NHTSA Complaint #10747265 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTKSE

RIGHT REAR SADDLE BAG DEPARTED THE MOTORCYCLE ON I-90 JUST EAST OF WALLACE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS WAS 8 DAYS AFTER HAVING THE HARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL INCORPORATED AT A QUALIFIED DEALER IN ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. THE BAG DEPARTED WITHOUT WARNING AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A SAFE STOP IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE BAG SKIDDED ON THE PAVEMENT AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE I-90 EASTBOUND LANE. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME AND THE SITUATION OCCURRED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE GREAT CONCERN THAT HAD THERE BEEN TRAFFIC BEHIND ME THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT/ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR LOSS OF PROPERTY I AM ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIABILITY EXPOSURE I HAVE PERSONALLY IF AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS IS THE CAUSE OF INJURY, PROPERTY DAMAGE OR DEATH. HARLEY DAVIDSON DOESN'T SEEM TO BE GIVING THIS THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES AS THE RECALL WAS ONLY A HARDWARE CHANGE AND DID NOT INCORPORATE ANY FAILSAFE MECHANISM SHOULD THE HARDWARE FAIL, AS IS DID IN THIS CASE. CLEARLY THE RECALL DESIGN IS FLAWED AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE SAME FAILURE MODE AS THE ORIGINAL HARDWARE AND MUST BE CHANGED YET AGAIN. READING THROUGH SOME QUICK INTERNET SEARCHES THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING AS FAR BACK AS 2011 FROM MY BRIEF SEARCH. I URGE NHTSA TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON AND TAKE SWIFT ACTION TO REMEDY.