2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

DETACHABLE HARDSHELL SADDLEBAG FLEW OFF WHILE RIDING ON INTERSTATE. 2018 RECALL 0172 COVERS LATCH ARM PART 90200481 NEEDED TO REPAIR FOR WORN PINS, BUT PER HARLEY HEADQUARTERS THIS RECALL DOES NOT EFFECT MY BIKE.

I OWN A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE ULTRA WITH ABS. IN 2018 I BEGAN EXPERIENCING A STIFF FRONT BRAKE WHILE RIDING. AFTER TAKING THE BIKE INTO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR ITS REGULAR SERVICE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS UNABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THE TIME. NOW, AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ABS PUMP. MY FRONT BRAKE IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND CANNOT BE ACTIVATED. LUCKILY I WAS NOT RIDING WHEN THIS WAS FOUND. ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE ON THIS BIKE WAS DONE BY THE DEALER INCLUDING THE BREAK SERVICES. HARLEY DOES APPEAR TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR BIKES WITH ABS FROM 2008-2011 BUT ONLY FOR A FLUID REPLACEMENT AND NOT FOR THE PUMP FAILURE. THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM BETWEEN 2011 AND 2012. THE REPORTED FIX IS REGULAR FLUID CHANGES. MY BIKE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE AT EVERY RECOMMENDED MILEAGE BECAUSE I HAVE A SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE DEALER. ACCORDING TO HARLEY, IF I HAD REGULAR FLUID CHANGES I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE, BUT I STILL DO. IF THIS FAILURE HAD HAPPENED WHILE RIDING I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. UP TO THE POINT OF THE TOTAL LOCK UP I HAD EXPERIENCED A HARD BREAK THAT HAD TO BE FREED DURING RIDING.

THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE FAILED. I WAS LEAVING A BUSINESS, THE EXIT WAS ON AN INCLINE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. AS I WAS GOING UP THE INCLINE I GRABBED THE FRONT BRAKE TO STOP FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BIKE WITH THE REAR BRAKE AT THE TOP OF INCLINE RAMP. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I FOUND THAT THE ABS BRAKE MODULE ON 2008-2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON WERE FAILING AND ABOUT 175,000 BIKES WERE AFFECTED. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAID THE BRAKE FLUID SHOULD BE CHANGED EVERY TWO YEARS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOISTURE GETS INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CLOGS THE ABS MODULE PORTS. MY BIKE HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE PLAN, HOWEVER HARLEY-DAVIDSON DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR BRAKE FLUID IN THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE MILESTONES. THEY DO OPEN YOUR MASTER CYLINDER AND CHECK FOR MOISTURE, THEY DON'T DOCUMENT MOISTURE LEVEL. IF THE MOISTURE LEVEL IS ABOVE A CERTAIN LEVEL THEY WILL TELL YOU, BUT IF IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND YOUR CURRENT WITH YOUR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE THEY SHOULD CHANGE THE FLUID. THEY DON'T, THEY JUST OPEN YOUR SYSTEM UP TO BE EXPOSED POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION AND IF THE FLUID CHECKS GOOD FOR 3,4 OR 5 YEARS THEY WON'T SAY ANYTHING. THE MERE FACT THEY TAKE THE TOP OFF THE MASTER CYLINDER IN A SEALED SYSTEM COULD BE WHEN INTRODUCTION OF MOISTURE BEGINS. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND MAKES NO PROACTIVE STEPS TO HELP CONSUMERS WITH COST OF CORRECTING THIS COSTLY OR POSSIBLE FATAL DISCREPANCY. BRAKES ARE A NECESSITY FOR SAFE MOTORCYCLING. IF HARLEY-DAVIDSON RECOMMENDS CHANGING BRAKE FLUID EVERY TWO YEARS THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT ON RECORD WHEN THE BIKE COMES IN FOR SERVICE, JUST LIKE OIL CHANGES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE, BUT THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD NOT STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED VIA AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE AUTO AUCTION IN CLEARWATER. FL. LAKELAND HARLEY-DAVIDSON (4202 LAKELAND HILLS BLVD, LAKELAND, FL 33805) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

MY WIFE RODE HER BIKE TO WORK AND ON THE WAY HOME WAS HAVING PROBLEMS MAINTAINING CONTROL. SHE CALLED ME ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES FROM HOME AND I WENT AND GOT THE BIKE. WHEN I GOT IT HOME I PUT IT ON THE LIFT AND FOUND THE PULLEY SIDE BEARING IN THE REAR WHEEL HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT ACTUALLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AXLE SLEEVE AND WHEEL SPACER. WHEN I PULLED THE WHEEL, BALL BEARINGS FELL OUT AS DID THE INNER RACE. THE BEARING WAS TOTALLY SHOT. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGH SPEED OVER THE ROAD TRIP THAT WE OFTEN TAKE, SHE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. MILEAGE WAS 12940. *TR