NHTSA Complaint #10277387 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDB

2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHX (STREETGLIDE) RIDES EXCESSIVELY HARD. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE REAR AIR SHOCKS ARE NOT WORKING. AIR PRESSURE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM PRESSURES WITH LITTLE TO NO CHANGE IN RIDE QUALITY. THE IMPLICATION IS...AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS EVEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD THE BIKE TENDS TO GO AIRBORN. THE SUSPENSION IS SO UNYIELDING IT'S CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. I TEST RODE A YAMAHA ALONG THE SAME ROUTE AS THE HARLEY . THE DIFFERENCE WAS REMARKABLE. THE YAHAMA ABSORBED THE BUMPS AND UNEVEN PAVEMENT EXTREMELY WELL. A 1000% DIFFERENCE IN RIDE QUALITY. HARLEY NEEDS TO RE EVALUATE THE 2009 FLHX. I HAD A 2008 FLHX AND IT DID NOT RIDE AT ALL LIKE THE NEW 2009 WITH A NEW RIDGID CHASSIS. ALSO THE FRONT TIRE IS CUPPING. HARLEY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND CHANGED THE TREAD PATTERN BY REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF THE RAIN GROOVES. IT KNOW SEEMS AS THOUGH THE TIRES WILL NOT CHANNEL THE RAIN FROM UNDER THE TIRE BUT RATHER WILL ENCOURAGE THE WATER TO STAY UNDER IT THUS PROMOTING HYDROPLANING. *TR