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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC. WHILE RIDING 75-80 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 04/06/17 LJ *TR

THE REAR BRAKE LINE (PN 40971-00A) RUBBED THE FRAME AND CLUTCH CABLE, CAUSING A HOLE TO BE CREATED. THIS IS IN THE AREA BELOW THE CAM CHEST, BEHIND THE MASTER CYLINDER, INSIDE THE FRAME ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE BRAKE LINE BLEW OUT WHEN THE REAR BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 9 MPH, THE BRAKE LAMP FAILED TO ACTIVATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V506000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN MY DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE, WITH OUT WARNING, MADE A LOUD METALLIC NOISE FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND LOCKED UP ALONG WITH THE REAR WHEEL. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT A GREATER SPEED, OR IN TRAFFIC, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DIRE. I REMOVED THE PRIMARY COVER AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICE A LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD GOTTEN JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH SPROCKET AND PRIMARY DRIVE CHAIN. THIS LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD BROKEN OFF A PRESSED STEEL CAGE THAT ENCLOSED A SET OF DIAPHRAGM SPRINGS FROM THE CRANKSHAFT COMPENSATOR ASSEMBLY. THE OUTER EDGE OF THE SPRINGS, OVER TIME, HAD WORN THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CAGE THAT CONTAINS THEM IN PLACE CAUSING A SECTION OF THE CAGE TO SEPARATE. THIS SEPARATED PIECE IS WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN TO LOCK UP. I HAVE AN ENGINEERING BACK GROUND AND CAN SAY THAT THIS COMPENSATING SPROCKET ASSEMBLY WAS POORLY ENGINEERED AND CAN ALSO SAY WITH GREAT AMOUNT OF CERTAINTY THAT THEY WILL ALL FAIL EVENTUALLY. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS NEVER A SAFETY RECALL CONSIDERING ALL THE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ASSEMBLY. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS GOOGLE "HARLEY COMPENSATOR PROBLEMS" AND IT FINDS A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFO ON THIS! *TR

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE (2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC) AT 57 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH NO ADVERSE ROAD CONDITIONS, THE REAR TIRE BLEW, THE RIDER FOUGHT TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT TO SLOW DOWN FOR 3-5 SECONDS, THEN LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED TO PROPER INFLATION 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE BLOWOUT AND ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE RIDER SUFFERED A BRAIN CONCLUSION WITH MINOR HEMORRHAGING, A BROKEN COLLARBONE, AND BROKEN BONES IN THE RIGHT FOOT. THE TIRE, WHICH WAS NEW ON THE BIKE AND PURCHASED TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HAD ONLY BEEN RIDDEN FOR 1400 MILES. THE TIRE, BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA G702, APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE, HAVING COME APART AT WHERE IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MOLDED TOGETHER BETWEEN THE WHITE SIDEWALL AND THE TREAD. NO PUNCTURES OR ROAD HAZARD CUTS OR BLEMISHES COULD BE FOUND ON THE TIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY, PROGRESSIVE, PLANS TO HIRE AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SAFETY EXPERT TO EVALUATE THE TIRE. *TR