NHTSA Complaint #10321280 — 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUTG

I OWN A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOM CLASSIC TRIKE. THIS BIKE IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (SO CALLED FLY BY WIRE) ON MARCH 18 WHILE RIDING IN MEDINA COUNTY IN OHIO AT 50 MPH THE ETC HAD SOME FORM OF FAILURE AND THE THROTTLE CUT THE RPM TO LESS THAN 1000 AND THE BIKE ABRUPTLY SLOWED TO A CRAWL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY SHUT DOWN THE BIKE AND AFTER FIVE MINUTES RESTART AND THE THROTTLE WORKED AS DESIGNED. I ROAD THE BIKE TO CENTURY HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY ADVISED I HAD A CODE WHICH VERIFIED THE ETC HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THEY ADVISED THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT IS WRONG BUT THEY REPORTED THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE H D ETC. I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED AND REPAIRED ON MARCH 29, 2010. I WAS ADVISED THE BIKE IS SAFE TO RIDE AS IS. ON MARCH 21, THE EXACT SAME THING OCCURRED. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I WERE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE LANE, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THIS HAPPENS I WOULD BE A SITTING DUCK AND COULD BE KILLED. I BELIEVE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO GET THE WORD OUT AND TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR