WOW! Leaving out a critical transmisson part. With all the attention to this model, I'd hope for better QC than that. Almost sounds like Russian manufacturing!
I know what you mean about Russian Mfg but on the flip side my last Dodge van had a 3 speed 727 automatic trans in it.
After putting 3 different valve body's and replacing every part but the housing they ended up replacing the whole trans.
At the time I had that they had been making that trans in 1 form or another for at least 25 years. You'd think they would have bugs worked out of that by then.
At that time I was making my living out of that van so for the 3 or more weeks it was in the dealer I wasn't working.
Sometimes things just happen, especially when you inject humans into the equation.
I think that REM was just pushed to the limit to fill the demand for these bikes and things should settle down in time.
OTOH my G5 just rolled over 1,000 miles last weekend so it's not all of em that are having problems.
3 weeks from today it's going to have at least 2,300 miles on it so if there are any "bugs" in it I should bring em to the surface by then.
My confidence ratio is high though.
Good Luck with your C5.
CJ