2004 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUI — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I WAS RIDING ON CITY HIGHWAY. STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION TRAFFIC SIGNAL WHEN THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL TURNED GREEN I BEGAN TO A SPEED OF 30MPH IN A 40MPH ZONE I NOTICE THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED AT THIS TIME I PULLED INTO THE BICYCLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY TO BE OUT OF THE LINE OF TRAFFIC AN AT THAT SECOND THE FRONT BRAKES AN TIRE LOCKED UP PUTTING THE MOTORCYCLE AN MYSELF DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT. THE MOTORCYCLE AN MYSELF SLID APPOX 75 FEET TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER I GOTTEN UP FROM UNDER THE MOTOR I FIRST CHECKED THE FRONT WHEEL IT WAS STILL LOCKED UP I THEN PUSHED THE FRONT BRAKE HANDLE IT WAS HARD AN DID NOT MOVE. I THEN CALL FOR A ROLLBACK WRECKER TO PICKUP THE MOTORCYCLE AN MYSELF UP. THE WRECKER WAS THERE IN MINUTES. I PICKED UP THE MOTORCYCLE TO A STANDING POSITION SAT BACK ON IT AS THE WRECKER WAS BACKING UP FOR PICKUP.TO MY SURPRISE THE MOTORCYCLES FRONT TIRE BEGAN ROLL LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED AN THE BRAKE HANDLE FUNCTIONED PERFECTLY. AFTER THE INSPECTION OF THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM MY CONCLUSION WAS THE BRAKE FLUID USED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON HEATING UP AN CREATING EXPANSION OF THE BRAKE CALIPER CAUSING THE FRONT WHEEL TO LOCK UP. AFTER READING THE RECALL ON THE 2008 AN UP HARLEY DAVIDSON BRAKE FLUID RECALL THE SAME BRAKE FLUID IS ALSO USED ON THE EARLIER MODELS AS WELL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THIS RECALL FOR ALL YEAR THAT THIS PRODUCT THAT WAS USED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON IN THEIR MOTORCYCLES. WE HAVE NO IDEA OF THE EXTENT OF INJURIES THIS HAS CAUSED TO MOTORCYCLE RIDERS THROUGH OUT THE U.S. DUE TO INSURANCE COMPANIES PICKING UP AN DISPOSING THEIR INSURED MOTORCYCLE BEFORE ANY INVESTIGATION COULD BE CONDUCTED TO A CAUSE OF A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. SOMEWHAT TO DRIVERS ERROR ONLY. AT THIS TIME THE MY MOTORCYCLE IS IN STORAGE AN WILL NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL A CONCLUSION BY YOUR DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETED.

ON MY 2004 ULTRA CLASSIC HARLEY,WHICH I OWNED SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER LEVER SLOW WENT DOWN OVER THE YEARS UNTIL THE LEVER IS DOWN TO THE HANDLE GRIP. I'VE BLED THE FRONT BRAKE AND NOTHING, CHECK THE PADS LITTLE LESS THEN HALF ! SO I'M THINK THE MASTER CYLINDER IS A DEFECT. *TR

WOBBLE AT REAR WHEEL OF MOTORCYCLE... OCCURS WHEN IN A LONG, SWEEPING CURVE (EITHER DIRECTION) AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

FAILURE OF THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. OVER TIME PISTONS IN CALIPER STICK OR FREEZE UP. THIS CAUSES THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER TO COME ALL THE BACK TO THE THROTTLE GRIP. IN SOME CASES REDUCING BRAKING EFFICIENCY BY 50%. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND ON 4 SEPARATE CASES BROKE THE PISTONS LOOSE TO ALLOW NORMAL BRAKING. I AM A POLICE MOTORCYCLE INSTRUCTOR, AND HAVE SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OF THE POLICE ROAD KING MODELS PRIOR TO 2007. IN SOME INSTANCES THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WILL, WHEN APPLIED, COME ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE THROTTLE GRIP UNTIL HITTING IT BEFORE MAXIMUM BRAKING IS ACHIEVED. *TR