NHTSA Complaint #10343268 — 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC

OUR 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND ABS PULLS TO THE LEFT IF CONSTANT PRESSURE IS NOT APPLIED TO THE HANDLEBARS. IF YOU TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS IT WILL PROMPTLY CROSS THE CENTER LINE AND WOULD BE HEADING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE MADE THE DEALER AWARE OF THIS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO POINT IT OUT TO THEM AND HAVE QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF THE MACHINE. WE WERE ASSURED THAT ALL OF THEIR BIKES WILL GO A LITTLE TO THE LEFT OR A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT, IT IS NORMAL. "THAT IS JUST HOW THEY ARE MADE". WE HAD A HANDLING ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE BIKE TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE ON A CURVY ROAD. THE BIKE THEN TRAVELED ACROSS THE OPPOSITE LANE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL AND SOFT SHOULDER ON THIS ROAD. THE FRONT TIRE ENTERED THE SHOULDER AND WAS "SUCKED" IN, CAUSING THE BIKE TO GO INTO THE SOFT, MUDDY, SHALLOW DITCH. THERE WAS COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, CRASH BAR, HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, AND, FORK TIN. THE BIKE WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO MAJOR DAMAGE. AFTER REPLACING THE PARTS THE BIKE NOW PULLS EVEN HARDER TO THE LEFT. WE HAVE HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT OUT. THEY HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THE BIKE IS SAFE AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO RIDE IT. WE HAVE YET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THEM TO HAVE OUR BIKE FOR A FEW DAYS SO THEY CAN TRY ONCE AGAIN TO FIX IT. THEY HAVE ADMITTED THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT ALL BIKES ARE NOT MADE PULLING LEFT OR RIGHT. OUR BIKE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT PROVES THAT. HARLEY WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER THAT THERE IS SOMETHING "WRONG" WITH THIS BIKE. IT IS AFTER ALL A HARLEY. A $25,000 TOURING BIKE SHOULD BE SAFE AND GO STRAIGHT. A BIKE THAT PULLS LEFT OR RIGHT IS NOT SAFE, IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR