NHTSA Complaint #11217249 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU

MY MOTORCYCLE IN TERMS OF MOTORCYCLES ALTHOUGH FIVE YEARS OLD, IS RELATIVELY NEW, METICULOUSLY KEPT, AND ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 16,600 MILES ON THE ODOMETER.ON TUESDAY MAY 28TH, I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT THAT TAKES ME TO MY HOME. AS I APPROACHED THE STOPLIGHT I WAS BRAKING AND DOWNSHIFTING, BRINGING THE BIKE TO FULL STOP. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WENT TO PUT MY BIKE INTO FIRST FROM FROM NEUTRAL, AND AS I DID SO THE BACK PORTION OF MY HEEL-TOE SHIFTER SHOT UP, AFTER WHICH IT WAS LOOSE AND FLOPPY AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE - AS A RESULT, I COULD NOT GET THE BIKE OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THANKFULLY, MY HOUSE IS RIGHT OFF THE EXIT, SO I SUMMARILY LIMPED HOME. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SHIFTER, WHICH IS MADE OF CHROMIUM STEEL, IS ATTACHED TO A SPLINED ALUMINUM SHAFT- THE ALUMINUM SHAFT STRIPED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS, I FOUND IT TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS IN SO MANY WAYS AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.