NHTSA Complaint #10735887 — 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX

WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED LIMIT I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT HIGHWAY 101 SOUTHBOUND IN NOVATO CALIFORNIA. UPON BRAKING AND DOWNSHIFTING I REALIZED THE ENTIRE FOOT SHIFTER WAS MISSING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN SIXTH FEAR AND I HAD TO INITIATE EMERGENCY BRAKING TO AVOID LOSING CONTROL OF THE BIKE ON THE EXIT RAMP. THE BIKE WAS THEN STUCK IN SIXTH GEAR AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN FURTHER. UPON OBTAINING REPLACEMENT PARTS AND INSTALLING THE SAME THE LOCAL DEALER HAD ADVISED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE NEWER HARLEY MODELS AND THAT HAVE HEARD MANY HARROWING STORIES FROM RIDERS LIKE MYSELF THAT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A NEAR MISHAP DUE TO THIS DEFECT, ATTEMPTING TO STOP AND SLOW A 800 POUND BIKE WITH A 210 POUND RIDER AND A 150 PASSENGER AS WELL AS LUGGAGE IS NOT AN EASY TASK WHEN THERE IS NO SHIFTER TO DOWN GEAR AND SLOW THE VEHICLE. DEALER REPORTS HARLEY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ATTRIBUTED TO FAULTY PARTS AND AFFIXMENT BUT TO DATE HAS DONE NOTHING . MY PART REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN. THIS SITUATION IS A DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY WAITING TO OCCUR IN MY OPINION....UPDATED 10/01/15*BF