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Spokes Update

64K views 158 replies 61 participants last post by  DoubleThumper 
#1 ·
Thank you for your recent contact to our offices regarding your Honda Africa Twin. Firstly, I would like to apologise for the delay in replying to you. I can see that your case was passed to my colleague Richard McGivern but that he has not contacted you since 14 June and I can only apologise for this.

I am sorry to hear of the issue that you have experienced with the spokes on your wheels and that they have shown signs of corrosion. From speaking to Xxxxxxx in the service team at Hunts Motorcycles, who I believe you have also been speaking to, has advised that the matter has currently been pased to our factory and that the matter is under investigation. Please be assured that once we receive a reply/counter-measure for this, all dealers will be contacted to make them aware of the outcome so that any customer who has experienced an issue can be contacted directly.

We value all of the feedback that we receive into our offices as information of this type is used to improve the range of products and services that we provide to our customers and I am sorry that on this occasion your personal expectations have not been met.

Once again, please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for bringing this matter to our attention.

Kind Regards,
Sarah



Customer Relations
Customer & Aftersales
Honda (UK)

Telephone: 0845 200 8000
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Last Friday, I was discussing with a dealer the possibility of Honda introducing a tubeless rim option and was informed Honda has recognised they have problems with spoke corrosion and in fact he showed me a new bike in the showroom that was already exhibiting this problem on the leading edge of several spokes on the front wheel...

I'm thinking Honda potentially have a big problem on their hands with this issue.
 
#4 ·
They know they have a big problem Mike, It's been a problem for 5 months, some customers have had a replacement, but like for like, that doesn't solve the problem though, I've been told they're working on a long term solution, so I'll wait for that, whatever it is,
My spokes showed corrosion in the first week, and just got blacker, after more than 6,000 miles theyre no worse now than the first month of ownership,
There's no rust it's just the zinc plating thats rubbish,
 
#5 ·
After searching on corrosion and getting nothing, then finding this thread and posting here, I subsequently found another thread detailing several experiences with bad spokes under the topic 'heated grips'.
All a bit confusing, but no doubt I'll get used to it in time.
lol
 
#6 ·
The wheels on mine were changed under warranty at the first service. The new ones do seem ok though as I have put on another 1500 miles in the last month of so ... much of which was in wet weather. Fingers crossed .............. I have not cleaned it obsessively either!
 
#9 ·
I have previously posted elsewhere on this topic. My dealer has been informed and has asked me to come back in a little while, he has taken images for the record. I think there is a general acceptance at Honda that they have a major problem, it appears they are seeking a solution which will then sent out to dealers. I sincerely hope they agree to replace with appropriate grade and size of ss and that will be the end of it.

Mike
 
#11 ·
A fix after the fact, is as soon as you get your AT spray the spokes with Yamaha silicone spray, it protects. This product has been used for years on waverunners to prevent corrosion from salt water use. I live on the water front, so I spray anything I have that is aluminum with the Yamaha silicone to prevent corrosion. All of my motorcycles are sprayed for years, and no corrosion!
 
#12 ·
Today I got a call from Ellie at HONDA UK Customer relations regarding my rusty spokes, we discussed for 30 mins, she gave nothing away. The only solution that HONDA could offer was to have the wheels relaced again with the current spokes, which means same conversation in another 6 months. She could not help in any other way; I asked if I could wait and submit a warranty claim in 2017 after the release of the updated model with the ss spokes and get the new spokes. I was told my bike was sold with ferrous and that's what HONDA will use as a relace job. She mentioned that if I modify the bike, ie relace with ss it could affect the warranty, she was not being heavy rather pointing out a potential pitfall. I know Hagon's have had a set of AT wheels in for relace in ss and they can now supply full sets of spokes, not cheap, 'the cost of the spokes is £71.56 per wheel including VAT and the shipping is £8 for most UK mainland addresses. The spec will be in our list in a few hours a pair has just arrived.' The labour cost of changing the spokes over is yet to be established too. She, HONDA, could offer no alternative. I will discuss with dealer on Mon.

M
 
#15 ·
I thought it was about time to inform my suppling dealer about the state of my spokes yesterday afternoon and apply for a warranty fix so i rode the AT there (wigan honda UK) only to be told they (salesmen and parts guy) can't help so i have to take it back monday to friday so the service manager can see them and take pictures etc. Fair enough i thought but they sold 10 AT's and hadn't heard of this problem and certainley haven't any warranty claims in progress about the issue. "Thats funny" i said because the 300 miles old tricolour i testrode had crap spokes back in april and my AT developed the issue within a week!! I had just delayed reporting it so that honda might have developed a repair plan by now ???

I will ring customer care monday then take it to the dealership straight after to get it logged on the system. Sounds like it is going to be a long wait as it looks like they are replacing like for like at the moment.
 
#16 ·
Hi Scotsy,

I wanted to pm you, but can't find it on this forum.

As per my post #12 deffo HONDA are only replacing like for like, ie ferrous.

My Fri conversation with 'Ellie' of HONDA Cust care ended with her emphasising my best approach was through my Dealer, she absolutely ignored any of my reasonable suggestions to resolve the problem or offer to carry them to the next level up for consideration. It appeared quite obvious to me that she had a tight script to follow, "hold the gate at all costs", type of thing.

There are a number of ATs with this problem, I saw one recently up here and the owner was in a quandry what to do, I advised him to speak to his dealer.
My dealer has already offered to relace (with original ferrous) my wheels under warranty, or I can supply ss spokes and he will have the wheels laced. The core of my grievance is that the spokes should not be degrading so badly so soon, (bike has never been out in salty conditions), it makes a very presentable bike look bad, and now that I believe HONDA for 2017 are to use ss, they must have identified the problem and decided to fix it, and I should not have to buy spokes to fix a known HONDA problem.
I'd be interested to learn how you get on, I will certainly post my Mon experience for the benefit of other inmates.

