Harley-Davidson FLTRX problems and owner complaints

ON 3/13/2012 I PAID HOLSTEIN'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON FOR SERVICE THAT INCLUDED A 5K SERVICE. HOLSTEIN'S FAILED TO OBSERVE AND REPAIR A BRAKE SWITCH RECALL. ON 7/12/2012, THE BRAKE SWITCH STARTED ON FIRE. ON 7/14/2012 HOLSTEIN'S REFUSED TO REPAIR THE BRAKES AND I HAD IT TOWED TO WERNER CYCLE WORKS FOR REPAIR. HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOMER CARE REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR REPAIR SINCE WERNER'S IS NOT A HARLEY-DAVIDSON SHOP (FILED CASE # [XXX]). HOLSTEIN'S REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME EVEN THOUGH THEY VERBALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I PAID FOR A 5K SERVICE CHECK AND T…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509791 at NHTSA ↗

THE REAR BRAKE ON MY 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX WITH ABS FAILED. THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL FROZE IN THE UP POSITION, NOT ALLOWING ME TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE. NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED IT WOULD NOT GO DOWN. I WAS TRAVELLING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME. I RODE HOME USING ONLY THE FRONT BRAKE FOR STOPPING, FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT FAIL ALSO. I TOOK IT IN TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DEALER AND THE TECH TOLD ME THAT A VALVE IN THE HCU HAD GOTTEN STUCK AND IT WOULD BE $700 TO REPAIR. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT SO I TOOK THE BIKE HOME AND IT HAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10883712 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RIDING ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE IT SUDDENLY DIED. IT DIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT BEING CHARGED; THEREFORE MY ELECTRONICS WOULD NOT WORK, INCLUDING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO HARLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS PART OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON?S PRODUCT PROGRAM (PRODUCT NOTICE: 0912) AND NOT PART OF A SAFETY RECALL. I DON?T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISN?T A SAFETY ISSUE CONSIDERING THE MOTORCYCLE DIES WHILE YOU ARE RIDING ON IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726815 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. I NOTICED MY VOLTAGE METER AT 11 VOLTS. I HAD THE BIKE TOWED TO THE HARLEY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED MY VOLTAGE REGULATOR. THIS WAS A BIG RECALL IN 2012 AND MANY OWNERS OF 2013 ARE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. I'M AFRAID ONCE MY WARRANTY RUNS OUT, ILL BE LIABLE FOR REPLACING IT AGAIN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587245 at NHTSA ↗

THE COMPENSATING SPROCKET, IN THE PRIMARY DRIVE, MAKES A CONTACT TICKETY TICKETY OR A LOUDER CLACKING NOISE DEPENDING ON THE SPEED AND GEAR SELECTION. THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A HOWLING NOISE IN ALL GEARS EXCEPT 6TH. BETWEEN THE TICKETY TICKETY, CLACKING AND HOWLING IT'S A DISTRACTION DIVERTING YOUR ATTENTION FROM TO THE SURROUNDINGS, AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE DEALERS(HARLEY DAVIDSON) SAY THE NOISE IS A DESIGN CONDITION AND THERE IS NO REPAIR THAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. " YOU'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT."

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10762531 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING SOUNDS LIKE ITS COMING APART-AND HARD TO GET IN GEARS- AND JERKY-NOT SMOOTH---VERY LOUD KLUNKS AND KLANGS THRU ALL GEARS. HIT A BUMP/POTHOLE SOUNDS LIKE ITS FALLING OFF BIKE-CITY TRAFFIC ON AND OFF THROTTLE KLUNKS AND KLANGS--IS SO LOUD OTHERS RIDING NEXT TO ME HAVE SAID THEY CAN HEAR IT . I HAVE BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS--THEY TELL ME ITS NORMAL--NOT !!!--SO LOUD ITS EMBARRASSING-SO JERKY WIFE WILL NOT RIDE WITH ME- I AM AFRAID ITS GOING TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING OR COME APART INTERNALLY AND PUT ME DOWN. I HA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10995740 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE PINS FOR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,200. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504429 at NHTSA ↗

The auto compression release on the front cylinder came loose and stripped the hole in the head that it was screwed into. The caused the head to have to be replaced. The total bill was approximately $2000. This caused a sudden loss of power on the road as the engine effectively had a hole in the top of it. This put my life at risk if I was unable to pull over to the side of the road. I have read from multiple sources that this is happening fairly often. I have also spoke to 2 different mechanics who have said the same thing.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11536776 at NHTSA ↗