NHTSA Complaint #10305057 — 2005 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRCI

MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING ON A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITHOUT ABS. WE WERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE 275 WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. WE LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AS WE ATTEMPTED TO RAPIDLY STOP AND AVOID HITTING HIM. I SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MY WIFE BROKE HER CLAVICLE, SCAPULA, AND MOST RIBS ON HER RIGHT SIDE. ALSO SUSTAINED A HEMOTHORAX AND PNEUMOTHORAX THAT REQUIRED 3 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SURGERY TO INCLUDE PLATING OF HER RIBS. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE BIKE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH ABS. HARLEY DAVIDSON DID NOT MAKE ABS AVAILABLE UNTIL 2008 AND IT CAN NOT BE RETROFITTED TO ANY BIKE--IT IS A FACTORY OPTION ONLY AND IT IS NOT STANDARD EQUIPMENT. YOU MUST MAKE ABS REQUIRED/STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON ALL STREET/CRUISER MOTORCYCLES. HARLEY DAVIDSON WILL TELL YOU THEY DO NOT MAKE ABS STANDARD EQUIPMENT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO OFFER RIDERS A CHOICE. I BELIEVE IT IS A MARKETING PLOY TO BE ABLE TO SELL A BIKE AT A CHEAPER PRICE AS ABS TODAY IS AN $800 OPTION. IMAGINE IF SEAL BELTS WERE AN OPTION. THEY WOULD BE IF THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED BY LAW. WE NEED THE SAME LAW DEMANDING ABS ON MOTORCYCLES. IN OUR ACCIDENT, I USED BOTH THE FRONT AND REAL BRAKES AS MUCH AS I COULD AS WE KEPT GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. I NEVER KNEW IF I HIT HIM OR NOT UNTIL IN THE ER WHEN THE FHP OFFICER TOLD ME WE HAD NOT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELEASE OR PUMP A BRAKE IF YOU ARE GETTING CLOSER TO A COLLISION. ABS WILL DO THAT FOR YOU AND HELP YOU MAINTAIN CONTROL IN A PANIC SITUATION. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT ABS SAVES LIVES. MAKE ABS MANDATORY AND STOP HARLEY DAVIDSON'S MARKETING PLOY THAT IS PUTTING THOUSANDS OF RIDERS AT RISK EVERY DAY. *TR