NHTSA Complaint #11219095 — 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR

THE SADDLE BAG FELL OFF WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE MOTORCYCLE BEHIND IT CAUSING THE RIDER TO COME OFF AT 100 KM/HOUR. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE SADDLE BAG HAS COME OFF. THE PREVIOUS TIME, IT WAS THE OTHER SIDE SO THE OWNER OF THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS EXTRA CAREFUL TO BE SURE THE BAGS WERE LATCHED PROPERLY PRIOR TO THE TRIP. IN OUR GROUP OF ABOUT 12 RIDERS, TWO OTHER MOTORCYCLISTS HAVE HAD HD SADDLEBAGS FALL OFF. WHEN I SPOKE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER, HE SAID HE'S HAD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE THEIR SADDLE BAG REPLACED BECAUSE IT FELL OFF GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND GOT SCURFFED UP.I'VE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO HARLEYDAVIDSON.I AM WORRIED PEOPLE WILL DIE DUE TO THIS DEFECT.THEY ARE SELF REGULATING, SO I AM VERY VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING A RECALL EVEN THOUGH LIVES ARE AT RISK.THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS THEY HAVE RECEIVED, NOR WOULD THEY TELL ME HOW MANY THEY WOULD GET BEFORE DECIDING THEY SHOULD DO A VOLUNTARY RECALL. THERE NEEDS TO BE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT ON THIS SORT OF THING, BECAUSE OF COURSE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND IT WAS VEY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE RISK POSED BY THESE BAGS WAS NOT GETTING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVED. I AM CONCERNED THIS IS UNDER REPORTED, BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSUME THEY MUST HAVE FORGOT TO ATTACH IT WHEN FACT THE ATTACHEMENTS ARE FAULTY. ALSO, I THOUGHT BY REPORTING IT TO HD THAT THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT TOO, BECAUSE I ASSUMED HD WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO PASS ON THE REPORT TO THE TRAFFIC SAFETY BOARD. THEY DO NOT. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE A HD MECHANIC ASSESS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND IS ENDANGERING LIVES!*DT MORE PICS OF INJURIES AND HELMET.*JB