NHTSA Complaint #10451956 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL

CLUTCH LEVER SEEMED FAR TO REACH, TOOK IN FOR INSPECTION AND/OR POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT. CAME BACK WITH CLUTCH LEVER STICKING OR RATCHETING, NO LONGER SMOOTH TO OPERATE. THIS MADE IT VERY HARD TO OPERATE IN THE FRICTION ZONE NEEDED FOR SLOW OPERATION AND TURNING AROUND. CLUTCH WOULD POP AND JUMP FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING TO FALL OVER MANY TIMES. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR.....LUBED AND GROUND OUT THE INSIDE OF WEAR AREA ON LEVER AND UNIT THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE COMES INTO. WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD WEAR DOWN IN TIME AND BECOME SMOOTH, THAT THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY WAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DUMPED THE BIKE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE LACK OF A SMOOTH CLUTCH, IT IS HARD TO CONTROL AND MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL FOR TURNING AROUND OR PARKING, ETC. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE IF IT HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TEST RODE IT. *TR