This is my first HONDA and I'm beginning to think moving from KTM was not such a good idea......my 2007 KTM 640 Adv has ss spokes, even back then KTM knew how to equip a Dual Sport bike !
14 wins and and possibly another this Jan.

M
 
#17 ·
This is my first HONDA and I'm beginning to think moving from KTM was not such a good idea......my 2007 KTM 640 Adv has ss spokes, even back then KTM knew how to equip a Dual Sport bike !

I have owned a 2005 KTM 950 Adventure and a 2010 690 Enduro. I had no issues with spokes on either of them. However I am aware that when the Adventure became a 990, the spoke material deteriorated on that model. My friends 990 spokes were in a horrendous condition after 6 months ownership. I saw other 990's in the same condition. I believe all the manufacturers are trying to get away with as much low cost components as possible. There are no exceptions.


If tarnished spokes (and a weak shock) are all I have to complain about on my AT, then I am ok with that. So far I have almost 8000kms on mine and it is running very well. I have the spoke issue in hand with the occasional treatment with AFC50 on the front wheel items. Oil mist off the chain is looking after the rear wheel spokes.
 
#18 ·
I may recall you from another forum, I too had no issues with my KTM (2015 End R converted to RR). I tend to agree with your comment on building down to a budget, afterall HONDA is a business. In hindsight, "but for hap'worth of tar........". I say this quite candidly, I would have paid another £100 to have my bike looking clean and outstanding, instead I paid £10.5k and the spokes are the most eye catching element of the bike. Perhaps the new KTM 800 Adv will will meet my expectations.

M
 
#19 ·
My wheels were changed at 500 miles. A thousand miles later and I can feel sharp edges forming on the spokes, so as expected they are starting to go again. I will report it to the dealer before winter sets in.

Honda needs to get this sorted soon. With all the hype about the Africa Twin and the positive press reports they don't want any bad press to undo all the hard work developing what is a very good bike.

I seriously thought about part exchanging for the outgoing KTM 1190 based on the Honda's build quality. But I really like the AT.
 
#20 ·
Honda needs to get this sorted soon. With all the hype about the Africa Twin and the positive press reports they don't want any bad press to undo all the hard work developing what is a very good bike.


Tbh they don't give a ****. There is so much good press about the bike and they know that tarnished spokes will not stop someone purchasing. Only something like a major chassis or engine problem will get them to do something positive.
 
#23 ·
As a follow-up to post # 16.
Called Dealer and registered the tarnished spoke issue and HONDA Cust care response. It will be about a fortnight before anything comes out as the person at the dealership who handles warranty is away for a week and I go the week he comes back for a week. When in the sun my moby is always switched off.

In another vein, I tend to agree with Griff's post # 22. When a manufacturer has such a successful product and its flying off the shelves, he's not going to bother too much about a bit of slipstream, its not going to slow him down.
However it is early days and I have time to pursue HONDA.
More anon.

M
 
#25 ·
Obviously my spokes are an issue and we're reported 6 months ago. They keep asking me to give them time to come up with a 'fix'
Asked to escalate the situation the other day as I'm bored of it now.
My bike was from Hunts in Manchester.
People who trust and buy the first year bike should be treated properly, after all we are the ones who build the success and find the problems so they can sort them out.
The Africa Twin is a brilliant bike but Honda's response and customer service is and has been shocking.
A massive disappointment for me.
 
#26 ·
I've now asked for like for like wheel replacements and will see how they go. Will treat the wheels from the start with ACF and if they go the same way then I'll claim again.
I was the one being patient waiting 6 months for a 'fix'
 
#27 ·
As previously mentioned I have this issue also. I will shortly report it to Honda to have the situation marked with them. However I will not pursue it earnestly until the warranty period is almost up.
 
#29 ·
At 3K and my spokes are still fine, seems this issue is very hit and miss. I have ridden in all weather and have never cleaned or coated the spokes in anything. I would love to know what percentage of bikes are affected, is this 1 in 200 thing or something much more widespread? Forums can sometimes give the wrong impressions of issues and blow them out of all proportion. I have not endured salted roads in the depth of winter yet and who knows, that might be the end of my spokes! I guess we will never know unless we start a poll asking every forum member if their spokes are good/bad. Anyone know how to do that?
 
#31 ·
Mine are a pile of poop too, I mentioned them to my dealer (Doble after a few weeks) he advised me that it was probably worth waiting as a like for like would be a waste of my time....well 5k later and Ive had enough so Ive logged a warranty claim with my local dealer (Letchworth). If they replace them and they corrode again...ILL CLAIM AGAIN! This bike was a lot of cash and a lot of debt Im not going to settle.
Ill keep people informed as I know more
 
#32 ·
My bike is in for its new wheels tomorrow (warranty replacements), whilst the starting issue is investigated, start/kill switch I reckon.

Dropped bike off today so they can start work first thing.

He showed me the wheels and they are very shiny.

Dealer didn't know whether these were the same or not

I have waited 7 months for a fix and apparently Honda are saying there isn't one so I decided I'll have these wheels, coat then with ACF50 and if they go 'rotten' again I'll have another pair.
 
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#33 ·
wheels replaced (glad i wasn't paying) and treated with AFC50 immediately

switch stripped, cleaned and replaced.

No fault found

hopefully that's the end of it but i have a feeling with the switch it won't be
 

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