NHTSA Complaint #10088136 — 2000 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRCI

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE NEW TWIN CAM ENGINE'S BOTTOM END. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILURES ONCE THE BIKE HAS REACHED 40,000 MILES. MINE FAILED AT 68,000 MILES BUT I HAVE TALKED WITH ONE RIDER WHOSE BOTTOM END FAILED AT 43,000 MILES. HARLEY APPEARS TO HAVE CHANGED THE WAY THEY BUILD THE FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLIES. THEY ARE NO LONGER PUTTING AN INSERT IN THE CONNECTING RODS FOR THE BEARINGS TO RIDE ON. INSTEAD THEY ARE MERELY FLAME HARDENING THE AREA. ONCE THE HARDENING FAILS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY RAPIDLY DETERIORATES. ALL THE PERIODICALS AND HARLEY DEALERSHIPS ARE TOUTING THAT THIS BOTTOM END SHOULD LAST 100,000 MILES EASILY. HOWEVER, IF MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF NUMEROUS HARLEY OWNERS ON THE INTERNET ARE ANY INDICATION THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF MOTORCYCLE ENGINES OUT THERE REQUIRING A REBUILD WELL BEFORE 100,000 MILES. I HAVE WRITTEN TO HARLEY DAVIDSON AND ASK THEM TO REIMBURSE ME THE $1,000 I SPENT TO HAVE THE BOTTOM END REBUILT WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF ADDITIONAL PARTS AND TIME BY DOING MOST OF THE WORK MYSELF. ADDITIONALLY I ASK THEM TO TRY TO ENGINEER A BETTER FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY. HARLEY REFUSED MY REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD FORWARD MY LETTER TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. *JB