2001 Harley-Davidson SPORTSTER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
6,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Child Seat is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 6 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 1 | 16.7% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 16.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Child Seat | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 1 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | 1 |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior | 1 |
Child Seat: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 1; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices: 1; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 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 (2). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 2; 2005: 1
Pattern summary
Child Seat leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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 10013564 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
RIDING MY 2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 1200S (SPORTSTER 1200 SPORT) HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. WEATHER CONDITIONS: MIST/LIGHT RAIN. THE BIKE HAD JUST HAD ITS 10K SERVICE DONE A FEW WEEKS PRIOR AT LOCAL H-D DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO PUT ON NEW TIRES FRONT & REAR. THE BIKE SHOOK VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND I ENDED UP LAYING IT DOWN. MY R KNEE WAS SCRAPED UP AND MY L HAND SWOLLEN AND L ANKLE BRUISED. VERY LUCKY AS I WAS WEARING LEATHER JACKET AND BOOTS. NO BROKEN BONES. INS CO (PROGRESSIVE) SUGGESTED A DIFFERENT SHOP (NOT DEALER) …
Owner-reported narrative. 11,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013564 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066994 · 2004-05-20 (May 20, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ON TO RESTART. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IDLE PROPERLY AND THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER. *SC THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066994 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089833 · 2004-09-28 (September 28, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE LEFT REAR VIEW MIRROR SNAPPED OFF. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2002 MODEL INSTEAD.*AK *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089833 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10142470 · 2005-11-11 (November 11, 2005)
MY 6 YEAR OLD SON AND MY EX-HUSBAND WERE KILLED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WHILE THEY WERE ON A MOTORCYCLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A LAW PROHIBITING CHILDREN FROM RIDING AS A PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE. I WAS NOT ALLOWED BY LAW TO PUT AARON IN THE CAR WITHOUT BEING PLACED IN A CAR SEAT, YET HIS FATHER, EVEN AFTER MY REPEATED REQUEST FOR HIM NOT TO WAS ABLE TO PUT HIM ON THE BACK OF HIS HARLEY. WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WITH ALL OF THESE LAWS, EVEN AN ADULT CAN NOT RIDE IN A CAR WITHOUT A SEAT BELT, BUT A MOTORCYCLE RIDER CAN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10142470 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 752641 · 2001-09-27 (September 27, 2001)
I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE NEW AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A MAJOR PROBLEM FROM THE MIRRORS FALLING OFF WILL MOVING, HEAD LIGHT AIMED AT THE SKY NOT TOO THE ROAD, PART OF THE FORWARD GEAR SHIFT CONTROL FALLING OFF OVER AND OVER, LEAKING OIL FROM THE HEAD AND THE LOWER END AND FROM THE AIR CLEANER. I KEEP TAKING THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD ITS NOT LEAKING BUT THERE IS OIL ALL OVER THE BIKE(THEY ACT LIKE I MAY BE DUMPING IT ON TIL THEY PUT A DYE IN IT THEN ITS WILL THIS PART IS BAD AND THIS PART IS BAD), ON THE MIRRIOR I HAD T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 752641 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 866864 · 2000-08-04 (August 4, 2000)
THE SCREWS CAME LOOSE FROM THE BRACKET ON THE HANDLE BAR WHICH HOLDS THE CLULTCH LEVER AND REAR VIEW MIRROR. *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 866864 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.