Harley-Davidson XL1200C problems and owner complaints

BATTERY COVER ON 2004 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1200 CUSTOM SPORTSTER HAS BLOWN OFF TWICE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. FIRST TIME A CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED BUT STILL RAN OVER COVER. SECOND TIME A FRIEND ON HIS MOTORCYCLE BEHIND ME WAS NEARLY HIT BY COVER. I ALLIED HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND GAVE ME A REFERENCE NUMBER TO GIVE MY DEALER. MY DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 SPORTSTER AND I WONDER WHY NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10093169 at NHTSA ↗

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL 06V476000 FOR THE 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C MOTORCYCLE ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR ON 01/22/07. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO HAD ALREADY ORDERED THE PARTS AND WAS WAITING FOR THEM. SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS CAME IN SOMETIMES IN FEBRUARY. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT THE PARTS CAME IN ,AND THEY PUT THE RECALL PARTS ON THE MOTORCYCLES ON THEIR SALES FLOOR. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THEY WOULD HAVE …

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183986 at NHTSA ↗

TYPICAL MOTORCYCLE RIDING UNKNOWN FREQUENCY REPLACED CKP SENSOR I HAVE A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C MOTORCYCLE. ABOUT A WEEK AGO ,AFTER THE BIKE WAS WARMED UP,IT WOULD STALL AT INTERSECTIONS AND BACKFIRE AND OFTEN DIE AS YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION WHILE TURNING. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE BIKE RUNNING IS TO REV IT TO A HIGH LEVEL,WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS ,PARTICULARLY WHILE TURNING. WASN'T INJURED BUT CAME VERY CLOSE TO GETTING RUN OFF SEVERAL TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. I HAD TO JOIN A MOTORCYCLE FORUM TO ACTUALLY DISCOVER WH…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266432 at NHTSA ↗

2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON 1200 CUSTOM 1300 MI, CONSTANT ENGINE COUGH AND OCCASIONAL STALLING. THE COUGHING AND HESITATION ARE QUITE OFTEN MAKING THIS MOTORCYCLE EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE ROADS IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN IN THE HD SHOP FOR OVER 20 DAYS SINCE I BOUGHT IT MAY 2006. THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING AND NOW THE DEALERSHIPS CANNOT FIX IT. I PAID OVER $11,199.00 FOR THE BIKE AND THEY OFFERED ME &6700.00 FOR IT. IT IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. NO ONE WANTS IT-WHAT TO DO? *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186298 at NHTSA ↗

REAR BRAKE FAILURE ON A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON XLC 1200. TECH'S COULD DISCOVER NO LEAKAGE IN THE BRAKE LINE. HD TECH'S COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. NOTED THAT THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY WAS UNSAFE AND TOTAL REPLACEMENT NEEDED. MOTORCYCLE MILEAGE WAS UNDER 9,000 MI. AND ALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON TIME. HD REFUSED FREE REPLACEMENT, DENIED RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361311 at NHTSA ↗

HARLEY-DAVIDSON USES THE SAME PART ON MANY OF THEIR MOTORCYCLES WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS PART IS THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO ACTIVATE THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WHEN THE RIDER APPLIES PRESSURE TO THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL. THIS PART HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON HUNDREDS OF THEIR PRODUCTS (IN SOME CASES MORE THAN ONCE AS THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS ALSO FAILED) DATING BAKE SEVERAL YEARS YET THEY CONTINUE TO USE IT WITHOUT UPGRADING IT. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND WE, THE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE IT, WOUL…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10254357 at NHTSA ↗

THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION OF HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTERS THAT CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO LURCH BADLY IN FIRST GEAR. THIS BEGINS AT AROUND 10K AND THE DEALERS SAY THIS IS RELATED TO SPORTSTERS BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. THIS COULD CAUSE A NOVICE RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL, ESPECIALLY ON LOOSE SURFACES SUCH AS GRAVEL OR SAND. I HAVE SPOKEN TO HD BUT GOTTEN NOWHERE. THE STANDARD REPLY IS TO TRADE IT OFF. I HAVE NEARLY DROPPED MY BIKE IN SLOW TURNS IN FIRST GEAR MORE THAN ONCE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196790 at NHTSA ↗

09/04/2009 2006 XL1200C HARLEY DAVIDSON DEFECTIVE PART: CLUTCH SPRING INCIDENT = MY 2006 XL 1200C STARTED SHIFTING HARD. I NOTICED AT A STOP WHEN I HAD THE CLUTCH LEVER FULLY PULLED BACK THE BIKE STILL WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAD TO KEEP THE FRONT BRAKE ON TO KEEP THE BIKE FROM MOVING. I TOOK THE BIKE TO REDWOOD HARLEY DAVIDSON AS I AM A LONG WAY FROM HOME. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE OIL LEVEL WAS INCORRECT SO I HAD THEM CHECK IT. THE TECH, TOLD ME I HAD A BROKEN CLUTCH SPRING, WHICH IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FAC…

Owner-reported narrative. 37,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282900 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE (2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C) MY LEFT MIRROR BROKE OFF AND SINCE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ATTACHED TO MIRROR CAUSED THE LIGHT TO BREAK AND HAD TO HOLD IT FROM DAMAGING THE GAS TANK. I WAS APROX. 15 MILES FROM HOME AND THIS MADE THE RIDE QUITE DANGEROUS HAVING TO HOLD THE LIGHT AS WELL AS USE THE CLUTCH. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 15,460 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157670 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON XL1200C. THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE AND CREATED A HOLE. AS A RESULT, FUEL LEAKED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,100.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204714 at NHTSA ↗