Harley-Davidson FLTRU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
56 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
7,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 48 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 56 complaints (21.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 14 | 25.0% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 7.1% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 5.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 1.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 12 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Engine | 10 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Wheels | 5 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Tires | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
Steering: 12; Service Brakes: 11; Engine: 10; Electrical System: 7; Wheels: 5; Power Train: 4; Tires: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 38 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 38; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (38). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2011: 6; 2012: 8; 2013: 7; 2014: 6; 2015: 3; 2016: 4; 2017: 7; 2018: 4; 2019: 1; 2020: 6; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10536521 · 2013-08-21 (August 21, 2013)
AFTER A NICE HOUR LONG RIDE, ENTERING THE HIGHWAY (RT1 SAUGUS) COMING TO A STOP AT THE ON RAMP I APPLIED PRESSURE TO BOTH MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. MY RIGHT FOOT PUSHED THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSED ME TO THROTTLE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. MY REAR TIRE STARTED TO SPIN OUT COMPARED TO BEING ON ICE. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED THE BIKE AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD. WHILE INSPECTING MY BIKE I PUSHED THE FOOT BRAKE IN WITH MY HAND AND FLUID FROM THE BRAKE SWITCH AND BRAKE LINE WAS SHOOTING OUT. THIS WAS CAUSING FLUID TO HIT MY EXHAUST PIPE CHROME AND SMOKE…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,057 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536521 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10579457 · 2014-04-13 (April 13, 2014)
NOTICED A GRINDING AND JERKING MOTION IN THE FRONT WHEEL PULLED OVER TO INSPECT. DIDN'T NOTICE THE BEARING AT THE TIME. BRAKE PADS WERE A LITTLE THIN SO THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THEM. ROAD THE BIKE HOME AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION NOTICED THAT THE SEALED BEARING ON THE FRONT WHEEL WAS COMING APART AND WAS MISSING SEVERAL OF THE BALL BEARINGS. GOT ON A COUPLE OF FORUMS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 2009 AND NEWER BIKES WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. THE REPLACEMENT BEARING FOR MINE ARE ONLY SOLD BY HARLEY SO I'LL BE PUTTING IN THE SAME P…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,245 miles reported. Look up ODI 10579457 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10403171 · 2011-05-19 (May 19, 2011)
WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE FRONT STEERING MECHANISM WILL RADICALLY SWERVE LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT AND SO FORTH WHEN YOU CROSS 42 MPH. IF CRUISING AT 55 AND YOU ENTER A TOWN AND LET GO OF THE HANDLE BAR TO ADJUST YOUR HAT AS THE BIKE CROSSES 42 MPH THE STEERING HEAD WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND ONLY QUICK REFLEXES TO GRAB THE BAR WILL SAVE YOU FROM A CRASH. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE ON THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR OF BIKE. THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS ARE MAL-ADJUSTED FROM THE FACTORY. YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THIS HERE: HTTP://WWW.ROADGLIDE.OR…
Owner-reported narrative. 198 miles reported. Look up ODI 10403171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10444827 · 2012-01-22 (January 22, 2012)
AS THE MOTORCYCLE DECELERATES BETWEEN 40 AND 36 MPH, THE HANDLE BARS BEGIN TO WOBBLE AND SHAKE IF HAND PRESSURE IS REDUCED OR REMOVED FROM THE HANDLEBARS. IF YOU DON' T GRIP THE HANDLEBARS TIGHTLY, THE STEERING WOBBLE INTENSIFIES VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WOULD LOSE CONTROL. THIS STARTED THE DAY I PICKED UP THE BIKE (BRAND NEW). AT THE 1000 MILE CHECK-UP, THEY CLAIM TO HAVE ADJUSTED THE STEERING HEAD BEARING, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. AFTER FURTHER COMPLAINTS, THEIR RESPONSE RANGES FROM "IT DOESN'T DO IT FOR US" TO "THERE'S IS NOTHING …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10444827 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10470409 · 2012-08-13 (August 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE ULTRA MOTORCYCLE (N.A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,200. UPDATED 10/24/12*LJ UPDATED 10/31/2012 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10562544 · 2014-02-02 (February 2, 2014)
SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND AS SOON AS THE THROTTLE WAS APPLIED, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED OUT. USING AN INFRARED THERMOMETER, CYLINDER TEMPERATURES MEASURED 280 DEGREES IN THE FRONT CYLINDER AND 380 DEGREES IN THE REAR CYLINDER. THIS MEASUREMENT WAS TAKEN WITH THE MOTORCYCLE NOT HAVING BEEN RIDDEN, JUST SITTING AND IDLING FOR 15 MINUTES. THE HEAT IS DANGEROUS ON THIS MOTORCYCLE AND H-D'S RECOMMENDATIONS INVOLVE SPENDING HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS TO MAKE A BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE COMFORTABLE AND SAFE TO RIDE. THIS IS CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562544 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10730701 · 2015-06-26 (June 26, 2015)
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WHEN ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC THE THROTTLE RESPONSE AND ENGINE POWER SHIFTS INTO LIMP HOME MODE. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED AND REQUIRED RAPID RESPONSE TO CLEAR THE ROAD AND GET TO THE SHOULDER.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10730701 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10468846 · 2012-08-01 (August 1, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXHAUST WAS OVERHEATED AND THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE OVERHEATED AS WELL. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER. THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ALSO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 112,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468846 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2009: 0; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 0; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 1