NHTSA Complaint #10010514 — 1999 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE

I PUT A PRODUCT CALLED TIREFLYS ON THE VALVE STEM OF MY 1999 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC. THESE GADGETS GIVE OFF LIGHT AS THE WHEEL SPINS. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF RIDING ON I 75 I DEVELOPED TWO FLAT TIRES AT THE SAME TIME. IT SEEMS THAT THE TIREFLYS REMOVE THE STEM FROM THE TIRE. I CRASHED MY BIKE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE- LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE BIKE UP UNTIL IT WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH. THE BIKE SUSTAINED $7500.00 IN DAMAGE. I WAS OK, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PLANT THE ACCIDENT ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE TO ME. I CANT BELIEVE THAT A $20.00 PRODUCT CAN WREAK SO MUCH HAVOC! ROSSITER'S HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER IN SARASOTA STOPPED SELLING THEM MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THEY TOO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM AS CUSTOMERS APPEARED WITH FLAT TIRES SOON AFTER HAVING THEM PLACED ON THE BIKE. TODAY, 3/15/03 I SPOKE WITH A MR. WAYNE D. HOY AT ROSSITER'S OF SARASOTA, FL. HE INFORMED ME THAT LIKE ME, HE TOO EXPERIENCED TWO FLAT TIRES FROM THE PRODUCT, TIREFLYS. THIS HAPPENED TO HIM ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. IT WAS ALSO AT THAT TIME HE INFORMED MR. ROSSITER OF ROSSITER'S HARLEY DAVIDSON OF THE OCCURRENCE AND MR. ROSSITER, RESPONSIBLY REMOVED THE PRODUCTS FROM THE SHELF. MR. HOY INFORMED ME THAT HE WOULD BE PLEASED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE FROM THIS AGENCY OR FILE A COMPLAINT. HE CAN BE REACHED AT 941 745-2074. *NLM