NHTSA Complaint #10541902 — 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU

RIDING IN NEBRASKA ON I-80 WESTBOUND, VEHICLE WENT INTO AN ALMOST UNCORRECTABLE FRONT WHEEL WOBBLE, AFTER GAINING CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO ROAD SHOULDER AND FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAD "DISINTEGRATED", NO BALL BEARINGS WERE VISIBLE AND THE SEAL WAS MISSING. THIS INCIDENT WAS VERY UNNERVING. THE H-D DEALER IN GRAND ISLAND, NE WAS ABLE TO FIX THE BEARING IN QUESTION WITHIN SIX HOURS I WAS BACK ON THE ROAD. THE CRUX OF MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT MOST OF THE 2009, 2010 AND 2011 MODEL TOURING BIKES HAD SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE BEARINGS FAILING PREMATURELY. ONE WOULD THINK THE MANUFACTURER AND OR THE NHTSA WOULD BE ALERTING THE OWNERS OF SAID MODELS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FATAL CRASHES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAULTY PRODUCT SO THEY MAY RECTIFY THEIR KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. I BELIEVE THE ROOT CAUSE TO BE OF APATHY ON THE PART OF THE NHTSA AND GREED ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER. I RECOMMEND AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT A CONCERTED EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE A DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY OCCURS DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFICIENCY. I ALSO SENT A SIMILAR POSTED LETTER TO THE H-D HOME OFFICE SINCE THEY HAVE NO CONTACT INFORMATION VIA E-MAIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. *JB