NHTSA Complaint #10407672 — 2009 BUELL 1125R

THE CHARGING SYSTEM ON THE 2009 BUELL 1125R AND 1125CR HAS A DESIGN DEFECT. WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC, THE CHARGING SYSTEM WILL OVERHEAT AND THE STATOR WILL BURN OUT AND FAIL, CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO STALL AND CANNOT BE RESTARTED DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING DRAINED. THIS DEFECT AFFECTS ALL 2009 BUELL 1125R AND 1125CR MOTORCYCLES. HARLEY DAVIDSON (BUELL'S PARENT COMPANY) IS AWARE OF THE DESIGN DEFECT AND IN MARCH, 2010 RELEASED A 'FIX' IN THE FORM OF A CHARGING HARNESS UPGRADE. THIS 'FIX' WAS INSTALLED ON MY MOTORCYCLE AT 1,456 MILES. MY CHARGING SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED AT 3,706 MILES. THE 'FIX' ISSUED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON SHUTS OFF 1/3 OF THE STATOR LEAVING THE MOTORCYCLE ONLY 2/3 OF THE POWER LISTED IN THE SPECIFICATION. THIS IS ULTIMATELY NOT ENOUGH POWER TO OPERATE ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE MOTORCYCLE. BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT CAUSING THE BATTERY LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND ULTIMATELY DRAINING THE BATTERY. AT IDLE, THE CHARGING SYSTEM CANNOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED. SEVERAL MINUTES OF IDLING WILL CAUSE THE BATTERY LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, THEN A 'SYSTEM VOLTAGE ERROR' WILL APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, THEN THE HEADLIGHTS & TURN SIGNALS WILL STOP WORKING, FINALLY THE MOTORCYCLE WILL STALL. MY ENTIRE CHARGING SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED (STATOR, VOLTAGE REGULATOR, BATTERY), AND HAS BEEN INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES BY A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER AND BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON CORPORATE. THE SITUATION HAS NOT IMPROVED. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS EITHER INCAPABLE OR UNWILLING TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR