NHTSA Complaint #11195998 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX

HUNDREDS OF RIDERS IN FORUMS ONLINE HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE WHERE THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE MOTORCYCLE'S WIRE PINS GOING INTO THE THROTTLE INDUCTION MODEL ACTUATOR BECOMES DISRUPTED WHILE RIDING. HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS PROGRAMED THE BIKE TO SHUT DOWN THE RPMS TO NO MORE THAN 2,000 AND SHUTTING DOWN ONE OF THE TWO CYLINDERS. THIS POSES VERY SERIOUS AND IMMEDIATE RISK OF DEATH TO THE RIDER AS THE BIKE SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING OR BRAKE LIGHTS DROPS IN SPEED VERY QUICKLY ON A HIGHWAY RESULTING IN POSSIBLY GETTING REAR-ENDED BY A VEHICLE, OR GETTING RUN OVER TRYING TO CROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC, OR GOING SIDEWAYS IF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE; IN THE CASE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD, THIS COULD MEAN FALLING TO ONE'S DEATH. ALL OF THIS COULD BE PREVENTED BY HD REPLACING THE EXISTING WIRING HARNESS(ES) WITH A SLIGHTLY LONGER ONES SO THE EXTREME ANGLE OF THE WIRE INPUT DOESN'T PUT STRESS ON THE PINS, AND THE BIKE CONTINUES TO OPERATE NORMALLY. ALSO, CHANGING THE PROGRAMMING SO THAT THE BIKE CAN GO ABOVE 15MPH IF "LIMP MODE" IS REQUIRED FOR SOME REASON WOULD LIKELY PREVENT SOMEONE FROM BEING KILLED. IT WAS TERRIFYING TO HAVE AN 18-WHEELER BARRELING DOWN ON MY FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE BIKE WENT FROM 75MPH TO 40MPH IN LESS THAN 2 SECONDS. I HONESTLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE A TERRIBLE DEATH. FORTUNATELY THIS DRIVER SAW MY FRANTIC WAVING OF THE HANDS. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT, I'D BE DEAD.