain and take pics of the repair yesterday (Sunday) until I saw his post.

Here's my FrankenScrambler post-surgery:

The reason the paint looks so shiney is that it's not paint. It's a rust inhibitor that some professionals use called POR 15. I brushed it on with a cheap-o chinese 2" paintbrush and it smoothed itself out to look like a pro sprayed it on?! You can't see it in the pics (because I'm too lazy to take the rack & shocks off) but the plates we welded on actually go around the entire shock mounting post. The plates are welded to the base of the posts, the down tube, the top tube, and pretty much everywhere else just to be safe...

The other guy's frame failed in exactly the same way - I could have mistaken his close up pics for my own. His bike was an '07 Scram with 20,000 miles... When I got the idea that it's not just my bike, I shot Peter Carleo at Triumph USA an email and asked him to pass this along to the design team in GB. We'll see if it helps anyone down the line...

 

[koifarm]

It would seem with these two that we know about there must be more. If Triumph were on top of things they would/should order a dealer inspection of all bikes. Notwithstanding the liability they could suffer if and when someone gets hurt because of a weak frame, were I them I certainly would not want the onus of a severe problem like that to prevent future purchasers from choosing their machines.
Food for thought....

 

[Bonniebret]

I never thought the Scramblers were meant for off-road use since a. they're basically a re-configured Bonnie and b. they're so heavy. I figured they were marketed to a customer who just wanted an off-road look.