NHTSA Complaint #755061 — 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FL

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 M.P.H. IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR MORNING TRAFFIC,MOTORCYCLE STALLED OUT IN HIGH SPEED LANE.HAD TO CROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO BREAKDOWN LANE WITH NO POWER WHATSOEVER TO MY ENGINE,COASTING TO A STOP.JUST MISSED BEING A FATALITY FROM AN 18 WHEELER.UPON INSPECTION KEY SWITCH ON GAS TANK DASHPANEL WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BURNED AWAY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. FROM A WIRE FIRE.FIRE BURNED ITSELF OUT,MELTING CONNECTION AND DE-ENEGISING THE IGNITION SYSTEM CAUSING STALLING,BUT STOPPING FIRE.SMOKE WAS NOTED UNDER THE DASH PANEL UPON STOPPING THE MOTORCYCLE.THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS AND THE MANUFACTURER WILLNOT HONOR THE SWITCH AS A RECALL.THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.SOMEBODY WILL BE KILLED FROM THIS!ONE FRIEND HAS A 2000 MODEL YEAR FLSTC AND HAD REPLACED THE SWITCH 3 TIMES TWICE THE FAILURE HAS CAUSED NEAR FATAL RESULTS ON THE HIGHWAY,DUE TO POWER FAILURE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.MY MOTORCYCLE IS A SOURCE OF TRANPORTATION, NOT A PLEASURE TOY. I RELY ON IT DAILY AND HAVE ALMOST 10,000 MILES ON IT IN A YEAR.I DONOT WANT TO BE A RED SPOT ON YOUR HIGHWAY.PLEASE NOTIFY ME AS TO WHAT CAN BE DONE.THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME.DOUG HILL.*AK