A MOTORCYCLE dealership was aware of a fault that could have caused the death of a rider but failed to bring the bike in for a safety recall, an inquest heard.

A MOTORCYCLE dealership was aware of a fault that could have caused the death of a rider but failed to bring the bike in for a safety recall, an inquest heard.

Brian Spatchett, 63, of Franklin Road, Aldeburgh, died on August 15, 2003, on the A12 at Henham.

The construction worker was travelling in the direction of Blythburgh at around 9.30pm when the back wheel of his Triumph Sprint ST motorbike, which he bought from PFK Ling in Ipswich in August 2002, locked and he lost control and fell off, suffering severe head injuries.

At the second day of the inquest into Mr Spatchett's death, held yesterday at Ipswich Crown Court, Charles Smart, head of the warranty department at Triumph, said the Sprint ST model was subject to a safety recall before the crash but had not been returned.

He said an initial recall pack had been sent to all dealerships - including the four branches of Ling's - alerting them to a rear wheel bearing failure and asking them to make the necessary modifications.

At the time of the first recall Mr Spatchett did not own the bike and Mr Smart said he could not explain why the machine had not been changed at the dealership before someone bought it.

He said two further letters were sent to Ling's between August 2002 and February 2003 reminding them but still the bike was not called in.

Katrina Mcateer, representing Mr Spatchett's family, said Ling's had carried out recall work on other bikes, on dates in September and November 2002 and January 2003, but Mr Spatchett's was not one of them.

The inquest had previously heard from police sergeant Colin Teager who said that if the bearing in the motorcycle had been changed then the crash would not have happened.

The inquest was due to continue today.