NHTSA Complaint #10956811 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCF

IN JUNE 2016, I WAS RIDING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, WHEN MY REAR MOTORCYCLE BRAKE SUDDENLY FAILED. WHEN THE CALIPER FAILED, THE PADS WERE LOCKED AGAINST THE ROTOR AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I EXPERIENCE EXTREME LOSS OF POWER AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, LUCKILY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ROTOR WAS ALREADY RED HOT AND THE BIKE WAS UNRIDEABLE AS THE REAR BRAKE WAS UNABLE TO BE DISENGAGED. I WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE REAR MASTER CYCLINDER, ROTOR AND ALL BRAKE LINES. FEB 2014: STARTED BIKE TO TAKE IT FOR ITS FIRST SPRING RIDE. PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I GOT TO THE END OF MY ROAD, I GRABBED THE FRONT BRAKE. THE LEVER WAS ROCK HARD AND INMOVEABLE EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST WAY. CALIPER AND PADS FROZEN, I HAD NO FRONT BRAKE AT ALL! TOOK TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. EVEN AFTER REMOVING THE LINE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ABS UNIT, THE LEVER NOR THE CALIPER WOULD ENGAGE. HE THEN TOWED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER, WHO HAS YET TO CONTACT ME. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS ABS, ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND I'VE HAD CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE TWICE IN 6 MONTHS. I AM REPORTING THIS AS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.