2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

ENGINE KNOCKS AND KICKS BACKS, ON STARTING AND WHEN ACCELERATING,HAS BEEN WORKED ON SEVERAL TIMES, BY HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER. THE PROBLEM I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET AND ASSEMBLY . THROUGH MANY FORUMS AND TALKS WITH OTHER HARLEY RIDERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, THE FIX TO THE PROBLEM ACCORDING TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE RESEARCHED THE COMPENSATOR IS FOR IT TO BE REPLACED WITH THE SCREAMING EAGLE COMPENSATOR PART #40274-08.IF THIS IS NOT RECALLED OR REPAIRED BY HARLEY IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE OWNER TO REPAIR APPROX. 600.00 DOLLARS BUT MORE IMPORTANT THE COMPENSATOR CAN COME APART POSSIBLY BUSTING THE PRIMARY CASE LETTING OIL TO SPILL ON TO ROAD AND TIRES WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY HURTING SOMEONE OR WORSE KILLING SOMEONE. *TR

2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON TWIN CAM ENGINE HAS EXCESSIVE HEAT. WHENEVER AIR TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 95 THE AIR COOLED ENGINE DOES NOT COOL PROPERLY. DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM ENGINE, THE BACK OF MY LEGS ARE GETTING EXTREMELY HOT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR

2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC (FLHTCU) WITH 96" ENGINE RUNS EXCEEDLING/DANGEROUSLY HOT TO THE POINT OF POSSIBLE BURNS INFLECTED ON INNER THIGH AREA OF LEGS. *TR

THE SITUATION:ON A MOTORCYCLE, DRIVETRAIN FAILURE AT TYPICAL OPERATING SPEEDS COULD VERY WELL MEAN SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER. ABNORMAL HEAT OR NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE'S DRIVETRAIN ARE NOT ISSUES TO BE IGNORED BY A PRUDENT RIDER OR BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MOTORCYCLE. FOR EXAMPLE THE DRIVETRAIN ON MY 2007 FLHTCU IS EXCESSIVELY NOISY WHEN OPERATED IN 5TH GEAR AT NORMAL RPMS. THIS IMPLIES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND/OR ABNORMAL WEAR OCCURRING SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVETRAIN RUNS SO HOT AS TO PRESENT A BURN HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND PASSENGER EVEN WHEN PROPERLY CLOTHED. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO LONGTERM PROBLEMS WITH ANY DRIVETRAIN, INCREASING THE LIKELYHOOD OF FAILURE. WHAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS DONE: TO DATE, THE ONLY HALF-HEARTED SOLUTION TO THESE MALADIES OFFERED BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN THE "TORQUE SMOOTHING DOWNLOAD" WHICH ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING...

PURCHASED A FLHTCU IN SEPT. 06. SINCE DAY 1 I FELT INTENSE HEAT ON MY THIGHS AND THE WEATHER WASN'T EVEN HOT ( IN 60'S). HD REP AND DEALERS STATED BIKE IS RUNNING LEAN DUE TO EPA REGULATIONS AND I NEED TO INSTALL, AT ADDITIONAL COST , A S.E.R.T. AND STAGE 1 KIT TO MAKE IT RUN COOLER. ON MAY 25, 2007, MY PASSENGER AND MYSELF WERE IN TRAFFIC MOVING ABOUT 20 MPH AND WE COULD FEEL THE HEAT. AT AROUND 5 MPH THE HEAT WAS GETTING SO UNBEARABLE MY PASSENGER HAD TO PUT HER RIGHT LEG ON MY LAP. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE EXPRESSWAY BECAUSE OF THE HEAT. MY PASSENGER CHECKED HER LEG AND IT WAS SO RED AND BURNING THAT I HAD TO ADMINISTER FIRST AID CREAM ON HER LEG. I CHECKED THE BIKE TEMPERATURE WITH A SURFACE TEMPERATURE DEVICE...

THIS IS THE FOLLOW-UP RELATING TO THE COMPLAINT I FILLED ON MARCH 6, 2007 (ODI NUMBER) 10184521. AGAIN, WE STOPPED AT A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER ON OUR TRIP TO CALIFORNIA WITH OUR FRIENDS, THIS TIME SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WE HAD SOME SERIOUS HEATING PROBLEMS. PIPE DISCOLORATION, EXCESSIVE HEAT, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE A DYNA. HE RECOMMENDED A DEALER THAT WASN'T OPEN FOR 3 MORE DAYS. THAT WASN'T GOING TO WORK. WE THEN HAD TO STOP AT QUAID HARLEY DAVIDSON ON THE WAY HOME, BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. AFTER COMING BACK FROM CALIFORNIA AGAIN AND EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE HEATING ISSUES, WE THOUGHT HARLEY DAVIDSON WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WE BROUGHT OUR BIKE TO HACIENDA HARLEY DAVIDSON IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ THE FOLLOWING MORNING WITH MASSIVE DISCOLORATION (BLACK/DARK BROWN) ON THE PIPES NOT INCLUDING THE BLUE AND YELLOW ONES (FROM THE DAY WE DROVE IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP)...

I PURCHASED A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU IN AUGUST 20 06. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HEAT COMING FROM THE REAR CYLINDER. WHEN THE AIR TEMPERATURE GOT OVER 80 DEGREES IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO RIDE AT LOW SPEEDS. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. AFTER PURCHASING A HEAT GUN I BEGAN TO MONITOR ENGINE TEMPERATURES. THE REAR CYLINDER ROUTINELY TOPPED 400 FAHRENHEIT, THE FRONT RAN 70 TO 80 DEGREES COOLER. IN MARCH 29007 I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE & AFTER MUCH ARGUING IT WAS AGREED THAT AN AREA REPRESENTATIVE WOULD LOOK AT MY BIKE. ON APRIL 3RD I DROPPED THE BIKE OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE I CHECKED TEMPERATURE WITH THE HEAT GUN, THE REAR CYLINDER READ 430*, THE FRONT WAS 350*. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 50 DEGREES. THE NEXT DAY I WAS INFORMED...

WE PURCHASED OUR MOTORCYCLE IN AUGUST OF 2006. AFTER RIDING IT FOR A WHILE THE FIRST DAY OUT WITH SOME FRIENDS VISITING FROM CALIFORNIA THE REAR ENGINE, CYLINDER GOT UNBEARABLY HOT. THERE WHERE POINTS THAT WE WANTED TO JUMP OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. WE TOOK PICTURES OF THE BURNS IT CAUSED AND SENT THEM TO HARLEY DAVIDSON. I STILL HAVE THEM. THE DEALER AND HARLEY DAVIDSON STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OFF THE LOWERS AND THAT SHOULD CURE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, NOW IT IS GETTING HOTTER AND COMING HOME FROM A ROAD TRIP IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER, WE COULDN'T STAND STILL AT A STOP LIGHT WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE BIKE. WE THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF THE HEATING ISSUE IS TO PURCHASE A RACE TUNER FOR AN ADDITIONAL $1000.00. THE BURNING IS INTENSE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE, NOT...

2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI, EXPERIENCING INTENSE HEAT FROM THE RIGHT REAR CYLINDER, WHEN THE BIKE IS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC IT IS UNBEARABLE, I AM FEARFUL IT WILL BURN THE UNDERSIDE OF MY RIGHT THIGH. DISCUSSED WITH THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD, THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I REMOVE THE LOWER FAIRINGS, BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT ON THE HEAT WHEN THE BIKE WAS STOPPED. AS I SAID, I AM AFRAID I WILL BE BURNED BY THIS. *NM