NHTSA Complaint #11162130 — 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK

WHILE RIDING MY BIKE, I OBSERVED TRAFFIC STOPPING/SLOWING AHEAD. I TRIED TO PULL MY FRONT BRAKE LEVER AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. NO GIVE WHATSOEVER. LUCKILY I WAS NOT IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKE SITUATION SO I DOWN SHIFTED MORE RAPIDLY, USED MY REAR BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP. AT THE NEXT RAMP, I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO A GAS STATION. WHEN I TRIED MY FRONT BRAKE LEVER AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS PULLING BACK, BUT NEEDED A LOT OF FORCE. IN ANOTHER MINUTE I TRIED AGAIN AND IT FELT NORMAL, AND ENGAGED THE BRAKE. I CONTINUED HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE NEXT COUPLE TIMES I RODE IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. THEN LAST WEEK IT FELT FINE AND WAS WORKING FINE. THE ALL OF THE SUDDEN I TRIED TO BRAKE W/THE FRONT AND IT JAMMED AGAIN. I TRIED A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE, AND IT BEGAN TO MOVE. AFTER ABOUT AN INCH OF TRAVEL, IT GAVE ALL THE WAY AND LOCKED THE BRAKE. I WAS GOING SLOW ENOUGH THAT THE WHEEL DIDN'T SKID, BUT I ENDED UP ON MY GAS TANK UP AGAINST MY FAIRING! I WAS NOT INJURED, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO MY BIKE, BUT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY, MY WELL BEING WOULD HAVE BEEN AT A HUGE RISK. AFTER SEEING A MECHANIC, AND GOING ONLINE TO RESEARCH THIS, I FOUND OUT THAT THE ABS MODULE, IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS AS I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM QUITE A FEW PEOPLE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THIS, BUT I WANTED TO GET THIS OUT THERE, SO YOU HAVE A REPORT ON THIS, SO MAYBE YOU FOLKS CAN LOOK INTO THIS. BRAKE SYSTEMS AREN'T SUPPOSE TO KILL RIDERS, IN MY OPINION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.