2006 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXDBI Wheels Problems

ON 5/27/13 WHILE RIDING HOME FROM WORK I HEARD A BANG FROM THE REAR OF MY BIKE. I THEN HEARD RATTLING. I STOPPED AND FOUND THAT 3 OF THE 5 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE REAR SPROCKET ON THE HUB WERE SHEARED OFF AT THE THREADS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME. ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I HAD TO REMOVED THE SHEARED BOLTS FROM INSIDE THE HUB AND REPLACED THEM WITH '6' MARK GRADE 'A' BOLTS. THESE BOLTS FAILED ON 5/27/13. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A LITTLE 'PLAY' BETWEEN THE SPACING BETWEEN THE SPROKET HOLE AND BOLT. THIS MAY BE CAUSING THE BOLTS TO SHEAR IF STRESS OR TORQUE IS PLACED ON THE REAR WHEEL/SPROCKET. HARLEY DENIES THAT THIS IS THEIR EQUIPMENT ISSUE BUT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN TWICE IS KIND OF ODD ESPECIALLY IF I REPLACED THE STOCK BOLTS WITH BETTER ONES. *TR

ON SUNDAY 10 JUNE 2012, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON US ROUTE 301 APPROXIMATELY .5 MILES SOUTH OF RT 4 IN MARYLAND. I WAS RIDING SOLO ON A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET BOB AT 50 MPH. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE REAR DRIVE SPROCKET DETACHED FROM THE REAR WHEEL CAUSING MOMENTARY LOCK-UP OF THE REAR WHEEL AND LOSS OF CONTROL. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE FAILURE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS ATTACHING THE REAR SPROCKET TO THE REAR WHEEL HAD BACKED OUT AND CAUGHT ON THE SWING ARM CAUSING ALL BOLTS TO SHEER AWAY FROM THE REAR TIRE HUB. THIS HAPPENED ONLY TWO WEEKS AFTER A 5000 MILE SERVICE PERFORMED BY THE HARLEY DISTRIBUTOR IN ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET INDICATES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS OTHER HD OWNERS WITH VARYING RESULTS (SOME LIFE THREATENING). HD DISTRIBUTOR AND HD FACTORY WERE CONTACTED AND BOTH DENIED...

THE BOLTS ON THE REAR SPROCKET OF MY 2006 FXDB HARLEY STREET BOB CAME LOOSE AND SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK. THERE WAS NO RESIDUE INDICATING ANY TYPE OF THREADLOCKER HAD BEEN USED. I BOUGHT THE BIKE NEW AND HAVE NEVER HAD THESE PARTS REMOVED. THIS MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE VERY EASILY RESULTED IN MY DEATH AT A HIGHER SPEED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXD MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NEW RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE MOTORCYCLE. SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE MOTORCYCLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT BOTH WHEELS LOCKED UP. SHE MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND LOOSEN UP THE FOOT BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE WHEELS WERE STILL LOCKED UP. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE LOOSE BOLTS IN THE TIRE, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEELS TO LOCK UP. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE THAT DEFECT AND A RECALL WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE MOTORCYCLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE SHOP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 12,015. UPDATED 09/16/09.*JB