NHTSA Complaint #10569203 — 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 70 MPH WHEN MY BIKE STARTED WOBBLING, I SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE THE WOBBLE WAS SO PRONOUNCED THAT I HAD A HARD TIME HOLDING THE BIKE, THE REAR WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS LOOSE. I SLOWED THE BIKE DOWN AND SINCE WE WERE ALMOST AT OUR DESTINATION, CONTINUED VERY CAREFULLY. WHEN I STOPPED, THE OTHER BIKE RIDER ASKED ME WHY I WAS RIDING SO CRAZY, I EXPLAINED HOW THE BIKE FELT AND WE PROCEEDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE WAS CHECKED AND THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE REAR WHEEL BECAUSE THE SPOKES HAD ALL LOOSENED FROM THE HUB. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THIS STOCK WHEEL, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HARLEY HAD REPLACED THE STEEL HUB WITH AN ALUMINUM HUB ON THE HERITAGE MANUFACTURED THE LAST HALF OF 2011. THE SECOND TIME WAS ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 IN THE MOUNTAINS OF TN, WE WERE RIDING IN A GROUP AND THE BACK WHEEL STARTED WOBBLING AND I COULD HARDLY HOLD THE BIKE, WE STOPPED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT MY SPOKES WERE LOOSE AGAIN AND THE BIKE HAD TO BE TRAILERED BACK TO MS, TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SAME THING HAD OCCURRED WITH THIS WHEEL, THE HOLES FOR THE SPOKES HAD AGAIN ELONGATED AND CAUSED THE BACK WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. WE ATTEMPTED TO BUY ANOTHER TYPE WHEEL FOR THE BIKE BUT THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD FIT IT WAS OUT OF STOCK UNTIL AFTER DEC. BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERS WERE HOLDING THAT WHEEL TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE WHEEL. HARLEY KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT RECALL THE WHEEL. IF I HAD NOT BEEN A SEASONED RIDER, I WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN ON THE BIKE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM, MY DEALER PAID FOR THE LAST WHEEL BUT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEXT ONE UNLESS I AM UNABLE TO HOLD THE BIKE THE NEXT TIME AND DIE. *TR