U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Harley-Davidson FLTRU: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

22 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

6,550 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 22 complaints (31.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	7	31.8%
Steering behavior	3	13.6%
Engine operation	1	4.5%

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.

Steering

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Engine

Tires

Wheels

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System

Fuel System, Gasoline

Steering: 7; Service Brakes: 5; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 2; Tires: 2; Wheels: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 5 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.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2017

2018

2021

2022

2011: 5; 2012: 4; 2013: 3; 2014: 1; 2016: 2; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 2

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10384673 · 2011-02-27 (February 27, 2011)

STRONG GASOLINE FUMES COMING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE INTO THE HOUSE. I HAD TO AIR OUT THE HOUSE IT WAS SO BAD. I JUST PARKED THE BIKE IN THE GARAGE FROM A LESS THAN 20 MILE TRIP AND HALF A TANK OF GAS. I COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS AND THE GAS CAP WAS ON SECURELY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 459 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384673 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10402083 · 2011-05-19 (May 19, 2011)

2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE CUSTOM (FLTRX) FRONT END SHAKE WHEN MOTORCYCLE IS BETWEEN 37-42 MPH. AIR PRESSURE FOR TIRES AT RECOMMENDED VALUE FROM OWNERS MANUAL. THIS IS HAPPENING FROM NEW, VERY UNSAFE TO RIDE IN THAT MPH RANGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10402083 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 10411690 · 2011-07-10 (July 10, 2011)

I WAS ON A ROAD TRIP TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON 5/4//2011 & HAD STOP FOR FUEL & WAS LOOKING OVER MY 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX MOTORCYCLE & NOTIFIED WHAT TO BE A SMALL CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES. I WAS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM THE CLOSEST HD DEALERSHIP. I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY HAD NO TIRES IN STOCK & WOULD BE AT LEAST 1 WEEK. THEY CALLED AHEAD TO THE NEXT CLOSEST DEALERSHIP. THEY NOTED THAT THE TIRE WAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES ON THE SIDEWALLS. I WAS ABLE TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THAT TIME. I TRAVEL TO THE NEXT DEALERSHIP & THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10411690 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10418443 · 2011-08-10 (August 10, 2011)

2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE ULTRA (FLTRU) FRONT END SHAKE WHEN MOTORCYCLE IS BETWEEN 37-42 MPH. AIR PRESSURE FOR TIRES AT RECOMMENDED VALUE FROM OWNERS MANUAL. THIS IS HAPPENING FROM NEW, VERY UNSAFE TO RIDE IN THAT MPH RANGE. HARLEY HAS DENIED THE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. DEALER ADMITS THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO FIX. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418443 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 10445746 · 2012-01-29 (January 29, 2012)

I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP SIGN AND BEGAN DECELERATING. AT ABOUT 40MPH, I MOMENTARILY TOOK MY HANDS OFF THE HANDLEBARS TO ZIP UP MY JACKET AND THE STEERING FORKS BEGAN TO SHAKE BACK AND FORTH. THE SHAKING GREW MORE VIOLENT IN JUST A SECOND OR TWO. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HANDS BACK ON THE HANDLEBARS AND THE SHAKING STOPPED AND OPERATION WAS NORMAL. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE BUT FELT THAT IF I HAD NOT REGAINED CONTROL I WOULD HAVE CRASHED. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 8,013 miles reported. Look up ODI 10445746 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10466031 · 2012-07-17 (July 17, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON FL TRUSE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE THAT BURNT HIS LEG THROUGH HIS PANTS. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES, BUT THERE WAS REDNESS OF THE SKIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LONGER HE DROVE THE MOTORCYCLE, THE HOTTER IT WOULD BECOME. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. THE CONTACT USED A HANDHELD INFRARED SCANNER AND DETERMINED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE HEATED UP TO APPROXIMATELY 300 T…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466031 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

11V506000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch

Reported: 2011-10-19 (October 19, 2011)

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Consequence: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

NHTSA campaign record ↗