NHTSA Complaint #10143375 — 1999 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDWG

HARLEY-DAVIDSON CAM BEARING FAILURE ON 1999 TWIN-CAM88 & TWIN-CAM88B ENGINES. THIS WAS IDENTIFIED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND A DESIGN CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE CAM BEARING ON DECEMBER 14, 1999. A FIX KIT WAS EVEN PREPARED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL DEALERS. MY 1999 FXDWG CAM BEARING FAILED AND CAUSED OTHER PARTS TO BECOME WORN AS WELL, WHICH IS PUTTING ME IN THE SITUATION OF HAVING TO PAY $3200 TO GET THE BIKE IN CONDITION TO SELL. I'VE READ OTHER "RECALLS" ON THIS SITE AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE RECALLS ONLY AFFECTED APPROXIMATELY 14000 BIKES (IT WAS AN ENGINE COOLING ISSUE) AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY A RECALL WASN'T ISSUED ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE CAM-BEARING. I JUST SPOKE TO A HARLEY REP WHO WAS VERY SHORT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND SAID "IF THIS WERE TO FAIL ON YOUR BIKE, YOU WOULDN'T BE GOING 50 MILES". ASIDE FROM THE "COST" ISSUE HERE, THERE IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE ENGINE WERE TO SEIZE UP AT 65 MPH, ONE WOULD MOST CERTAINLY BE DEAD. I'D LIKE A REVIEW INTO WHETHER THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL EVENT IN LIGHT OF WHAT IT COSTS AND THE AFFECTS IT HAS ON THE OWNER AFTER SPENDING $20K ON THE BIKE TO BEGIN WITH. *NM