NHTSA Complaint #11076560 — 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX

WHILE RIDING MY HD MOTORCYCLE, I TURN ONTO AN OFF RAMP FROM I-95. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION, I EASED INTO THE REAR BRAKE. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT THE INTERSECTION, AND AS I APPROACHED I RAN OVER A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD, THIS MADE THE REAR TIRE LOCK UP VERY BRIEFLY AND I COULD FEEL THE ABS AT WORK. I THEN WENT TO PULL IN THE FRONT BRAKES FOR MORE AGGRESSIVE STOPPING AND THE BRAKE LEVER WAS COMPLETELY FROZEN IN PLACE. I COULD NOT PULL IT IN, I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN AN EMERGENCY STOP OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN DOOMED. AFTER A SPLIT SECOND OF "THINKING THIS THROUGH" I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO BRAKE VERY AGGRESSIVELY WITH MY REAR BRAKE TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO CROSS TRAFFIC. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO PULL THE LEVER AGAIN AND IT WOULD NOT PULL NOT MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY ISSUE WITH THIS BEFORE. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AND ALL THE TALK BY HD THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF NEGLECTED MAINTENANCE IS BULL!! I HAVE NOW HEARD OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH BIKES THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE REGULAR 2 YR INTERVAL SERVICE. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW!!! I NOW HAVE MY MOTORCYCLE AT THE DEALERSHIP BEING REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WAS SUPPOSED TO PICK IT UP TODAY BUT THE SAID THEY HAVE RECEIVED A BAD HCU UNIT AND HAD TO ORDER ANOTHER. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING ABOUT THE MODULE SO NOW I HAVE A $20000 DEATH TRAP! IT IS DESPICABLE HOW HARLEY HAS HANDLED THIS. I GOOD ANALOGY WOULD BE TO HAVE A CAR THAT HAS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH BLOWING ENGINES AND THE MANUFACTURER SAYS "OH BRING IT IN, WE KNOW THE ENGINE IS BLOWN BUT WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE OIL FOR FREE". THE DIFFERENCE IS, A BLOWN ENGINE USUALLY WON'T GET YOU KILLED! NHTSA SHOULD PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN ON THIS ONE!