2015 HARLEY-DAVIDSON XG500 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE AUGUST 2019. ON MAY 8, 2019, IT HAS BEEN BACK IN THE SHOP FOR SIX WEEK. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE DOWN IN WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 6 WEEKS. I'M BEING TOLD THE OUTPUT SHAFT IS BEING REDESIGNED. WHEN YOU'RE GOING THOUGHT THE GEARS THE OUTPUT SHAFT BREAKS. YOU DON'T EVEN GET THOUGH THE 6 GEARS. THEN BIKE LOSES ALL POWER TRAIN ONCE THE OUTPUT SHALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. YOU HAVE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT'S BEEN IN THE FOR THE SAME THING. FIRST TIME AUGUST 27, 2018. SECOND TIME OCTOBER 24, 2018. TOOK MY BIKE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK THE OUTPUT SHAFT AND BOLT. THIRD TIME MARCH 25, 2019.

FIRST ACCIDENT WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT INTERSECTION, WITH LOW FUEL, BUT NO FUEL LIGHT YET. ACCELERATING ON SLIGHT UPHILL LEFT TURN, FROM STOP AT LIGHT. WENT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, WAS LEAVING THE CURVE WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. THE BIKE LAGGED SLIGHTLY, THEN ACCELERATED SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB AND CRASHED. BEING A NEW RIDER I ASSUMED THAT THE POT HOLE HAD CAUSED ME TO ROLL ON THE THROTTLE, WHICH IS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND PUT THIS INCIDENT DOWN TO RIDER ERROR. IT WAS A SANCTIONED CLUB RIDE, SO REPORTS WERE FILED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE SPENT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AT HARLEY DAVIDSON OF BALTIMORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, FOR WHAT WAS MOSTLY COSMETIC DAMAGE, AND I WAS PAYING CASH FOR REPAIRS, SO THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPAIR, BUT THEY ASKED ME MULTIPLE TIMES HOW, OR WHY I THOUGHT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH THIS BIKE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT I BELIEVE THEY KNEW FROM THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED. THE BIKE ALSO HAD A SPEED WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHICH WAS WITNESSED BY OTHERS, DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THAT THEY SAID WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH I REPORTED IT TO THEM BEFORE THE RIDE, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE THE BIKE WITH THEM AFTERWARDS TO INVESTIGATE; THIS DISAPPEARED, AFTER THE MONTHS IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. A FEW MONTHS LATER I WENT OUT FOR A RIDE WITH A FRIEND, I WAS MAKING AN UPHILL RIGHT HAND TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY, WITH FULL TANK OF GAS, WHEN THE BIKE HESITATED AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT TO FULL ACCELERATION, AGAIN I HIT THE CURB AND CAME OFF. THE SECOND TIME I REALIZED THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE BIKE AND BEGAN INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

FIRST ACCIDENT WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT INTERSECTION, WITH LOW FUEL, BUT NO FUEL LIGHT YET. ACCELERATING ON SLIGHT UPHILL LEFT TURN, FROM STOP AT LIGHT. WENT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, WAS LEAVING THE CURVE WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. THE BIKE LAGGED SLIGHTLY, THEN ACCELERATED SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB AND CRASHED. BEING A NEW RIDER I ASSUMED THAT THE POT HOLE HAD CAUSED ME TO ROLL ON THE THROTTLE, WHICH IS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND PUT THIS INCIDENT DOWN TO RIDER ERROR. IT WAS A SANCTIONED CLUB RIDE, SO REPORTS WERE FILED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE SPENT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AT HARLEY DAVIDSON OF BALTIMORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, FOR WHAT WAS MOSTLY COSMETIC DAMAGE, AND I WAS PAYING CASH FOR REPAIRS, SO THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPAIR, BUT THEY ASKED ME MULTIPLE TIMES HOW, OR WHY I THOUGHT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH THIS BIKE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT I BELIEVE THEY KNEW FROM THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED. THE BIKE ALSO HAD A SPEED WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHICH WAS WITNESSED BY OTHERS, DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THAT THEY SAID WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH I REPORTED IT TO THEM BEFORE THE RIDE, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE THE BIKE WITH THEM AFTERWARDS TO INVESTIGATE; THIS DISAPPEARED, AFTER THE MONTHS IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. A FEW MONTHS LATER I WENT OUT FOR A RIDE WITH A FRIEND, I WAS MAKING AN UPHILL RIGHT HAND TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY, WITH FULL TANK OF GAS, WHEN THE BIKE HESITATED AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT TO FULL ACCELERATION, AGAIN I HIT THE CURB AND CAME OFF. THE SECOND TIME I REALIZED THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE BIKE AND BEGAN INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

I BROUGHT MY XG500 TO A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER TO FIX A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. AFTER AN ESTIMATED 100 MILES, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE BACK WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE THROTTLE WOULD REV UP THE ENGINE, BUT IT WASN'T MAKING ME MOVE. THIS PUT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE PREDICAMENT AND I HAD TO ROLL ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE DECELERATING.

I BROUGHT MY XG500 TO A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER TO FIX A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. AFTER AN ESTIMATED 100 MILES, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE BACK WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE THROTTLE WOULD REV UP THE ENGINE, BUT IT WASN'T MAKING ME MOVE. THIS PUT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE PREDICAMENT AND I HAD TO ROLL ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE DECELERATING.