NHTSA Complaint #10107892 — 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG

MY 2003 HARLEY FXDWG WAS RIDDEN TO ORANGE COUNTY HARLEY AND SAT IN THE SUN FOR 1 HOUR. THE TEMP WAS 64-70 AND I HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS, WHICH WAS CHEVRON 91 OCT. GETTING BACK ONTO THE 405 FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE BIKE FELT AS IF IT LACKED POWER. AFTER 30 SEC THE BIKE STARTED SPUTTERING AS IF IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR WAS VAPOR LOCKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPEED AND POWER. THIS SPUTTERING CONTINUED FOR 3-4 MILES. I FINALLY COMPLETELY BACKED OF THE THROTTLE AND JUST BARELY OPENED IT, WHERE AS AFTER ABOUT 30 SEC THE BIKE REGAINED FULL POWER (GOT GAS IT NEEDED) AND I HAD NO MORE TROUBLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME, APRIL 04 THE BIKE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING 5-6 TIMES ON THE FREEWAY BUT STARTED AGAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME JULY 2004 THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND BACK FIRED. THE CAUSE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME, IT SITS IN THE SUN 1-2 HOURS AND THEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED THE BIKE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH GAS AND LOSES POWER. WESTMINISTER HARLEY DAVIDSON IN CA HAS TALKED WITH THE FACTORY AND TRIED TWICE ALREADY TO FIX IT. I CONSIDER THIS LOSS OF POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH OR DEATH. *NM