2000 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTD — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I NOTICED WHILE I WAS RIDING THAT THE BIKE HAD A LITTLE WOBBLE IN THE TURNS. CHECKED THE FRONT TIRE I COULD PUSH IN ABOUT ONE HALF INCH IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ABOUT 7 INCHES LONG. HAD TO GET NEW TIRE. THE TIRE WAS STARTING TO SEPARATE. *TR

ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY ON 2000 HARLEY DAVIDSON FXSTD SOFTAIL DEUCE. ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAD TO EITHER TOGGLE THE RUN/STOP SWITCH IN GEAR OR IGNITION SWITCH TO RESTART ENGINE WHILE RIDING IN TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEEDS. CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE AS I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL NO. 99V291 WHICH DESCRIBED EXACTLY HOW MY ENGINE WAS ACTING. JOHN S. IN HD CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTED THAT THIS RECALL WAS NOT FOR MY BIKE AND DID NOT INCLUDE MY VIN AS PART OF THE RECALL. I WAS ON MY OWN TO REPLACE THE PART. THE FAILED PART WHICH I REPLACED IS THE BANK ANGLE SENSOR, HD PART #32495-98, $45. THIS DID CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PER THE SERVICE MANUAL, THE SENSOR WILL STOP THE ENGINE IF THE ANGLE OF THE BIKE EXCEEDS 55 DEGREES. THE SERVICE MANUAL SAYS THE ONLY WAY TO RESET THE SENSOR IS BY TOGGLING THE RUN/STOP SWITCH WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID ABOVE TO RESTART. PLEASE NOTE THE RECALL BELOW, MY FXSTD WAS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 2000. HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY MODELS: HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLT YEARS: 1999-2000 NUMBER INVOLVED: 52,126 DATES OF MANUFACTURE: MAY 1997 - OCTOBER 1999 DEFECT: THE BANK SENSOR ANGLE SYSTEM CAN MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL OR QUIT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN RIDING. THE ENGINE CAN STALL, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL CORRECT THE BANK ANGLE SENSOR SYSTEM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 1999. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680. [NHTSA RECALL NO. 99V291/HARLEY-DAVIDSON RECALL NO. 0101]. *NM

YESTERDAY AS I WAS CRUISING ALONG ON MY 2000 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL DEUCE, I HEARD A BAD SOUND. PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED 4 OF THE 5 CHROME BOLTS BROKE ON THE REAR SPROCKET THAT THE DRIVE BELT CONNECTS TO. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD! I WAS NOT ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THE BOLTS I HAVE WERE THE CHROME HARDWARE KIT FOR REAR BELT SPROCKET - HEX HEAD #94773-00A. I HAVE THE STOCK SPROCKET ON THE CHROMED DEUCE 17" WHEEL. I CALLED HD AND THEY HAVE CREATED AN INCIDENT AND ASKED FOR DETAIL FROM THE DEALER ON OTHER BIKES WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL BIKES IN RECENTLY WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I WAS TOLD BY HARLEY DAVIDSON TODAY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE COME ACROSS ANOTHER OWNER OF AN 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON FATBOY IN CALIFORNIA THAT THIS HAPPENED TO THIS LAST WEEK AS WELL. I CAN FORWARD YOU THIS INFORMATION. ALL 5 OF HIS BOLTS BROKE (NON-CHROMED) AND A BOLT HIT A BIKER IN THE LEG BEHIND HIM. I DO NOT FEEL THAT HARLEY IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AS I AM FINDING MORE AND MORE INCIDENTS OF THIS HAPPENING. I AM NOW BEARING THE COST OF A NEW WHEEL AND LABOR TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *JB