NHTSA Complaint #10282900 — 2006 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200C

09/04/2009 2006 XL1200C HARLEY DAVIDSON DEFECTIVE PART: CLUTCH SPRING INCIDENT = MY 2006 XL 1200C STARTED SHIFTING HARD. I NOTICED AT A STOP WHEN I HAD THE CLUTCH LEVER FULLY PULLED BACK THE BIKE STILL WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAD TO KEEP THE FRONT BRAKE ON TO KEEP THE BIKE FROM MOVING. I TOOK THE BIKE TO REDWOOD HARLEY DAVIDSON AS I AM A LONG WAY FROM HOME. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE OIL LEVEL WAS INCORRECT SO I HAD THEM CHECK IT. THE TECH, TOLD ME I HAD A BROKEN CLUTCH SPRING, WHICH IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. HE SAID I COULDN'T TAKE THE BIKE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HE TOLD ME HARLEY MAKES A CLUTCH KIT THAT FIXES THIS DEFECT FOR $280.00 + LABOR AND ANY PARTS THAT WERE DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THIS CLUTCH SPRING FAILURE. I COULDN'T AFFORD THE KIT SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE BROKEN DEFECTIVE PART WITH A NEW DEFECTIVE PART + THE OTHER PARTS THAT WERE DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE BROKEN DEFECTIVE PART. I ASKED WHY HARLEY DIDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HE LAUGHED AT MY QUESTION AND TOLD ME THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. DAMAGE RESULTING = I'M 1000 MILES FROM HOME. I HAVE VERY LIMITED FINANCES. I'M PURSUING EMPLOYMENT IN BROOKINGS OR. ALL IN ALL AFTER IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE THAT CLUTCH SPRING COST ME $250.00 AND A WARNING THAT SINCE I DIDN'T PUT THE $280.00 KIT THAT REPLACES THE DEFECTIVE PART, I WILL FOR SURE HAVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FUTURE. *TR