Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Ideally, rims should bend and deform themselves and absorb part of the impact, thus saving the rider.
I too had to replace my bikes (fz) rear rim when i went over a big pothole. But there wan't even a hint of cracking. This complete breakage is not acceptable.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!



Bajaj's reply...

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Bajaj cannot be blamed totally for this incident, but not denying that this is a major 'FLAW' of the RS 200 and is going to push prospective buyers towards rival products.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Just 5-6 days ago, when I tested this RS200, I was overall impressed but I did notice the apparently thin alloys, and did doubt their strength for a second or so, but then flashed it out by thinking that, its a company product. Bajaj must have taken care...

I even braked hard as one could, during the ride, so much that the front ABS-less tyre squealed! Obviously, the alloys didn't break. I gave it a golden review because refinement could be felt...



And then, this happens...



And despite so much happening, I have yet to see a proper incident of such kind live, with me or in my city KTM group, so that I can be assured that its not a case of conspiracy or misuse, of some kind.

No, my 390 didn't get its alloys broken either.. And its the 390's very first batch to Rajasthan, of 20 bikes each. And yes, it did take some hard undulations at speeds around 70-80 kmph. Lucky me, maybe.





Let's just wait for whatever comes out of this. I'm eager to know the conclusion...

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

It's really surprising to see such things happening.

Been using the RS200 since two months and have ended up putting it through some bad roads at over speeds of 100 and luckily haven't faced any issue of rim breaking or bending.
Only issue was the RVM got loose and had to tighten it with the Allen key.

Can't really gauge where the issue lies until there is a proper inspection of the case.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Like I said, a lot of people will not have or experience an issue even if a particular batch/production line is flawed. Because sometimes these flaws occur or result in a failure only under certain specific conditions! That is the reason why you may read news about Recalls even after say a year into production even though not many incidents must have been reported, eg. Maruti Ciaz recall - how many read or heard that they have a clutch issue?.

So my only humble submission is do not for a second believe or think that "Bajaj cannot be blamed totally for this" OR "I haven't experienced it or seen it live so there isn't anything wrong".... Coz in the undertone you're blaming the rider. So now that you know there's an issue, keep an eye, keep a check on your own stuff do a weekly inspection..generally take care nothing else.

As for Spoked wheels being stronger than alloys - that's a separate argument but there's a reason why these wheels are still here & are known for their longevity. But again a spoked wheel on it's own doesn't make it stronger than alloys. it too needs to made qualitatively just as alloys to perform it's duties.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

One of the theories I had in my mind is that maybe this was a one off case where one of the spokes had a crack/deformity from the beginnning and that defect went unnoticed by quality check by Bajaj. Under normal riding conditions, the crack/deformity increased and one fine day just broke under heavy braking. Breaking of one spoke distributed complete centrifugal force on the remaining spokes. Unable to handle such force, they too broke in a milisecond.

Breaking of the rim is such a scary situation that my mind does not want to believe that this could happen to other bikes as well. I was planning a trip to Daman but now I am actually scared. It might take some time to gain back my confidence....

I hope Bajaj is able to find the reason behind this mishap and if it is their fault, own up to it.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Among all the argument about RS vs NS vs Duke alloy this image of Yamaha FZ alloy have come out of nowhere.

Looks very similar to ones posted earlier and discussed

So on a side impact or a fall the alloy breaks and it has happened in other manufacturer bikes too? As is clearly evident from the fact that in the above picture there is hardly any damage elsewhere on the bike

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Guys!
Putting this as "One Time Incident"/"Batch Problem"/"Manufacturing Defect" Is not the way to proceed.
We as consumers must fight this even if this may be the last incident .
And this is not the first such incident, I can live with a harsh engine/vibrations and still be alive and a happy rider,these kind of incidents are LIFE THREATENING, and not acceptable at any level.

Take it this way we spend so much on gears for that 1 unfortunate time, its not that we riders bite the dust daily.
Reputed manufactures spend a ton on testing for these kind of incidents. Our lax attitudes on such incidents and saying its the riders fault are just going to make incidents like this more common. Bajaj must answer this and may be issue a recall if its at fault. I agree it may not be all RS/AS but having even a single defective wheel out there is keeping those riding and those around him, all of their lives in balance.

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----


I got you point, its not out of nowhere but a 2009 post. Point Taken.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

I'm not sure. My guess on a specific type of impact the alloy breaks but not all the time. And if the vehicle goes in a pothole it never breaks, there can be bends or at worst some cracks

This is what I gathered after looking at all type of pictures in the past two days
[MENTION=24493]Omi[/MENTION] - Didn't knew, from where you found out it's a 2009 post. Obviously the bike looks like the first gen FZ

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!




Reverse Image search.

I found your comment too so I thought you knew that.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Don't remember thanks for the link (y)
[MENTION=24493]Omi[/MENTION] - Read the other thread. The account is very similar and people reacting in a similar way. Only thing FB was not popular back then so it didn't spread like a wild fire.

Although there is definitely some impact which is happening during the fall

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

The Fz's wheel while looks like has broken similarly to the RS it there's a stark difference to the way these wheels have broken. (check the FZ original thread)

The Fz's wheel there's hardly any symmetry in the way the wheel's broken, one end the spoke has broken right thru taking a part of the rim, the other has broken a little above & some at the edge of the join to the rim. Whereas there's almost a perfect symmetry in the RS wheel. Hence it's no point in relating this Fz wheel failure issue as an accident and extrapolate it to the RS incident.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

If this really is due to faulty alloys, then just the imagination of the accident while on saddle is horrific. Hope Bajaj does due research on the accident.

Re: RS200 Alloy Wheel breaking issue!

Be it tyre pressure or anything else... a wheel breakage should not happen even in worst riding conditions... it should only bent the wheel... and how could it happens to only bajaj... previous p200, p220, duke 390 and now rs200...

These are serious quality issues and take person's life...

Our boss always ask us one question whenever the quality topic is raised... Will you buy a a box of 30 tablets if you come to know that one of those 30 tablet is poisonous??

Bajaj has to be very seious here... stop making vfm products just to lure more customers... And make some quality products...