2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR Problems & Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR (ROAD KING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) WAS PERFORMED ON MARCH 11, 2018 AT QUEEN CITY HARLEY-DAVIDSON (5960 DIXIE HIGHWAY FAIRFIELD, OHIO 45014 PHONE 513-874-4343) HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM BY FAILING TO PUT THE MOTORCYCLE DATA PORT SERVICE PROCESS AS FOUND. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,064.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR ROAD KING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH APPROACHING A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC JAM, THE REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP WHEN APPLIED AND THE FRONTAL BRAKE LEVELER WAS VERY HARD TO APPLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST BETWEEN THE LANES OF TRAFFIC UNTIL THE FRONTAL BRAKE ENGAGED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE RIGHT LANE THAT WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN HOME SLOWLY. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ABS FAILURE AND THE ENTIRE ABS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS AT THE DEALER BEING REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. ...UPDATED 05/03/17 *BF *AS

WHILE TRYING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGH THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL AFTER GETTING STOPPED AND PARKING THE BIKE, THE BREAK LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS PULLING ON THE BREAK IT LOOSENED UP SO I RODE BIKE TO REPAIR SHOP. EVERY TIME THE FRONT BREAK WOULD ENGAGE (WHICH WAS NOT EVERY TIME), IT WOULD CATCH AND LOCK UP THE FRONT TIRE CAUSING ME TO DROP THE BIKE ONCE. REPAIR SHOP SAID THE ENTIRE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING. HARLEY CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO FIX IF BUT THAT IT WOULD BE AT THEIR NORMAL RATE FOR PARTS AND SERVICE. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS AWARE THEY HAVE RECALLED THE SAME BIKE FOR MANY YEARS BUT NOT FOR THE 2011 MODEL AND THAT IT APPEARS THAT IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER BIKES THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE IS APPRECIATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA (FLHR) MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH SIGNIFIED THAT THE MORTORCYCLE DID NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ABILITY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,875.

HARLEY HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH REAR BRAKES. THIS BIKE WAS BRAND NEW THEY FAILED TO ADDRESS IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE INSTABILITY TO A NEW DRIVER. WITH 53 YEARS RIDING EXPERIENCE I GOT THE BIKE TO A HALT. THIS PROBLEM IS SYSTEM WIDE AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL. HARLEY REFUSES TO WARRANTY THIS ITEM EVEN ON NEW BIKES. IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP TO MOTOR MOUNTS BUT TO DEFECTIVE DISKS, PADS OR ALIGNMENT WHEEL TABS (WELDED) ON THE REAR WHEEL IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO A NEW RIDER. *TR

THE SADDLE BAG FELL OFF WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE MOTORCYCLE BEHIND IT CAUSING THE RIDER TO COME OFF AT 100 KM/HOUR. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE SADDLE BAG HAS COME OFF. THE PREVIOUS TIME, IT WAS THE OTHER SIDE SO THE OWNER OF THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS EXTRA CAREFUL TO BE SURE THE BAGS WERE LATCHED PROPERLY PRIOR TO THE TRIP. IN OUR GROUP OF ABOUT 12 RIDERS, TWO OTHER MOTORCYCLISTS HAVE HAD HD SADDLEBAGS FALL OFF. WHEN I SPOKE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER, HE SAID HE'S HAD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE THEIR SADDLE BAG REPLACED BECAUSE IT FELL OFF GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND GOT SCURFFED UP.I'VE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO HARLEYDAVIDSON.I AM WORRIED PEOPLE WILL DIE DUE TO THIS DEFECT.THEY ARE SELF REGULATING, SO I AM VERY VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING A RECALL EVEN THOUGH LIVES ARE AT RISK.THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS THEY HAVE RECEIVED, NOR WOULD THEY TELL ME HOW MANY THEY WOULD GET BEFORE DECIDING THEY SHOULD DO A VOLUNTARY RECALL. THERE NEEDS TO BE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT ON THIS SORT OF THING, BECAUSE OF COURSE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND IT WAS VEY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE RISK POSED BY THESE BAGS WAS NOT GETTING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVED. I AM CONCERNED THIS IS UNDER REPORTED, BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSUME THEY MUST HAVE FORGOT TO ATTACH IT WHEN FACT THE ATTACHEMENTS ARE FAULTY. ALSO, I THOUGHT BY REPORTING IT TO HD THAT THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT TOO, BECAUSE I ASSUMED HD WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO PASS ON THE REPORT TO THE TRAFFIC SAFETY BOARD. THEY DO NOT. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE A HD MECHANIC ASSESS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND IS ENDANGERING LIVES!*DT MORE PICS OF INJURIES AND HELMET.*JB

HEADLIGHTS AND PASSING LAMPS FLICKER ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AT NIGHT. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO WIRING FOR THE HEADLIGHT AND PASSING LAMPS. HAPPENS WHEN YOU TURN THE HANDLEBARS LEFT OR RIGHT. HAPPENS SITTING STILL AND WHILE MOTORCYCLE IS IN MOTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHR ROAD KING. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND WOBBLE. THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. ...UPDATED 02/11/15 *BF

RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE OVERHEATING TO THE POINT OF BURNING MY PANTS AND LEGS. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A $20K BIKE. HARLEY STATES THAT IS IS NORMAL. THERE IS NOTHING NORMAL FOR A RIDER TO BURN HIS/HER LEGS. *TR