2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFT TAIL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE BIKE PASSENGER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE AT THE GAS TANK CONNECTION. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE QUICK CONNECT FITTING AT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING.UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE QUICK CONNECT IT APPEARS TO HAVE TWO INTERNAL "O" RINGS. PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE I HAVE NEVER DISCONNECTED THE FUEL LINE, BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN DROPPED AND THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER ADVERSE EVENTS TO THIS AREA. WITH THE EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 3,000), METICULOUS CARE AND RUNNING THE FUEL TANK DRY BEFORE STORAGE THERE SHOULD NOT BE A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE. FUEL LEAKING FROM THIS FITTING DRIPS DIRECTLY ON THE ENGINE. ON-LINE RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE SOMEWHAT COMMON. YOU TUBE VIDEO AND SELF HELP MECHANICAL SITES HAVE MANY DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PROBLEM. IRONICALLY, WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL H-D DEALER I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT PART IS LISTED "DISCONTINUED" AS "OBSOLETE". REALLY, IT'S A 2009. FUEL LEAKING ON AN ENGINE DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE BY ENGINEERED DESIGN SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER WITHOUT ANY DEBATE. NOTE THAT THE FUEL CAP ALSO LEAKS BUT AT LEAST I CAN SEE THE FUEL RUNNING DOWN THE TANK BEFORE IT GETS TO THE ENGINE. *TR

MOTORCYCLE DIED IN INTERSECTION. WHEN I WENT TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES AND EACH TIME I TRIED I GOT A GRINDING NOISE. FINALLY STARTED BUT LIGHT HAD ALREADY TURNED AND I WAS IN INTERSECTION PAST RED. THIS HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MOTOR IS WARMED UP. STARTER? COMPENSATOR? I HAVE READ ON LINE THE BIKES OF THAT TIME PERIOD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A CAR. *TR

APPLIED THE REAR BRAKE TO STOP, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, FIRE STARTED BY REAR BRAKE LITE SWITCH BY BRAKE FLUID ON HOT EXHAUST. *TR

CLUTCH LEVER SEEMED FAR TO REACH, TOOK IN FOR INSPECTION AND/OR POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT. CAME BACK WITH CLUTCH LEVER STICKING OR RATCHETING, NO LONGER SMOOTH TO OPERATE. THIS MADE IT VERY HARD TO OPERATE IN THE FRICTION ZONE NEEDED FOR SLOW OPERATION AND TURNING AROUND. CLUTCH WOULD POP AND JUMP FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING TO FALL OVER MANY TIMES. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR.....LUBED AND GROUND OUT THE INSIDE OF WEAR AREA ON LEVER AND UNIT THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE COMES INTO. WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD WEAR DOWN IN TIME AND BECOME SMOOTH, THAT THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY WAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DUMPED THE BIKE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE LACK OF A SMOOTH CLUTCH, IT IS HARD TO CONTROL AND MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL FOR TURNING AROUND OR PARKING, ETC. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE IF IT HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TEST RODE IT. *TR

CLUTCH LEVER SEEMED FAR TO REACH, TOOK IN FOR INSPECTION AND/OR POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT. CAME BACK WITH CLUTCH LEVER STICKING OR RATCHETING, NO LONGER SMOOTH TO OPERATE. THIS MADE IT VERY HARD TO OPERATE IN THE FRICTION ZONE NEEDED FOR SLOW OPERATION AND TURNING AROUND. CLUTCH WOULD POP AND JUMP FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING TO FALL OVER MANY TIMES. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR.....LUBED AND GROUND OUT THE INSIDE OF WEAR AREA ON LEVER AND UNIT THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE COMES INTO. WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD WEAR DOWN IN TIME AND BECOME SMOOTH, THAT THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY WAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DUMPED THE BIKE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE LACK OF A SMOOTH CLUTCH, IT IS HARD TO CONTROL AND MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL FOR TURNING AROUND OR PARKING, ETC. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE IF IT HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TEST RODE IT. *TR