2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED SEVERAL TIMES THEY FAILED TO ENGAGE AND FUNCTIONED RANDOMLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, PROVIDED A COVER FOR THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A DIAGNOSIS TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A REPAIR SOLUTION TO BE PROVIDED TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE16009 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY I ENCOUNTERED A WOBBLE IN THE STEERING. I CHECKED THE STEERING HEAD BEARING FOR PROPER ADJUSTMENT PER FACTORY SPECS AND FOUND IT TO BE PROPERLY ADJUSTED. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME WOBBLE AND NOTED WHEN SPEED IS INCREASED THE WOBBLE APPEARS WITHOUT BEING PROVOKED WITH A LEAN ANGLE. I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR 46 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN TEACHING MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOR 13 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN ON ANY OTHER MOTORCYCLE (INCLUDING PREVIOUS HD SPORTSTER). THE BEST WAY I FOUND TO RECOVERING FROM THIS WOBBLE IS A EASY ROLL BACK OFF OF THE THROTTLE. HARLEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT WOULD NEED A REVISED ENGINE MOUNT OR A ADDED STEERING DAMPENING STABLING SYSTEM. I PURCHASED MOTORCYCLE NEW AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY WARNING OF SUCH WOBBLE PROBLEM BEING REPORTED. I HAVE NOT MOVED, AND HAVE HAD MY MOTORCYCLE SERVICED AT THE DEALER WHEN IT WAS 2 WEEKS OLD DUE TO A SHAKE CAUSED BY LOOSE SPOKES OF THE REAR WHEEL, AS WELL AS A NEW REAR TIRE 2 YEARS AGO. *TR

IT START ABOUT A YEAR AGO, MY BIKE THEN HAD 25,000 MILE ON IT. IT WAS GETTING HARD TO START AFTER THE MOTOR WAS WARM. I CHANGE THE SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES, IGNITION COIL AND BATTERY AND ITS WAS STILL HARD TO START. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WITH ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM TO BE THE COMPENSATOR. HOW CAN A BIKE WITH 30,000 MILE ON IT HAVE A MAJOR POWERTRAIN PROBLEM AND COST ME $800.00 TO REPAIR?

I WAS RIDING MY 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH A PASSENGER WHEN THE BOLTS HOLDING THE REAR SPROCKET TO THE REAR WHEEL STARTED BACKING OUT. THE HEADS OF THE BOLTS STARTED HITTING THE SWING ARM AND SHEARING OFF. AS THIS HAPPENED THE BIKE LURCHED VIOLENTLY AND WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT CRASHING. UPON INSPECTION THE BOLTS TORE UP THE REAR WHEEL HUB, THE SPROCKET, AND THE SWING ARM. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE BACK TIRE DIDN'T LOCK UP AND CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL. MY BIKE HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT, I BOUGHT IT NEW, AND HAVE HAD ALL THE SERVICE AND TIRE CHANGES DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM. I HAVE HAD EVERY SERVICE REQUIRED AND IN FACT IT WAS SERVICED ABOUT 100 MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE SPROCKET HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE REAR WHEEL, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE REMOVED TO CHANGE THE TIRE. IF YOU DO AN INTERNET SEARCH USING THE SEARCH CRITERIA "HD REAR SPROCKET BOLTS BACKING OUT" YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND PERVASIVE PROBLEM THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON ISN'T ACKNOWLEDGING. I CAN SEND YOU PICTURES AND ACTUAL DESTROYED PARTS IF IT WILL HELP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING. THE CONTACT STATED THE BURNING FUMES EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE MOTORCYCLE HE NOTICED THAT THREE DIFFERENT WIRE HARNESS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,500.