NHTSA Complaint #10130768 — 2002 BUELL BUELL

WHILE RIDING MY 2002 BUELL BLAST I NOTICED OIL ON THE PRIMARY CHAIN COVER. I STOPPED AT A STORE IN BORNE, TEXAS AND LOOKED AT THE ROCKER BOX AND THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR, THEIR IS ONLY ONE CYLINDER, AND THEIR WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE ROCKER BOX COVER. I HAD TO RIDE THE BIKE BACK HOME THAT WAS 40+ MILES AWAY AND AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, I TOOK OFF AND THE REAR WHEEL SLIPPED AND LOST TRACTION. THE BIKE SWERVED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT A LITTLE BUT I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. I AM AN EXPERIENCED RIDER OF MOTORCYCLES BUT IF I WERE NOT, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FALL OR AN ACCIDENT. IF I WERE IN A TURN AND A DROP OF OIL OR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT LEAKED FROM THE ROCKER COVER, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WILL BE ORDERING A NEW ROCKER COVER CASKET FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 03 AND EARLIER BIKES. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND HARLEY DAVIDSON AND BUELL SHOULD BE MADE TO DO THIS REPAIR DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS DYING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL ROCKER COVER GASKET. *JB