NHTSA Complaint #10361532 — 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. AT 10,000 MILES, THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ON THIS MOTORCYCLE DISINTEGRATED AND REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS SPROCKET IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN SHAFT THIS INCIDENT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT AT FIRST. THE DEALER TIGHTENED IT, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET. REPLACED IT AND VIBRATION WAS NOT CORRECTED. THEY TORE IT BACK DOWN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUNOUT ON THE PRIMARY CRANK (AROUND .015) MY RESEARCH SEEMS TO LEAN TOWARD HARLEY-DAVIDSON INCREASING THEIR RUNOUT SPEC IN RECENT HISTORY. THIS TYPE OF PLAY AND VIBRATION ON THE PRIMARY CRANKSHAFT OF A MOTORCYCLE COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, LOCKUP, FIRE ETC. WHICH COULD CAUSE THE RIDER TO GO DOWN AND POSSIBLY BE FATALLY INJURED. THE SHOP IS REBUILDING THE MOTOR UNDER WARRANTY (ONLY 25K ON THE MOTOR). HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH 2008 AND EARLY 2009 MODELS FROM POSTINGS ON THE WEB WITH SIMILAR STORIES. *TR