NHTSA Complaint #10549772 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK

A PUSH TO TALK BUTTON FOR THE CB COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ON ALL HARLEYS FOR WELL OVER 10 YEARS HAS BEEN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HANDLE BAR BUTTON CLUSTER FOR BIKES WITH CB AND RADIO. ON THE NEW 2014 THE BUTTON WAS SWITCHED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON (WHICH WAS MOVED TO THE LEFT SIDE) AND MOVED TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE CONTROL CLUSTER. BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE NEED TO CONTINUALLY GRAB THE THROTTLE CONTROL, THE BUTTON IS NOT AS EASY TO REACH WHILE RIDING. THE ON/OFF SWITCH FOR THE BIKE IS DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE THROTTLE GRIP. BECAUSE OF THIS THE ON/OFF SWITCH IS VULNERABLE TO BEING HIT AND TURNING OFF THE BIKE WHILE IN MOTION, CAUSING A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIME DURING A RIDE ON THE ABOVE DATE AND CREATED SOME SCARY MOMENTS. I HAD TO REDUCE USE OF THE CB AND CHANGE POSITIONS WITH A FELLOW RIDER TO LEAD THE GROUP AS I FELT IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OTHER RIDERS AND REAR ROAD CAPTAIN. MY SUGGESTION IS TO REQUIRE HARLEY DAVIDSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND SWITCH THE WIRING BACK TO WHERE IT BELONGS. BOTH THE CRUISE CONTROL AND PUSH TO TALK ARE APPARENTLY THE SAME TYPE OF BUTTON (MY OPINION) IN THE WAY THEY OPERATE, SO IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF SWITCHING THE WIRES IN THE HARNESS. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS AND FORCE A RECALL? *TR