2006 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRCI — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

MOTORCYCLE HESITATES, SPUTTERS, STALLS WHEN ACCELERATING USUALLY WHEN ITS COLD. I FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN M-1185 FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON. I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER CARE REF #3378245, TOLD ME TO DROP IT OFF AT A DEALERSHIP. THEN DEALERSHIP SAID HD DENIED REPLACEMENT OF THE UPDATED / MOD FUEL INJECTORS. THE BIKE HAS 5K MILES ON IT.

FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP AT LOW SPEEDS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. I THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE ISSUE AND REPLACED THEM. BIKE CONTINUED TO HAVE BRAKE(S) LOCK UP AT LOW TO MEDIUM SPEEDS (35 OR LESS) JUST BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO RESET THE BRAKE PISTONS AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE BRAKE CALIPERS TO "LOOSE THEIR MEMORY" AND REMAIN IN A HALF CLOSED POSITION FACILITATING THE CALIPER LOCK-UP. I ASKED WHETHER THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY. HAVING THE BRAKES LOCK UP IN A NON-PANIC SITUATION WHEN YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE THE POSSIBILITY IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. BTW MY BRAKES ARE NOT ABS. *TR

I WAS THE PROUD OWNER OF 2006 ROAD KING CLASSIC. I PAMPERED MY BIKE, HAD IT SERVICED BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP, AND HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS. AFTER 5000 MILES, (HARDLY EXCESSIVE USE) A STRONG WOBBLE DEVELOP AND IT GOT WORSE AT ALMOST ANY SPEED. I TOOK THE BIKE TO BE CHECKED AT HACIENDA HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE AZ IN JUNE OF 2008 WHICH AT THE TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER SHOWED ME THE LOOSE REAR WHEEL SPOKES. MY CONCERN WAS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE WOBBLE BUT WOULD IT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT? THE MANAGER SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL ('TIGHTENING THE SPOKES WILL ONLY FIX THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY' WAS HIS QUOTE). ACCORDING TO HIM THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY HARLEY DAVIDSON. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS FOUND ALL OVER THE INTERNET BLOGS AS I RESEARCHED. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN TOLD THAT HD DOES NOT COVER THIS DEFECT. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A LONG HISTORY, AND I AM SURPRISED TO SEE SUCH A COMPANY NOT BACKING UP ITS PRODUCTS. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FATAL PROBLEM; THE INTERNET MENTIONS LAW SUITS, AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS SWITCHING TO BMW MOTORCYCLES, BECAUSE OF THIS. IN OTHER WORDS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION. AFTER REPLACING THE REAR WHEEL AND THE TIRE (COST: $917.23), WHAT GUARANTY DO I HAVE THIS NEW WHEEL IS NOT GOING TO FAIL LIKE THE FIRST ONE? THE TRUST IS GONE. SHOULD SPOKES LOOSEN AFTER 5000 MILES? ' PROBABLY NOT. SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED? ' PROBABLY YES, BUT NOBODY TOLD ME ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOWHERE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS IT RECOMMENDED TO CHECK OR TO TIGHTEN THE SPOKES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY HARLEY DAVIDSON REFUSES TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT CAN CAUSE DEADLY ACCIDENTS. I SOLD MY ROAD KING CLASSIC, AFTER WARNING THE NEW BUYER. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 ROADKING CLASSIC WITH 10,609 MILES. MILEAGE WHEN PROBLEM STARTED WAS 9,837. WHILE RIDING IN THE BLACK HILLS, GOING DOWN A 6% GRADE, THE ENGINE DIES AND THE SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO 0. I COASTED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GRADE AND PULLED OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. WHEN I STOPPED, THE FUEL PUMP PUMPED UP, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF, AND I STARTED THE BIKE AND WENT ON. ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER IT DONE IT AGAIN, AGAIN GOING DOWN A STEEP GRADE. THIS TIME I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND FLIPPED THE ENGINE KILL SWITCH OFF AND ON AND THE ELECTRIC CAME BACK. I STARTED THE BIKE AND WENT ON. IT DID IT A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES IN TEN DAYS, AND EACH TIME I WAS GOING DOWN A GRADE. I TOOK IT TO DODGE CITY HARLEY DAVIDSON, THEY CHECKED IT AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I WAS PASSING A VEHICLE THE 2ND TIME AND WAS JUST PULLING IN FRONT OF HIM WHEN IT DIED OUT. NOT A GOOD THING OR FEELING GOING 65MPH. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM OR KNOW HOW TO FIX IT? *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A MOTORCYCLE 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, A PASSING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO DETACH, BLOWING IT OFF OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO OFFERED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED 12/18/2006 - *NM